Hanukkah
Hannukah, the Jewish festival of lights, celebrates the unlikely military victory of the Jewish people over the ancient Greeks, the spiritual victory of Jewish values over Hellenistic culture, and the miracle of the pure ritual oil burning for eight days. KKL-JNF brings the Hannukah story to life with hands-on activities at historic sites throughout the country.
E-Learning
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What is Hannukah?
This short animated video (03:51) presents an excellent overview of the origins, significance and customs of Hannukah, the Jewish festival of lights. Useful for people of all ages and backgrounds, it focuses on how
The History & Meaning of the Menorah
This informative video (02:24) explores the significance of the menorah as the eternal symbol of the Jewish nation throughout history, from the Biblical commandment to create a menorah after the Exodus from
Who Are the Maccabees: Heroes or Fanatics?
Along with a minute long video introducing the Maccabees role in the Hanukkah story, this thought-provoking article by Michele Alperin presents the celebrated Jewish heroes as multi-layered historical figures who
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: 8 Thoughts for 8 Nights
This post contains a series of eight 2-3 minute-long, thought-provoking videos in which Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the previous Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, explores various Hannukah themes. The first video, featured above, discusses
Hannukah: Tap into the Light
In this inspiring video (02:20), Rabbi Yitzchak Botton explains that Hannukah is not the commemoration of a one-time historical event, but rather the opportunity to tap into a revelation of
Why do Jews Play Dreidel on Hannukah?
This short video (0:40) from My Jewish Learning, briefly explains the historical reasons behind the custom of playing dreidel – a gambling game with spinning tops – on the holiday of Hannukah.
Hannukah 101
This introductory article briefly explains the history, customs and significance of Hannukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. A helpful resource for anyone interested in the basic background and practice of the festival, this
Hellenism in Palestine as a Cultural Force and its Influence on the Jews
This lengthy academic article is an excerpt from Martin Hengel’s seminal work “Judaism and Hellenism: Studies in their Encounter in Palestine during the Early Hellenistic Period.” Through studies of archaeological evidence and
Publicizing the Miracle of Hanukkah
Written by Rabbi Iscah Waldman, this article explores how the modern phenomenon of public displays of Hanukkah menorahs in store fronts, city squares and private homes developed from ancient rabbinic
The Pardes Hannukah Companion: 8 Articles
Created by educators at The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, this 8-page long booklet provides one article for each night of Hannukah, each one exploring a different theme of the Jewish
What You Need to Know About the Hannukah Story
Reprinted from Celebrate! The Complete Jewish Holiday Handbook by Lesli Koppelman Ross, this article summarizes the story of Hannukah from the 2nd century BCE, including both the Maccabean revolt against the
What is Hannukah Gelt?
In this introductory article, Ariela Pelaia explains the origins of the custom of giving “gelt” to children on Hannukah, including the development from money to chocolate coins. Published on ThoughtCo, a website that
The Deeper Meaning of the Word ‘Hanukkah’
Written by Aviya Kushner, the language columnist at The Forward, this article explores the deeper meaning of the Hebrew word “Hannukah,” with an emphasis on the linguistic and thematic ties
Humanistic Judaism’s Approach to Hannukah
This introductory article from the Society for Humanistic Judaism explains the themes and customs of Hannukah according to the Humanistic community. The community focuses on the values of human action, courage, dignity, freedom, justice, Jewish identity,
A Kabbalastic Infographic: 8 Hannukah Insights
Created by the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute, this infographic presents Jewish mystical insights and symbolism behind eight Hannukah-related themes, including candles, oil, the Maccabees, the Greeks, and the
Kabbalistic Numerology and the Miracle of Chanukah
Written by Orthodox psychotherapist, Karen Wolfers-Rapaport, this profound article from Chabad.org explores the connection between Hannukah – the eight day festival of miracles – and the Kabbalsitic significance of the number eight.
