Hanukah Gelt as an Educational Tool for Kids

As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on December 27, 2024.

“Never spend your money before you have earned it.” -Thomas Jefferson

As has become customary, I am going to repeat a theme that I write about every year and that’s how we should use Hanukah to teach children about responsible money habits.

Rabbi YY Jacobson tells the following joke. “Since he was an Indian Chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets, and when he looked at the sky, he couldn’t tell what the weather was going to be. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect wood to be prepared. But also, being a practical leader, after several days he had an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, “Is the coming winter going to be cold?”

“It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold indeed,” the meteorologist at the weather service responded. So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared. A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. “Is it going to be a very cold winter?”

“Yes,” the man at National Weather Service again replied, “it’s definitely going to be a very cold winter.” The Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of wood they could find. Two weeks later, he called the National Weather Service again. “Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?”

“Absolutely,” the man replied. “It’s going to be one of the coldest winters ever.”

“How can you be so sure?” the Chief asked. The weatherman replied,

“The Indians are collecting wood like crazy.”

Hanukah is here. So are Sufganiot. So far, our favorite has been the pink sprinkled cookie-monster. Nothing says ‘Hanukah’ like pink sprinkles in the shape of a Sesame Street character!

It was 4 weeks ago that consumers around the world were blitzed with Black Friday advertisements. We were urged to whip out our plastic and start shopping because, well, everything is on sale. Do you need the item? Can you afford it? Hey it doesn’t matter; it’s a Black Friday doorbuster and you can always pay with debt.

The proximity of this global shopping spree with Hanukah, can serve as a reminder on how we must educate our children (maybe ourselves as well) with respect to money. Children are confronted with some very negative messages regarding money. Spend money, buy things and you will have happiness. We are continually sold the fantasy that more and more things bring bliss. But it just isn’t true. More ‘things’ doesn’t equal more happiness.

We need to fight against this prevailing culture of fiscal irresponsibility and teach our children the proper role of money.

Start teaching by using the message found in Hanukah gelt!

What does it teach?

There are many opinions as to the reason of Hanukah gelt. According to the Magen Avram the custom of giving Hanukah gelt enabled the poor to get the money needed to buy candles without feeling shame.

I have another answer. The concept of giving Hanukah gelt is conveyed in a passage in the Code of Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch), where it states: “It is forbidden to derive any benefit from the lights of the Hanukah menorah… even to use the light to count your money.”

We may ask why the phrase, “count your money,” is used here specifically. The reason for this is found within the word Hanukah, which is the root of the Hebrew word chinuch, education. Hanukah is a time when we celebrate the Jewish people prevailing over the Greek Hellenists, who sought the spiritual destruction of the Jewish people. Today, this culture is based on consumerism and instant physical gratification, and it is as much of a threat to our existence today as Hellenism was to the Jewish people then. The symbol of our culture is money.

A child needs to know where money comes from. To a child, it seems as if money is always available. When their parents run out of money, they simply go to a small machine in the wall, punch in a few numbers and take out even more money. It’s magic. It’s even worse when the child sits next to a parent deciding what to by on-line. In such a case forget about taking cash out of a wallet, even the credit-card doesn’t come out. It’s as if you are buying for free. There is no concept that it costs money.

For this reason, the first thing to tell our children to do when they receive Chanukah gelt is to give charity. Then, we should talk to them about saving. Ask your child what she would like to use her money for. If she wants to buy an x-box or a cellphone, explain that she should save up her money. Children need to understand that money is earned through honest hard work. With older children, long-term savings can be discussed. Money earned from babysitting or other work can be invested.

We give Hanukah gelt to educate our children in the importance of giving charity and doing good deeds. They need to learn that this money should be used for constructive purposes, and that the pursuit of money for its own sake is not the point of our existence.

Teaching our children good money habits is a good way to beat back the forces of the modern-day Hellenists and internalize the message of Hanukah.

The information contained in this article reflects the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. or its affiliates.

Aaron Katsman is the author of Retirement GPS: How to Navigate Your Way to A Secure Financial Future with Global Investing (McGraw-Hill), and is a licensed financial professional both in the United States and Israel, and helps people who open investment accounts in the United States. Securities are offered through Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. (www.prginc.net). Member FINRA, SIPC, MSRB, SIFMA, FSI. For more information, call (02) 624-0995 visit www.aaronkatsman.com or email aaron@lighthousecapital.co.il.