A Chanukah tradition

By LAURA BEN-DAVID
In 1996 Adam Sandler started a craze. In fact, it''s become a much-anticipated Chanukah tradition like lighting candles and playing dreidel. No, it''s not eating latkes or sufganiyot or even getting presents. Rather it''s the arrival of ingenious Chanukah ''shtick'', such as songs and videos, that hit the internet like lightning and make their way through the Jewish world faster than the juiciest gossip.
A leader in the viral Chanukah video epidemic is the Aliyah organization Nefesh B’Nefesh. Starting with the delightfully appealing Modern Day Miracles in 2008, NBN then had a runaway viral hit with the NBN Hanukkah Flash Mob which got over 1,000,000 hits to date. For Chanukah 2010 NBN doesn’t disappoint; this time producing an original music video to the song ‘Eight Days,’ a brilliant Chanukah adaptation of Matisyahu’s popular hit ‘One Day’ which manages to humorously portray eight Olim, collected one by one in eight popular locations all over Israel, lighting Chanukah candles and – somehow - getting to each place in a 2-seater Mercedes convertible. See the exciting video here: ''Eight Days'' - NBN Chanuka music video.
Another fun new video clip for Chanukah was put out by Shalom Sesame, titled ''Extreme Makeover: Temple Edition''. From the creators of Sesame Street, Shalom Sesame is a series and website created to teach kids about Israel and Jewish culture. After nearly two decades they have just come out with new DVDs, naturally joining the viral-video-for-Chanukah bandwagon. See Jim Henson''s muppets amusingly dressed in Maccabi-style clothing as they redo and rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem at: Shalom Sesame - ‘Extreme Makeover: Temple Edition’. 
A great new Chanukah song performed in a super video is the catchy, cool ''Candlelight'' by Yeshiva University a cappella group the Maccabeats. Based on Taio Cruz''s "Dynamite" and Mike Tompkins'' a cappella version, this song will get you moving to the music and you''ll find yourself playing it again and again. Chanukah seems to have a way of bringing out talent and creativity all around.
The antics are not limited to videos and musical numbers. Elie Klein of Bet Shemesh, Israel, has combined Chanukah with social media to make a difference in the world – and in his waistline. Elie is carefully recording every sufganiya (traditional Chanukah donut) he eats, and people are pledging charitable donations for each one! A tasty proposal indeed; and due to the viral nature of Elie’s commendable commitment he has already raised nearly 15,000 shekels! (And an undisclosed number of pounds…) To post your own pledge to the charity of your choice go to http://tinyurl.com/DoughForDonuts.