Here's something I wrote for the kids in my school to perform at Channukka.
Happy Channuka everybody, whicheverway you spell it.

Hannukka Rap

Long ago in the land of Judah lived a man who had four bruddah,
His daddies name was Matathious, Boy Oh Boy he sure was pious,
His name was Judah ,called The Hammer ,he was big and strong a real hard slammer.
Said "I'm a Jew , don't eat no pork, I just wanna pray and with God talk.
I got me a farm, raise corn and sheep, don't mess with me if ya don't wanna weep.
In Modi'in I make my home , don't mess with me- just leave me alone.
My brother El he sure is strong, wherever I go, he goes along.
Yonni, Jonny & Shim they always jive, we stick together and stay alive.
My daddie's Matti, a fine old bloke, won't bend the knee, won't wear no yoke.
We do our thing, don't want no stress, no cops, no pigs- don't want no mess."
Till one fine day there comes this geek- says "Antiochus says you'll all be Greek"
Who me? Be Greek? What's that you speak? I'm one fine Jew I'm strong not weak.
I won't bow down ! Wont pay no tax, won't eat no pork for midday snacks.
Won't play no games won't worship Helen, I ain't no Greek so don't be yellin'.
Get out of my hair, get out of my face- just quit my land don't leave no trace!
Well the Greeks saw red, got sore and mad- sent GI troopers after Judah and his dad.
"We'll hunt you down, like mad wild dogs- till you bend the knee and eat our hogs."
We grabbed our swords and gave a yell- "We got our Lord- you go to hell!"
Folks all joined in – we got a gang, we vowed Antiochus was gonna hang.
We kicked their butt, we whupped their ass, them Greeks didn't know what came to pass .
We got up to Jerusalem, the Holy City, what we saw there sure was a pity.
The House of God was all defiled- our blood sure boiled, we sure were riled.
We needed oil, not just one jar, that's all there was- it wouldn't go far.
We scraped and scrubbed that Temple clean- You'd never know those Greeks had been.
And that one jar –That Holy Light , it burned and burned, all day all night.
For eight whole days just like a miracle, you'd better believe it- Don't be cynacle.
So me and my brothers we went back home- Then for many years they left us alone.
Now all us Jews get fat at Hannukka, eat jelly doughnuts,
( even Monica).
Fry them latkes, spin that dreidle, eat all the levivot you are able.
We showed those Greeks we don't take no crap- and now we're singing this
Hannukka Rap!


copyright               Menachem Vinegrad November 2003.