Safe Hanukkah

8 days of Hanukkah - and every day is a holiday, with candles, donuts, latkes, dreidels and Hanukkah gelt. To enjoy all of this, it is important to know the potential dangers and know that dozens of fires break out every year due to improper lighting of Hanukkah candles. Since making the delicious latkes and donuts and when playing with dreidels may involve various dangers, you should remain alert and supervise the children and make sure that they (and you) observe the safety rules so that the Festival of Lights will be happy and safe.

Lighting Hanukkah candles

• Place the menorah on a stable surface and away from flammable materials such as curtain or tablecloth, as well as out of the reach of babies or children.
• Make sure that children light candles only under adult supervision. Long hair should be tied up when lighting candles and once you have lit the candles, move the lighters or matches away from the reach of children. Do not leave lit candles unsupervised.
• Install smoke detectors, an inexpensive device that can save lives, to warn in case of fire.

Frying donuts and latkes

It is fun to cook together and it can be a family experience for both parents and children. For cooking to be enjoyable, follow a few rules for safe frying:

• Fry donuts on the back burners and turn the handles of the pot or pan towards the wall.
• Keep children away from the stove when frying to prevent burns that may be caused by splashes of oil.
• Keep all flammable materials such as paper towels and oil away from the stove.
• Remember: oil and water do not mix. If fire breaks out in a pan or pot with oil, do not try to extinguish the fire with water but rather with a large cover.

Dreidels and Hanukkah gelt

Children wait for dreidels and Hanukkah gelt every year and those are an inseparable and enjoyable part of the holiday. To prevent choking, poisoning and injury, make sure to give children dreidels with an official standard mark indicating that they were tested in an approved laboratory in accordance with a toy safety standard. Dreidels that meet the standard can usually be identified by the manufacturer's or importer's sticker that appears in Hebrew. Dreidels made of lead do not have a standard mark because they are toxic and must not be given to children.

• Age: allow children to play with dreidels that are appropriate for their age (generally noted on the package).
• Battery-operated dreidels: these types of dreidels light up or play songs, and come with batteries. Make sure that the dreidel is securely fastened and the battery cannot be released from the dreidel. If you fear that a child has swallowed the battery, seek immediate medical attention.
• Children under the age of 5: keep dreidels and coins out of the reach of children under five as they have a natural tendency to put everything in their mouth. Note that any small dreidel, the size that can fit into toy egg, can cause choking.
• Dreidels have a short life span: dreidels break and crack very quickly. For this reason, it is important that you periodically check them to notice if they are cracked, broken or have sharp corners that can injure the children. If the dreidel is cracked or broken, immediately discard it, away from the reach of children.
• Dreidels with a laser: avoid directing the laser at children’s (and your own) eyes and face.