FUN WITH JEWISH HOLIDAY SONGS

Original Songs set to Traditional Melodies

By Sylvia Rouss

Rosh Hashanah

Hear the Shofar (Frere Jacque)

Hear the shofar, hear the shofar,

Loud and clear, loud and clear,

TEKIAH!

Happy New Year, Happy New Year.

Rosh Hashanah (The Wheels on the bus)

Blow the shofar nice and loud, nice and loud, nice and loud.

Blow the shofar nice and loud, FOR ROSH HASHANAH!

Eat the apples, fresh and crisp, fresh and crisp, fresh and crisp.

Eat the apples, fresh and crisp, FOR ROSH HASHANAH!

Taste the honey, sticky and sweet, sticky and sweet, sticky and sweet.

Taste the honey, sticky and sweet, FOR ROSH HASHANAH!

Try the challah, soft and round, soft and round, soft and round.

Try the challah, soft and round, FOR ROSH HASHANAH!

Blow the Shofar (Row, Row, Row your Boat)

Blow, blow, blow the shofar. Blow it loud and clear.

Listen to its joyful sound. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Rosh Hashanah’s Here at Last (London Bridge)

Rosh Hashanah’s here at last, here at last, here at last.

Rosh Hashanah’s here at last. SHA-NAH TO-VAH!

Sound the Shofar, give a blast, give a blast, give a blast.

Sound the Shofar, give a blast. TE-KI-A-AH!

Smell the challah, nice and round, nice and round, nice and round.

Smell the challah, nice and round. SO DE-LI-CIOUS!

Slice an apple, take a bite, take a bite, take a bite.

Slice an apple, take a bite. CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH!

Taste the honey, oh so sweet, oh so sweet, oh so sweet.

Taste the honey, oh so sweet. YUM, YUM Y-UM!

Rosh Hashanah’s here at last, Here at last, here at last.

Rosh Hashanah’s here at last. HAP-PY NEW YEAR!

You are My Honey (You are my Sunshine)

You are my honey, my only honey,

You make my apples taste so sweet,

You may not know this but you are yummy.

You are my Rosh Ha-sha-nah treat.

Rosh Hashanah’s Here (The Farmer in the Dell)

Rosh Hashanah’s here. Rosh Hashanah’s here.

Shanah To-vah, Rosh Hashanah’s here.

The shofar’s sound is loud. The shofar’s sound is loud.

Shanah To-vah, the shofar’s sound is loud.

The challah’s shape is round. The challah’s shape is round.

Shanah To-vah, the challah’s shape is round.

The apple is a treat. The apple is a treat.

Shanah To-vah, the apple is a treat.

The honey tastes so sweet. The honey tastes so sweet.

Shanah To-vah, the honey tastes so sweet.

Let’s have a good year. Let’s have a good year.

Shanah To-vah, let’s have a good year.

Yom Kippur

It’s Yom Kippur (Frere Jacque)

It’s Yom Kippur, it’s Yom Kippur,

Time for synagogue, time for synagogue,

It’s where we go to pray,

On this holy day,

Of Yom Kippur, of Yom Kippur.

I’m a Friend (Mary Had a Little Lamb)

I know how to be a friend, be a friend, be a friend

I know how to be a friend when I play with others.

I’m a friend who tries to share, tries to share, tries to share

I’m a friend who tries to share when I play with others.

I’m a friend who can take turns, can take turns, can take turns

I’m a friend who can take turns when I play with others.

I’m a friend who likes to help, likes to help, likes to help

I’m a friend who likes to help when I play with others.

We Apologize (Wheels on the Bus)

When we know we’ve hurt someone, hurt someone, hurt someone

When we know we’ve hurt someone, we apologize.

Sorry is the word we use, word we use, word we use

Sorry is the word we use to show how much we care.

Let’s Be Friends (Frere Jacque)

Hold My Hand. Hold my hand.

Let’s be friends. Let’s be friends.

