Each Night a Child Is Born Is a Holy Night

Children in the Discovery class act out the story of Jesus' birth

Sophia Fahs, a Unitarian religious educator, wrote:

"Each night a child is born is a holy night

A time for singing,

A time for wondering,

A time for worshipping.

Each night a child is born is a holy night.

No angels herald their beginnings

No prophets predict their future course

No wise men see a star to show

where to find the babe that will save humankind

Yet each night a child is born is a holy night."

Explores make clay for ornaments, while talking about the story of Jesus' birth.

Learning About Hannuakah

This time of the year is a special time when some families all over the world celebrate freedom, miracles, and love.  This wonderful celebration is called Hanukkah.  Today, the children in our youngest classes learned about the celebration of Hannukah.  

On Hannukah, Jewish people celebrate this miracle of the light that lasted eight days and their freedom to believe and worship as they choose.  They bring out their Menorahs, a beautiful candleholder with room for nine candles.  The extra candle is called the “shammash”, a candle to light all the other candles.  Each night for eight nights, they light the candles adding one each night until the last night.  And they do things together on each of the nights. 

They gather family together.

They play dreidel (a spinning top) together.

 They eat potato latkes together.

They sing songs together.

They share simple gifts together.

They eat jelly donuts together.

They find chocolate gelt together.

They say blessings together. 

On the eighth night, all the candles burn brightly.  Everyone remembers the story of the fight for freedom and of the miracle of the lights.  Everyone is happy to be with people who love them.