8 Insights for 8 Nights of Hannukah
Created by NCSY, an Orthodox organization dedicated to inspiring Jewish youth to engage with Judaism, this one-page document presents one Hannukah-themed thought for each night of the festival, along with guiding questions
Hannukah in 60 Seconds
This minute long introductory video presents a brief overview of the origins, significance and customs of Hannukah. This video is provided by Parsha in 60 Seconds, a YouTube Channel which creates and distributes short, accessible videos
Miracles: Now, Then & Every Day
Produced by Jewish Educational Media, the multimedia archive of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, this inspiring video (07:43) encourages viewers to appreciate the everyday miracles of nature, technology and history. The
Hannukah FAQ
This thorough article answers all of your questions about the Jewish Festival of Lights, including instructions for how to spell and pronounce the word “Hannukah,” an explanation of the customs, ritual
Chag HaBanot: The Festival of the Daughters – Introduction & Rituals
Written by Rabbi Jill Hammer, this post presents an introduction to Chag HaBanot, a women’s festival traditionally celebrated during Hannukah by some Sephardic and North African communities, as well as a summary of
8 Videos for 8 Days of Happiness
This post contains a series of eight thoughtful, one-minute-long, animated videos exploring various Hannukah themes from a psychological, relationship-focused perspective. The first video, featured above, discusses the centrality of family cohesion and home life
Carrying the Torch: The Menorah and the Eternal Jewish People
In this moving video (03:53), Rabbi Yaakov Cohen attributes the miraculous spiritual and physical survival of the Jewish people throughout history to the eternal commitment to the Torah, symbolized by the menorah. He
Menorah vs. Channukiah
In this short video (01:15), Joshua Mallett clearly explains the difference between the 7-branched menorah lit in the ancient Temple and the 9-branched channukiah lit on Hannukah. Reviewing the biblical origins
How Holidays of Light Make Hanukkah Brighter: In Talmudic & Modern Times
In this interesting video (03:36), Rabbi Judith Hauptman explores the Talmudic references to Hannukah, suggesting that the significance of the minor Jewish holiday has always been aggrandized due to its
Judith & The Hannukah Story
Produced by the Jewish Women’s Archive, this informative video (02:24) emphasizes the feminist Jewish history angle of the Hannukah story, briefly telling the story of the Book of Judith, where a
The Historical Origins and Customs of Hannukah
Produced by the American TV Network, History, this introductory video (03:50) presents the historical origins and modern customs of Hannukah, the Jewish festival of lights.
An Animated Story of Hannukah for Kids
Produced by Speakaboos, an educational company promoting children’s literacy, this short animated video (02:15) presents the Hannukah story and the historical origins of the holiday. Although the video was created for
Mayim Bialik: A True/False Quiz Introducing Hannukah
In this humorous, informal video (05:58), actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik presents a short true or false quiz to clear up some misconceptions about the Jewish holiday of Hannukah. Bialik explains the basic historical
Ben Shapiro: The Story & Takeaways of Hannukah
In this short informative video (01:55), Ben Shapiro provides a quick historical overview of the history of Hannukah, emphasizing the political dynamics within the Jewish community, as well as between
The Significance of Fire in Judaism
This excerpt notes the universally recognized power of fire, as well as its particular significance in Jewish ritual, such as lighting Shabbat and Hannukah candles and the Havdalah ceremony. It
The Power of Light in Judaism
Inspired by both nature and Jewish mysticism, this short article explores the physical and spiritual power of light in Jewish tradition as well as our own personal experience. Originally from Wellsprings of
Music
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Exploring Jewish Peoplehood Through Hannukah Songs
This educational resource compares the Hebrew, English and Yiddish versions of popular Hannukah songs “Chanukah Oh Chanukah” and “Mi Yimallel / Who Can Retell?”, exploring what the differences in translation
Ocho Kandelikas (Eight Candles) – A Ladino Hannukah Song
Written by Jewish American artist, Flory Jagoda in Ladino (Judaeo-Spanish), “Ocho Kandelikas” (2:15) (Eight Little Candles) is a Hannukah song describing the excitement of celebrating the holiday with candle lighting, special food and
The Maccabeats’ Hannukah Songs
This post presents eight fun and creative Hannukah-themed music videos created by the Maccabeats , an all-male Jewish a cappella group that originally formed as Yeshiva University’s student vocal choir. Strongly committed
Adam Sandler: The Hannukah Song (I-IV)
This post presents all four versions of The Hannukah Song, a humorous song by Adam Sandler, in which the Jewish comedian tries to make Jewish children feel less alienated during
Yonina: Mashup of Traditional Hannukah & Modern Israeli Songs
In this music video, husband-wife team, Yonina, perform a creative medley of traditional Hannukah songs, including Maoz Tzur and Al Hanissim, with modern Israeli songs, including Shlomi Shabat’s “Biglal Haruach” (Because of the
A Hanukkah Songbook
This Hanukkah songbook contains the lyrics for many traditional Hanukkah songs, including some in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. Compiled by Aharon Varady and Nomi Raye Lerman, this resource was shared on The
Six13’s Hanukkah Songs
This post presents ten fun and creative Hanukkah-themed music videos created by Six13, an all-male Jewish a cappella group driven by a mission to connect Jews around the globe with their
Judah and His Maccabees: A Hanukkah Gospel Story
This entertaining video (03:17) presents a gospel retelling of the Hanukkah story, performed by Karen Hart and Vox Femina.