We can run and play,

Together every day,

Let’s be friends. Let’s be friends.

Sukkot

We Are Building Our Sukkah (She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

We are building our sukkah, here we come.

We are building our sukkah, we are building our sukkah,

We are building our sukkah, here we come.

We will nail wood beams together when we come.

We will nail wood beams together, we will nail wood beams together,

We will nail wood beams together when we come.

We will make a roof of branches when we come.

We will make a roof of branches, we will make a roof of branches,

We will make a roof of branches when we come.

We will add walls of fabric when we come.

We will add walls of fabric, we will add walls of fabric,

We will add walls of fabric when we come.

We will hang our fruit inside it when we’re done.

We will hang our fruit inside it, we will hang our fruit inside it.

We will hang our fruit inside it when we’re done.

Take an Apple (Frere Jacque)

Take an apple, take an apple,

Tied with string, tied with string

Reach for the sky

And hang it up high,

In the sukkah, in the sukkah.

*other fruits may be substituted

I’m Hanging Up an Apple (Baby Bumble Bee)

I’m hanging up an apple for all to see.

Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?

I’m hanging up an apple for all to see.

say: I NEED SOME STRING!

*other fruits may be substituted

Did You Ever Hang an Apple? (Did You Ever See a Lassie)

Did you ever hang an apple, an apple, an apple?

Did you ever hang an apple high in the sukkah?

High in the sukkah,

Did you ever hang an apple high in the sukkah?

*other fruits may be substituted

To the Sukkah We Will Go (London Bridge)

To the sukkah we will go, we will go, we will go.

To the sukkah we will go. IT’S SUKKOT!

Wave the lulav to and fro, to and fro, to and fro.

Wave the lulav to and fro. IT’S SUKKOT!

Smell the etrog, take a sniff, take a sniff, take a sniff.

Smell the etrog, take a sniff. IT’S SUKKOT!

I See Stars (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

From my sukkah late at night,

I see stars shining bright.

As you twinkle down on me,

I’m as happy as can be.

From my sukkah late at night,

I see stars shining bright.

Simchat Torah

I Love the Torah (The More We Get Together)

I love to hold the Torah, the Torah, the Torah.

I love to hold the Torah. It’s special to me.

I love to read the Torah, the Torah, the Torah.

I love to read the Torah. It’s special to me.

I love to kiss the Torah, the Torah, the Torah.

I love to kiss the Torah. It’s special to me.

Torah Scroll (Bingo)

There is a scroll that we all love,

And Torah is its name-o.

T-O-R-A-H, T-O-R-A-H, T-O-R-AH, (clap for each letter as you say it)

And Torah is its name-o.

*with each additional verse, drop a letter and clap instead

It’s Simchat Torah (Frere Jacque)

Hold the Torah, hold the Torah,

Happily, happily.

Sing a joyous song,

As you march along.

It’s Simchat Torah. It’s Simchat Torah.

Wave your flag, wave your flag,

All around, all around.

Wave it up high,

Reach for the sky.

It’s Simchat Torah. It’s Simchat Torah.

You are My Torah (You Are My Sunshine)

You are my Torah,

My special Torah,

You make me happy,

When I read you.

On Simchat Torah, we start over,

When we fin-ish reading you.

Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah (The Wheels on the Bus)

Menorah candles burning bright, burning bright burning bright,

Menorah candles burning bright, HAPPY HANUKKAH!

Dreidels spinning all around, all around, all around,

Dreidels spinning all around, HAPPY HANUKKAH!

Latkes frying in the pan, in the pan, in the pan,

Latkes frying in the pan, HAPPY HANUKKAH!

Children laughing merrily, merrily, merrily,

Children laughing merrily, HAPPY HANUKKAH!

Latkes (London Bridge)

Put some latkes on my plate, on my plate, on my plate.

Put some latkes on my plate. I can’t wait!

Judah (Bingo)

Once there was a Maccabee

And Judah was his name-o.

