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Asked to record themselves lighting the menorah for the fifth night of Hanukkah for CLAL’s Hanukkah in JazzTime concert on Dec. 14, Shelli Aderman and Narda E. Alcorn and their two children decided to record a video for every night. Team Be’chol Lashon stumbled across the delightful videos on Facebook and reached out to the family to learn more about them. (The text of the blessings is below.)

Where do you live, and where did you record the videos?

We live in Manhattan on the Eastside – Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village. We recorded the videos in our living room.

Can you introduce us to the members of your family and tell us a little bit about each member?

Shelli and I (Narda) are married and have been together for 20 years.

Shelli is the Director of Rabbinic Alumni Affairs and Program Manager for CLAL. She enjoys doing crafty things and playing board games with the children.

I am a professor of theatrical stage management at Yale School of Drama. Reading is my number one hobby, followed by writing. I recently published my first book.

Our daughter is Malka. She will be 15 on December 17, and she just started high school at Heschel. Malka is a fan of hanging out with her friends and watching the latest TikTok. Malka is also an avid baker and bakes challah for the family every Shabbat.

Noah Matan turned 12 on Thanksgiving, and he attends The Shefa School. Noah Matan enjoys being with friends and especially playing video games.

Why did you decide to make these videos?

We thought it would be fun to share them with family and friends as a live Hanukkah greeting card. Shelli’s mother is in a nursing home, and we are especially excited to share them with her since the pandemic prevents us from being together.

It looks like you used a different menorah in each video. Can you explain why you did that? And how many menorahs do you own?!

We own more than 10 menorahs. Once we had the idea to capture each night, we decided to use different ones each time.

Blessings

First Night Only

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, she-asah nisim laavoteinu v’imoteinu bayamim hahaeim baz’man hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who performed wonderous deeds for our ancestors in days of old at this season.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higiyanu laz’man hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.

All Other Nights

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, she-asah nisim laavoteinu v’imoteinu bayamim hahaeim baz’man hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who performed wonderous deeds for our ancestors in days of old at this season.