Hannukah Chant: Let The Flame Be Kindled
This post presents Rabbi Shefa Gold’s meditative chant for Hannukah, along with her own description of the visualizations that she practices while singing these words and lighting the Hannukah candles. Rabbi Shefa Gold is a
Julie Geller: Hannukah Hymn (A Contemporary Al Hanisim)
A contemporary take on the traditional Al Hanisim prayer for Hannukah, this Jewish folk song by Julie Geller encourages us to be grateful for the miracles in our lives and
Hannukah Songs for Kids
This child-friendly animated video features nine English Hannukah songs for young children, including classics such as “Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel” and “Hannukah Oh Hannukah.” This video was created by Kiboomu, a
Hasidic Hannukah Medley (Yiddish)
This upbeat video presents a medley of classic Yiddish Hasidic Hannukah songs, performed by Belz Hasidic singer, Shulem Lemmer, the Freilach Band and the Shira Choir.
Peter, Paul and Mary: Light One Candle
This video features the American folk group Peter, Paul and Mary performing their popular Hannukah song, “Light One Candle.” Written in 1982 in response to the First Lebanon War between
Hannukah Oh Hannukah (English & Yiddish)
With onscreen captions, this video presents both the English and Hebrew versions of this popular Hannukah song, originally written in Yiddish. While the English lyrics are not a direct translation
Ari Lesser: Hannukah Hip Hop & Yehudit
This post features two Hannukah raps by American Jewish rapper, singer, and spoken word artist, Ari Lesser. Hip Hop Hannukah retells the Hannukah story and criticises the modern commercialization of the holiday. Yehudit
Michelle Citrin: Left to Right
Written by William Levin and performed by Michelle Citrin, this song not only reminds us in which direction to light the Hannukah candles, but the collaborative music video sends a
Shir Soul’s Hannukah Songs
This post presents five fun and creative Hannukah-themed music videos created by Shir Soul, an all-male Jewish a cappella group, wedding band and DJ based in New York. The songs
Maoz Tzur: A Traditional Hannukah Song (multiple melodies)
Thought to have been written in the 13th century, Ma’oz Tzur is a liturgical poem traditionally sung by Ashkenazi Jews after lighting the festival lights on Hannukah. The lyrics, provided below in
The Fountainheads’ Hannukah Songs
This post presents three fun and creative Hannukah-themed music videos created by The Fountainheads. The Fountainheads is an artistic project, led by young Israeli singers, dancers and musicians, all students of
Psalm 30: The Daily Psalm of Hannukah
This audio recording presents Chazan Maor Cohen singing Psalm 30 with a Moroccan melody. Allegedly composed by King David to be sung when his son, King Solomon, dedicated the Temple, this psalm
Al HaNissim for Hannukah
Al HaNissim is a short paragraph added to the Amidah prayer and the Grace After Meals on Hannukah, thanking God for the miraculous redemption celebrated on this holiday and briefly retelling
Ya Hatzel: A Sephardic Hannukah Song
This post provides an audio recording from the Sephardic Hazzanut Project and the Hebrew, English and transliterated lyrics for Ya Hatzel, a traditional Sephardic Hannukah song that includes praise to God
Morrocan Hannukah Candle Lighting Blessings & Songs
This post presents the Hannukah candle lighting blessings and songs sung according to Moroccan tradition by Rabbi David Kadoch. The first video begins with the two blessings recited upon lighting the
Learn to Recite the Blessings Over the Hannukah Candles (Ashkenazi Melodies)
With onscreen karaoke-style texts of the blessing in English, Hebrew and transliterated, this animated instructional video (02:20) teaches how to sing the blessings when lighting the menorah on Hannukah using popular
What Else?