J-U-D-A-H, J-U-D-A-H, J-U-D-A-H, (clap for each letter as you say it)

And Judah was his name-o.

*with each additional verse, drop a letter and clap instead

Hanukkah, Oh What Fun! (This Old Man)

Hanukkah, oh what fun!

Light the candles everyone.

See the flames give off their heat.

Hanukkah just can’t be beat!

Hanukkah, oh what fun!

March like Maccabees everyone.

Hear the sound of marching feet.

Hanukkah just can’t be beat!

Hanukkah, oh what fun!

Spin your dreidels everyone.

Play the game and compete.

Hanukkah just can’t be beat!

Hanukkah, oh what fun!

Chocolate gelt for everyone.

Peel the foil and eat the treat.

Hanukkah just can’t be beat!

Hanukkah, oh what fun!

Have some latkes everyone.

Latkes are so good to eat.

Hanukkah just can’t be beat!

Judah Maccabee (Frere Jacque)

Judah Maccabee, Judah Maccabee,

Big and strong, big and strong.

He was so very brave.

The Temple he did save.

Long ago, long ago.

One Maccabee (Five Little Ducks)

One Maccabee went out one day,

To make Antiochus go away.

Asked a friend to come along,

Two Maccabees both brave and strong.

Two Maccabees went out one day,

To make Antiochus go away.

Asked a friend to come along,

Three Maccabees both brave and strong.

*repeat verse and continue adding more Maccabees

I’m a Little Dreidel (I’m a Little Teapot)

I’m a little dreidel, short and stout.

Hold my handle and spin me about.

When I get tired, watch me drop.

I fall to the ground and then I stop.

Eight Little Candles (Five Little Ducks)

See the menorah, shiny and bright.

It is such a lovely sight.

We will light it for eight nights.

See the menorah, shiny and bright. *

See the candles in a row.

See them flicker, see them glow.

Soon they will be melting low.

See the candles in a row.

Ten Little Dreidels (Ten Little Indians)

One little, two little, three little dreidels,

Four little, five little, six little dreidels

Seven little eight little, nine little dreidels,

Ten little dreidels spinning around.

Ten little dreidels spinning in a line,

One falls over and now there are nine

Nine little dreidels feeling great,

One falls over and now there are eight.

Eight little dreidels dancing under the heavens,

One falls over and now there are seven.

Seven little dreidels doing silly tricks,

One falls over and now there are six.

Six little dreidels seem so alive.

One falls over and now there are five.

Five little dreidels twirling ‘cross the floor,

One falls over and now there are four.

Four little dreidels happy as can be,

One falls over and now there are three.

Three little dreidels shiny and new,

One falls over and now there are two.

Two little dreidels having so much fun,

One falls over and now there is one.

One little dreidel tries to run, it falls over and now there are none.

Tu B’Shevat

Tu B’Shevat is Here (The Farmer in the Dell)

Tu B’Shevat is here. Tu B’Shevat is here.

Let’s say thank-you to the trees. Tu B’Shevat is here!

Trees give us their shade. Trees give us their shade.

Let’s say thank-you to the trees for giving us their shade.

Trees give us their wood. Trees give us their wood.

Let’s say thank you to the trees for giving us their wood.

Trees give us their fruit. Trees give us their fruit.

Let’s say thank you to the trees for giving us their fruit.

Happy Birthday to the Trees (Frere Jacque)

Happy birthday, happy birthday,

To the trees, to the trees.

Once they were so small,

Now they’ve grown so tall.

They reach the sky, they reach the sky.

This is the Way We Plant a Tree (Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush)

This is the way we plant a tree,

Plant a tree, plant a tree.

This is the way we plant a tree,

When it is Tu B’Shevat.

This is the way we water a tree,

Water a tree, water a tree.

This is the way we water a tree,

When it is Tu B’Shevat.

This is the way we trim a tree,

Trim a tree, trim a tree.

This is the way we trim a tree,

When it is Tu B’Shevat.

