Celebrating the Sounds, Joy and Tradition of Hanukkah

Video

Chanuka at Bubbe’s. Monterey Home Video. 30 minutes. $19.95. (800) 424-2593. Rambunctious humor, music and goofy, Muppet-type puppets--ranging from a rat to a rhinoceros--get together at Bubbe’s boardinghouse for a holiday feast. As part of the friendly fun, Bubbe (that’s Yiddish for grandmother) relates the history of the Jewish holiday and its traditions.

Aaron’s Magic Village. Columbia TriStar Home Video. 80 minutes. $19.95. Isaac Bashevis Singer’s “Stories for Children” are the unusual inspiration for this animated tale from French filmmaker Albert Hanan Kaminski about the foolish residents of the fictional Polish village Chelm and the young boy who saves them from an evil sorcerer during Hanukkah. It’s pleasantly whimsical, if not as memorable as you’d expect from the Oscar-, Grammy-, Pulitzer-, Tony- and Emmy-winning artists involved; the original score is by Michel Legrand, lyrics are by Sheldon Harnick, and among those providing voices are notables Fyvush Finkel and Tovah Feldshuh.

A Rugrats Chanukah. Paramount Home Video. 33 minutes. $12.95. “A Maccababy’s gotta do what a Maccababy’s gotta do.” So says little Tommy Pickles in this funny and touching standout holiday release. Tommy is playing the part of the Jewish hero Judas Maccabeaus as he and other “Rugrat” pals reenact Hanukkah history. Meanwhile, Grandpa Boris feuds with an old high school rival at a local synagogue celebration, and it’s up to the babies to bring peace.

Audio

Oy Vey! A Totally Cool Klezmer Experience for Kids. Backyard Partners. $15.98. Hatikvah Music International, (213) 655-7083. A delight from start to finish. This introduction to Eastern European Jewish heritage from the Young People’s Klezmer Workshop is chock-full of joyful and soulful klezmer music, tall tales (“Why the Rebbe Laughed Three Times” and more), humorous lessons in Yiddish and an ode to food.