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A Hannukah Candle Lighting Meditation
In this short video (03:10), Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell, a Program Director and teacher of Jewish mindfulness for the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, offers a brief meditation practice to do when lighting your
A Hannukah Lesson Plan: Jewish Identity, Hellenism & Hanukkah
This educational resource explores what our modern understanding of the Hannukah story says about our own Jewish identity, including sources about the impact of Hellenism on Jewish culture and the historical
A Sephardic Hanukkah Recipe: Bimuelos with Honey-Orange Drizzle
This post presents the recipe for bimuelos (a Ladino derivation of the Spanish buneolos, meaning fritters), a traditional Sephardic Hannukah dessert. The sweet dough balls are fried in oil, to
Unity: A Resource for Hanukkah from Limmud
Created by the Limmud Chavruta Program for Hanukkah, this 4-page long document contains sources that explore the complex concept of unity in Jewish tradition, including traditional Jewish texts, modern quotes, and references
An Interactive Map of the Hannukah Story
This article contains an interactive map that shows where the events and battles described in the Hannukah story are believed to have occurred and what they look like today.
A New Light: Hanukkah Prayer
In this poem, Devon Spier prays for a new Hannukah light that has the power to unite and redeem the entire world. The writer, rabbinical student and spiritual entrepreneur shared her poem on Ritualwell, a
A Hanukkah Songbook
This Hanukkah songbook contains the lyrics for many traditional Hanukkah songs, including some in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. Compiled by Aharon Varady and Nomi Raye Lerman, this resource was shared on The
Miracles: A Resource for Hanukkah from Limmud
Created by the Limmud Chavruta Program for Hanukkah, this 4-page long document contains eight sources that explore the concept of miracles, including traditional Jewish texts, modern stories, and even the
A Replica of the Temple’s Menorah in the Old City of Jerusalem
Created by the Temple Institute, an organization working towards the building of the third Temple in Jerusalem, this video (05:28) presents a replica of the golden menorah once used in the Temple
A Hanukkah Candle Lighting Kavvanah for Peace
This post presents an intentional prayer for peace in Israel and the world to be recited when lighting the Hanukkah candles. It was written by the late Bonna Devora Haberman,
Looking into the Flame: A Hanukkah Light Meditation
Written by Rabbi DovBer Pinson, an expert on Kabbalah, Jewish Philosophy and Rosh Yeshiva at the IYYUN Center for Jewish Spirituality, this complex article shares some deep mystical ideas to
Lighting the Hanukkah Candles with a Rube Goldberg Machine
This entertaining video (0:58) presents an impressive Rube Goldberg machine that lights the Hannukah candle, created by students at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology.
Collections of Artistic Hanukkah Menorahs
This video (04:36) from the CBS American news network explores the Hanukkah menorah as a symbol of light and hope in Judaica art. From a family who have a personal
Clips from A Rugrat’s Hanukkah
This post presents two clips from a special episode of Nickelodeon’s Rugrats, the first ever Hanukkah episode of a children’s television series. It tells the story through the eyes of the
Hanukkah at the White House
This post presents video clips from the annual White House Hanukkah party, in which special guests are hosted at the official residence of the President of the United States for
A Hannukah Website for Children
This link will take you to an entire website dedicated to teaching children about Hannukah holiday in a fun and interactive way. With holiday guides, videos, recipes, stories, games, and arts
Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Hannukah?
Test your knowledge about the history and customs of Hannukah with this fun quiz from ReformJudaism.org.