This is the way we pick the fruit,

Pick the fruit, pick the fruit.

This is the way we pick the fruit,

When it is Tu B’Shevat.

This is the way we eat the fruit,

Eat the fruit, eat the fruit.

This is the way we eat the fruit,

When it is Tu B’Shevat.

Tu B’Shevat (Three Blind Mice)

Tu B’Shevat, Tu B’Shevat,

The tree’s birthday, the tree’s birthday.

Hurry and come plant a tree.

Water it and you will see,

How very tall a tree can be.

Tu B’Shevat, Tu B’Shevat.

Purim

Purim Day (This Old Man)

Purim day, oh what fun!

Wave your groggers everyone.

Join the parade and make a lot of noise.

Purim’s fun for girls and boys.

Purim day, oh what fun!

Wear your costumes everyone.

Bring your mask and you will see,

How much fun Purim can be.

Purim day, oh what fun!

Bake some hamantashen everyone.

Fill a basket for your friends.

Wish Purim would never end.

Hamantashen (Frere Jacque)

Hamantashen, hamantashen,

With corners three, with corners three.

Put filling in the middle.

Fold and pinch a little.

One, two, three. One, two, three.

Purim Time (Mary had a Little Lamb)

Purim time is here at last, here at last, here at last, here at last.

Purim time is here at last. Come and join the fun!

Bring your costume and your mask, and your mask, and your mask.

Bring your costume and your mask. Come and join the fun!

Shake your groggers all around, all around, all around.

Shake your groggers all around. Come and join the fun!

Eat some hamantashen, they’re so good, they’re so good, they’re so good.

Eat some hamantashen they’re so good. Come and join the fun!

Let’s All Go to Shushan (Take Me Out to the Ballgame)

Let’s all go to Shushan.

Let’s all have some fun.

Bring a mask to hide your eyes.

Who you are will be a surprise.

For its rash, rash, rash, go the groggers,

Whenever you hear Haman’s name.

So hurry and join in the fun.

You’ll be glad you came.

Oh, We’re on Our Way to Shushan (She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

Oh, we’re on our way to Shushan, here we come. (say: CAN’T WAIT!)

Oh, we’re on our way to Shushan, here we come. (say: CAN’T WAIT!

Oh, we’re on our way to Shushan, oh we’re on our way to Shushan,

Oh, we’re on our way to Shushan, here we come. (say: CAN’T WAIT!)

We’ll be wearing our costumes when we come. (say: GUESS WHO?)

We’ll be wearing our costumes, we’ll be wearing our costumes,

We’ll be wearing our costumes when we come. (say: GUESS WHO?)

We’ll be bringing our groggers when we come. (say: RASH! RASH!)

We’ll be bringing our groggers when we come. (say: RASH! RASH!)

We’ll be bringing our groggers, we’ll be bringing our groggers,

We’ll be bringing our groggers when we come. (say: RASH! RASH!)

We’ll be reading the Megillah when we come. (say: HOO-RAY!)

We’ll be reading the Megillah when we come. (say: HOO-RAY!)

We’ll be reading the Megillah, we’ll be reading the Megillah,

We’ll be reading the Megillah when we come. (say: HOO-RAY!)

We’ll be eating hamantashen when we come. (say: YUM! YUM!)

We’ll be eating hamantashen when we come. (say: YUM! YUM!)

We’ll be eating hamantashen, we’ll be eating hamantashen,

We’ll be eating hamantashen when we come. (say: YUM! YUM!)

Oh, we’ll have a Purim party when we come. (say: YIPPEE!)

Oh, we’ll have a Purim party, oh we’ll have a Purim Party,

Oh, we’ll have a Purim party when we come. (say: YIPPEE!)

Purim Players (Frere Jacque)

Ahashverosh, Ahashverosh,

Was the king, was the king.

He wore the crown,

Of Shushan Town,

Ahashverosh, Ahashverosh.

Pretty Esther, pretty Esther,

Was the queen, was the queen.

