A Rugrats Chanukah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "A Rugrats Chanukah" |
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| Rugrats episode | |
Promotional artwork "A Rugrats Chanukah" featuring Grandpa Boris and the Rugrats lighting the Menorah.
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| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Raymie Muzquiz |
| Written by |
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| Production code | 999 |
| Original air date | December 4, 1996 |
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"A Rugrats Chanukah" is a special episode of the animated TV show Rugrats. It is also known as "Chanukah" or the "Rugrats Chanukah Special". This episode was the first one in the show's fourth season. It teaches viewers about the Chanukah holiday. The story is told through the eyes of the Rugrats babies. They imagine themselves as the main characters in the Chanukah story.
Meanwhile, Grandpa Boris and his old rival, Shlomo, have a funny fight. They both want to play the main role in the local synagogue's Chanukah play. This episode was special because most kids' TV shows had Christmas specials. "A Rugrats Chanukah" was one of the first to focus on the Jewish holiday of Chanukah.
Raymie Muzquiz directed this episode. The script was written by J. David Stem and David N. Weiss. Nickelodeon first thought of a Chanukah special in 1992. But the idea changed, and they made "A Rugrats Passover" first in 1995. After that, the team went back to the Chanukah idea. Nickelodeon showed "A Rugrats Chanukah" on December 4, 1996. Many people watched it, and TV critics liked it.
Contents
The Story of "A Rugrats Chanukah"
Grandma Minka's Storytime
On Chanukah, Grandma Minka reads a book to the babies. She tells Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil about the meaning of the holiday. The babies imagine they are the characters in the story.
The Maccababies' Fight
In their imagination, Judah (Tommy) is upset. A bad king named "Antonica" has taken over the Jewish kingdom. King Antonica forces everyone to follow Greek culture. Judah leads an army of Jewish "Maccababies" to fight King Antonica. They win the war against his Seleucid Empire! Grandma Minka stops reading to help make latkes in the kitchen.
Grandpa Boris and Shlomo's Rivalry
Grandpa Boris is very angry. His old rival from Russia, Shlomo, is in the newspaper. Shlomo is playing the Greek king in the local synagogue's Chanukah play. Boris is playing Judah in the same play.
The Babies' Misunderstanding
The babies hear about Shlomo. They think he is truly the bad Greek king from the story. They call him the "Meanie of Chanukah." At the play that night, they try to run on stage. They want to defeat the "Meanie of Chanukah." But they are stopped and taken to the synagogue's nursery.
Angelica is already in the nursery. She really wants to watch a Christmas special on TV. She convinces the babies to help her escape. They plan to steal a TV from the custodian's office.
The Play and the Reconciliation
Boris and Shlomo start fighting on stage during the play. This stops the show and causes an intermission. Backstage, Shlomo and Boris argue again. Boris says Shlomo cares more about business than family. Shlomo then tells Boris that he and his late wife could not have children. Boris feels sad for his rival.
Angelica runs backstage and bumps into Shlomo. She accidentally breaks the TV set. Shlomo tries to comfort her, but Boris takes over. Tommy gives Shlomo the Chanukah story book Minka read earlier. Boris convinces Shlomo to read it to the children.
The Miracle of Chanukah
In the end of the story, the Maccabees clean and rededicate the Holy Temple. They find only enough oil to light the Temple's eternal flame for one day. But, a miracle happens! The oil stays lit for eight days. Shlomo reading the story helps the babies understand he is not the "Meanie of Chanukah." It also ends his rivalry with Boris.
How the Episode Was Made
From Passover to Chanukah
Nickelodeon first thought about making a Chanukah special in 1992. Paul Germain, one of the show's creators, suggested a Passover special instead. He thought it would be a "funny idea" and "historical." "A Rugrats Passover" was finished in 1995. It was one of the first animated shows to make a special for a Jewish holiday.
After the Passover episode was done, the crew decided to make the Chanukah special. The episode was written by David Stem and David Weiss. Raymie Muzquiz directed it. David Weiss had changed his religion to Judaism by the time he wrote the script.
Home Video Releases
Paramount Home Video released the episode on VHS in 1998. Before that, in 1997, it was part of a video called Nickelodeon Holiday. This video also had other holiday specials, like "Hey Arnold!'s Christmas."
Later, on August 31, 2004, Paramount released a DVD collection. It was called Rugrats Holiday Celebration. This DVD included "A Rugrats Chanukah" and other holiday episodes. On September 23, 2011, the episode was released on the Rugrats: Season 4 DVD by Amazon.com. It was also released on the Rugrats: Season 4 DVD by Paramount Home Media Distribution on February 6, 2018. Sarah Willson also turned the episode into a book. It was called The Rugrats' Book of Chanukah. Barry Goldberg drew the pictures, and Simon & Schuster published it in 1997.