Miracle Meditations for Hannukah: Now & Then
In this article, Rabbi Debra Orenstein takes us back to the first eight days in the rededicated Temple, trying to imagine the thoughts and emotions that arose when the Jews
Hannukah Chant: Let The Flame Be Kindled
This post presents Rabbi Shefa Gold’s meditative chant for Hannukah, along with her own description of the visualizations that she practices while singing these words and lighting the Hannukah candles. Rabbi Shefa Gold is a
Rededication: 8 Teachings and Practices for Hanukkah
Created by Rabbi Yael Levy, this complete Hannukah ceremony provides teachings and practices for each night of Hannukah, including quotes, songs, meditations, activities, and calls to action, each exploring a
A Hannukah Booklet: Readings & Skits
This Hannukah booklet contains short pieces of Jewish and universal wisdom for each night of the holiday, the text of the candle-lighting blessings, and the full scripts for two humorous, light-hearted
8 Insights for 8 Nights of Hannukah
Created by NCSY, an Orthodox organization dedicated to inspiring Jewish youth to engage with Judaism, this one-page document presents one Hannukah-themed thought for each night of the festival, along with guiding questions
Hanukkah in the Old City of Jerusalem
This short video (01:55) captures the magical festive atmosphere of Hanukkah in the Old City of Jerusalem, including tables of sufganiyot, the giant menorah at the Western Wall, and families lighting
Rituals & Ceremonies
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Maoz Tzur: A Traditional Hannukah Song (multiple melodies)
Thought to have been written in the 13th century, Ma’oz Tzur is a liturgical poem traditionally sung by Ashkenazi Jews after lighting the festival lights on Hannukah. The lyrics, provided below in
How to Light the Hannukah Candles (Conservative Tradition): Blessings & Songs
Created by the Rabbinical Assembly, this resource outlines the Hannukah candle-lighting ceremony according to Conservative tradition. The document provides the Hebrew, English and transliterated texts of the three blessings, Hanerot
Al HaNissim for Hannukah
Al HaNissim is a short paragraph added to the Amidah prayer and the Grace After Meals on Hannukah, thanking God for the miraculous redemption celebrated on this holiday and briefly retelling
Chag HaBanot: The Festival of the Daughters – Introduction & Rituals
Written by Rabbi Jill Hammer, this post presents an introduction to Chag HaBanot, a women’s festival traditionally celebrated during Hannukah by some Sephardic and North African communities, as well as a summary of
Ya Hatzel: A Sephardic Hannukah Song
This post provides an audio recording from the Sephardic Hazzanut Project and the Hebrew, English and transliterated lyrics for Ya Hatzel, a traditional Sephardic Hannukah song that includes praise to God
A Reform Prayer for Kislev & Hannukah
This link opens up the Hebrew, English and transliterated text of a prayer that can be read from the beginning of the Hebrew month of Kislev through the end of Hannukah. Comprised
A Hanukkah Songbook
This Hanukkah songbook contains the lyrics for many traditional Hanukkah songs, including some in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. Compiled by Aharon Varady and Nomi Raye Lerman, this resource was shared on The
How to Light Hannukah Candles (Sephardic Tradition)
In this instructional video (04:05), Rabbi David Benchlouch of the Sephardi Hebrew Congregation of Cape Town demonstrates how to light the Hannukah candles according to Sephardic tradition. Whereas in Ashkenazi custom,
Psalm 30: The Daily Psalm of Hannukah
This audio recording presents Chazan Maor Cohen singing Psalm 30 with a Moroccan melody. Allegedly composed by King David to be sung when his son, King Solomon, dedicated the Temple, this psalm
Humanistic Hannukah Lighting Blessings & Ceremonies
This post offers several different home services for the Hannukah candle lighting, including blessings, intentions, readings and songs that reflect the values and beliefs of Humanistic Judaism. Founded in 1963 by
Hasidic Kavvanah (Intention) for Lighting the Hannukah Candles
This link opens up the Hebrew and English text of a Hasidic prayer that can be recited prior to the lighting of the Hannukah candles, composed by Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech
The Scroll of Antiochus