She was very brave,

The Jews she helped to save.

Pretty Esther, pretty Esther.

Loyal Mordechai, loyal Mordechai,

Esther’s uncle, Esther’s uncle.

He was a good Jew,

Who saved the king’s life too.

Loyal Mordechai, loyal Mordechai.

Wicked Haman, Wicked Haman,

Was so mean, was so mean.

He tried to hurt the Jews,

But he was the one to lose.

Wicked Haman, wicked Haman.

Baking Hamantashen (Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush)

Let’s all bake some hamantashen, hamantashen, hamantashen,

Let’s all bake some hamantashen. Then we’ll eat them up

This is the way we mix the dough, mix the dough, mix the dough.

This is the way we mix the dough when we make hamantashen

This is the way we roll the dough, roll the dough, roll the dough.

This is the way we roll the dough when we make hamantashen.

This is the way we cut the circles, cut the circles, cut the circles.

This is the way we cut the circles when we make hamantashen.

This is the way we spoon on filling, spoon on the filling, spoon on the filling.

This is the way we spoon on the filling when we make hamantashen.

This is the way we pinch three corners, pinch three corners, pinch three corners.

This is the way we pinch three corners when we make hamantashen.

Now it’s time for them to bake, them to bake, them to bake.

Now it’s time for them to bake. We’re making hamantashen.

This is the way we eat them up, eat them up, eat them up.

This is the way we eat them up, our yummy hamantashen.

Passover

Afikomen, Where Are You? (Old MacDonald Had a Farm)

Afikomen, where are you?

I would like to know.

Are you in the dining room?

I would like to know.

With a look-look here,

And a look-look there,

Here a look, there a look,

Everywhere a look-look.

Afikomen, where are you?

I would like to know.

In Egypt Long Ago (The Wheels on the Bus)

The Jews were slaves in the land of Egypt, land of Egypt, land of Egypt.

The Jews were slaves in the land of Egypt many years ago.

Pharaoh made them work so hard, work so hard, work so hard.

Pharaoh made them work so hard many years ago.

Moses told him, “Let us go, let us go, let us go.”

Moses told him, “Let us go,” many years ago.

Pharaoh answered, “No I won’t, no I won’t, no I won’t.”

Pharaoh answered, “No I won’t,” many years ago.

God sent plagues that numbered ten, numbered ten, numbered ten.

God sent plagues that numbered ten many years ago.

Pharaoh said, “I’ve changed my mind, changed my mind, changed my mind.”

Pharaoh said, “I’ve changed my mind,” many years ago.

Moses led the Jews to freedom, Jews to freedom, Jews to freedom,

Moses led the Jews to freedom many years ago.

Baby Moses (Yankee Doodle)

Joheved was a Jewish mom,

In Egypt long ago.

She had a little baby boy,

And she loved him so.

Chorus:

Baby Moses don’t you cry,

For some day you’ll see,

God chose you to be the one,

To set his people free

She placed him in a basket boat,

And put him in the water.

He went floating down the Nile,

And was found by Pharaoh’s daughter.

Chorus:

Baby Moses don’t you cry,

For some day you’ll see,

God chose you to be the one,

To set his people free.

Pharaoh’s daughter held the baby,

He was all alone.

She took him home to live with her,

And raised him as her own.

Chorus:

Baby Moses don’t you cry,

For some day you’ll see,

God chose you to be the one,

To set his people free.

Three Green Frogs (Three Blind Mice)

Three green frogs, three green frogs,

See how they jump, see how they jump.

They all hopped after the Pharaoh one day,

He said, “I’m not in the mood to play.

Won’t you please just go away?”

Three green frogs, three green frogs.

Seder Plate Symbols (Skip to My Lou)

Lettuce, maror, roasted egg,

Parsley, shankbone, charoset,

Salt water and matzah too.

Happy Passover to you.

He’ll Be Coming to Our Seder (She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

He’ll be coming to our Seder when he comes. (say: ELIJAH!)

