New Chanukah song has candle power

A little light can help dispel the darkness — and so can a little music.

"A Little Light," in fact, is the name of a Chanukah song by Cantor Steve Blane, spiritual leader of New Milford’s Cong. Beth Tikvah. He’s using it — and other musical innovations — to get kids and his entire congregation excited about Judaism.

Click here to play the song in your browser or right click and save it to your computer. Or click below to watch the video.

Last week, he and the youngsters in Beth Tikvah’s New Hebrew School of Bergen County recorded the song in MP3 format and posted it on the synagogue’s new Website, www.bethtikvah.net. His song about Parasha Lech Lecha is also on the Website.

From left are Eve Blane, Mikaela Herrmann, Stephen Root, Elizabeth Schiler, Eric Mintz, Jared Kalt, Melissa Schwartz, and Cantor Steve Blane, who recorded an original Chanukah song as part of the New Hebrew School of Bergen County’s new curriculum.

"I always like to write things for the kids to sing," said Blane, a member of the Cantors Assembly who has performed as a singer and actor on and off Broadway. "This time I was thinking about Chanukah and I was scanning the Internet and somebody had an article about a little light taking away darkness. I thought, ‘Wow, that’s catchy.’"

The group of nine second- through sixth-graders sang the chorus, with Blane accompanying on guitar, during ‘0-minute recording sessions so they wouldn’t miss too much religious school. Blane filled in the rest and released the MP3 to the congregation last week. The kids will sing "A Little Light" with Blane at Beth Tikvah’s Chanukah dinner tonight.

Once a month, the children of the New Hebrew School also participate in Shabbat School, where they prepare a short skit about the weekly parasha and perform during Shabbat morning services. Blane, who added the Shabbat School to the curriculum, is now thinking about giving the kids the option of a song.

"The kids love anything that allows them to really experience the Torah," Blane said.

As for the next big hit from the Hebrew school kids, Blane said he plans to take the rest of December off from songwriting and then perhaps write something for Purim.

‘Light’ lyrics

The words to "A Little Light," by Cantor Steve Blane, follow.

All around the world it doesn’t matter where you go

The truth is that we all are part of one

All around the world every person has to know

It’s time to fix the damage that’s been done

This Hanukah let’s take the time to say

Miracles can happen every day!

A little light — can take away a lotta darkness

A little light — can take away a lotta pain

A little light — can take away a lotta darkness

This Hanukah — let’s make the light shine again