This document provides the full English and Hebrew translations of Megillat Antiochus (The Scroll of Antiochus), an ancient historical account of the story of Hannukah, originally written in Aramaic. For
Text of Traditional Hannukah Candle-lighting Blessings & Songs
This document presents the Hebrew, English and transliterated texts of the blessings recited upon lighting the menorah, as well as the songs traditionally sung at this time, “Hanerot Halalu” and
Morrocan Hannukah Candle Lighting Blessings & Songs
This post presents the Hannukah candle lighting blessings and songs sung according to Moroccan tradition by Rabbi David Kadoch. The first video begins with the two blessings recited upon lighting the
Learn to Recite the Blessings Over the Hannukah Candles (Ashkenazi Melodies)
With onscreen karaoke-style texts of the blessing in English, Hebrew and transliterated, this animated instructional video (02:20) teaches how to sing the blessings when lighting the menorah on Hannukah using popular
How to Light the Hanukkah Menorah (With Blessings)
This short instructional video (02:59) demonstrates how to light the menorah on Hannukah, including where to place the menorah, in what order to set up and light the candles, and which blessings
Hanukkah Blessings & Hanerot Halalu with Feminine God Language
This post presents alternative versions of “Hanerot Halalu,” as well as the blessings recited upon lighting the menorah. As explained in more detail below, several alterations were made to “Hanerot Halalu” in
Traditional Practices - Learn How
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How to Make Potato Latkes
This short instructional video (01:36) demonstrates how to make latkes, fried potato pancakes traditionally eaten on Hannukah by Ashkenazi Jews. For an ingredient list and full instructions, click here. This resource is from MyJewishLearning,
How to Play Dreidel
This short instructional video (01:50) demonstrates how to play dreidel, a family-friendly gambling game traditionally played on Hannukah with a four-sided spinning top. Created by Howcast.com, a source for fun, free how-to videos about a
How to make Moroccan Sfenj Donuts
This instructional video (04:09) from Jewlicious.com demonstrates how to make “sfenj,” Moroccan donuts traditionally eaten on Hannukah. The ingredient list and step-by-step instructions can be seen below. For the full
Hannukah FAQ
This thorough article answers all of your questions about the Jewish Festival of Lights, including instructions for how to spell and pronounce the word “Hannukah,” an explanation of the customs, ritual
How to Light Hannukah Candles (Sephardic Tradition)
In this instructional video (04:05), Rabbi David Benchlouch of the Sephardi Hebrew Congregation of Cape Town demonstrates how to light the Hannukah candles according to Sephardic tradition. Whereas in Ashkenazi custom,
How to Make Sufganiyot
This short instructional video (01:26) demonstrates how to make sufganiyot, jelly-filled donuts traditionally eaten on Hannukah. For an ingredient list and full instructions, click here. This resource is from MyJewishLearning, an online resource
A Sephardic Hanukkah Recipe: Bimuelos with Honey-Orange Drizzle
This post presents the recipe for bimuelos (a Ladino derivation of the Spanish buneolos, meaning fritters), a traditional Sephardic Hannukah dessert. The sweet dough balls are fried in oil, to
How to Light the Hannukah Candles (Conservative Tradition): Blessings & Songs
Created by the Rabbinical Assembly, this resource outlines the Hannukah candle-lighting ceremony according to Conservative tradition. The document provides the Hebrew, English and transliterated texts of the three blessings, Hanerot
Learn to Recite the Blessings Over the Hannukah Candles (Ashkenazi Melodies)
With onscreen karaoke-style texts of the blessing in English, Hebrew and transliterated, this animated instructional video (02:20) teaches how to sing the blessings when lighting the menorah on Hannukah using popular
How to Light the Menorah for Hannukah
This short instructional video (01:12) presents a basic explanation of how to set up and light the menorah on Hannukah. This resource is from MyJewishLearning, an online resource that empowers Jewish
How to Light the Hanukkah Menorah (With Blessings)
This short instructional video (02:59) demonstrates how to light the menorah on Hannukah, including where to place the menorah, in what order to set up and light the candles, and which blessings
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