He’ll be coming to our Seder, he’ll be coming to our Seder.

He’ll be coming to our Seder when he comes. (say: ELIJAH!)

Afikomen (If You’re Happy and You Know It)

There’s a piece of matzah called the Afikomen.

It is hidden at the Seder,

For the children to find later.

There’s a piece of matzah called the Afikomen.

Lag B’Omer

Lag B’Omer Holiday (Clementine)

In the mountains of Judea,

Students gathered proud and brave.

There they studied with their Rabbis

Sometimes hiding in a cave.

Learning Torah was forbidden,

So the only thing to do,

Was pretend that they were hunting,

With their bows and arrows too.

On Lag B’Omer we remember,

And we celebrate this day,

With picnic lunches, hikes and games

It’s a special holiday.

Lag B’Omer Holiday (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

Lag B’Omer holiday,

Let us go outside to play.

Come along and join the fun,

We’ll eat our picnic in the sun.

Lag B’Omer holiday,

Let us go outside to play.

We’re Filling Our Basket (On Top of Old Smokey)

We’re filling our basket,

For a picnic today.

It’s Lag B’Omer,

Let’s go out to play.

The weather is lovely,

As lovely can be.

Let’s sit on our blanket,

Beneath this big tree.

We’ll eat our picnic,

And play in the sun.

Because Lag B’Omer,

Is always such fun.

Let’s all Pack a Picnic Basket (Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Let’s all pack a picnic lunch, picnic lunch, picnic lunch.

Let’s all pack a picnic lunch. Lag B’Omer’s here.

Let’s put in a jelly sandwich, jelly sandwich, jelly sandwich.

Let’s put in a jelly sandwich. Lag B’Omer’s here.

*for additional verses: children think of additional foods they would like to pack

Shavuot

Ten Commandments (Frere Jacque)

Ten Commandments, Ten Commandments,

Are God’s rules, are God’s rules,

That show us the way,

To live our lives each day.

The Ten Commandments, the Ten Commandments.

It is Shavuot (Ten Little Indians)

Flowers are blooming and birds are singing,

It is Shavuot.

Baskets of fruit we’ll be bringing,

To the synagogue.

Joyful sounds will be ringing,

As we celebrate.

Shabbat

Light, Light, Light the Candles (Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Light, light, light the candles,

On this Shabbat night.

Say the blessing now with me,

They’re such a lovely sight.

Pour, pour, pour the wine,

On this Shabbat night.

Pour it in the Kiddush cup,

So shiny and so bright.

Smell, smell, smell the challah,

On this Shabbat night.

Say hamotzi everyone,

And then we’ll take a bite.

Shabbat’s Here (Three Blind Mice)

Shabbat’s here, Shabbat’s here,

Come everyone, come everyone.

Put the challah on the plate.

Fill the Kiddush cup don’t be late.

Light the candles, I can’t wait.

Shabbat’s here, Shabbat’s here.

Good Shabbat (Frere Jacque)

Light the candles, light the candles,

For Shabbat, for Shabbat.

What a lovely sight,

They look so bright.

Good Shabbat, good Shabbat.

Say the Kiddush, say the Kiddush,

For Shabbat, for Shabbat.

Take a sip of wine,

The fruit of the vine.

Good Shabbat, good Shabbat.

Say hamotzi, say hamotzi

For Shabbat, for Shabbat.

The challah tastes so sweet.

It is a special treat.

Good Shabbat, good Shabbat.

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Sylvia Rouss

Children's Author

FUN WITH JEWISH HOLIDAY SONGS, Original Songs set to Traditional Melodies by Sylvia Rouss

FUN WITH JEWISH HOLIDAY SONGS

Original Songs set to Traditional Melodies

Rosh Hashanah

Yom Kippur

Sukkot

Simchat Torah

Hanukkah

Tu B’Shevat

Purim

Passover

Lag B’Omer

Shavuot

Shabbat