Let's Make Hanukkiyot!

Another year passed by and we are already getting ready for Hanukkah!

Every year I'm thinking about creative, new ways to make hanukkiyot with my son and my students.

I usually get the materials in advance and try it at home with my son before bringing it to my students.

We made our 2022 hanukkiya yesterday, and I wanted to share it with you, in case you want to try it at home or in your classroom as well!

So, let me introduce you to our Air-Dry Clay Hanukkiya!

Here's what do you need:

Wooden base: https://amzn.to/3TW4l6c

Step 1: Cut the wooden base (This step is optional!)

This wooden base is made of Balsa wood- which is very soft and easy to work with.

This base is 4 inches wide.

We cut it to 2.5 inches wide.

We used a pencil to mark the cutting line,

and then we used a regular kitchen knife to cut.

We used a nail buffer to file the edges.

Step 2: Painting

My son chose to use black paint, but you can choose any color.

I highly recommend to make a plan for the colors you would like to use for the candle holders, and then choose the base color accordingly.

After you finish painting, place the base in a safe place to dry, and start working on the candle holders.

Step 3: Making candle holders

Choose the air-day clay colors you would like to use. Then, work on one candle holder at a time.

Cut a small piece and form a ball in your hands.

The ball's diameter should be about 1 inch.

If you're using the same clay we used, it's a little less than 1/4 package for each ball.

** Don't forget- your shamash needs 2 balls **

When your ball is ready, put the metal candle holder piece in the middle.

Step 4: Gluing the candle holders to the base

Use clear glue to glue your candle holders to the base.

To make a kosher Hanukkiya, your shamash should be on the side or exactly in the middle (with 4 candle holders on each side).

In the picture, you can see that we used the piece we cut out in step 1 for planning and checking all the candle holders fit on the base.

I hope you'll enjoy making this Hanukkiya as much as we did!

Happy Hanukkah!! 🕎

Saifan

Recent Posts