BPY students were involved in STEM activities linked to Chanukah. The sixth grade tested out various materials to see which would make the best candle, while the eighth grade tested out oils and vinegars to see which would burn the best. They tested vinegar because there is a Mishna that mentions that Rabbi Chanina’s daughter accidentally lit Shabbat candles using vinegar and they miraculously stayed lit throughout Shabbat! After testing this, they found that vinegar doesn’t burn, so that was indeed a miracle! The seventh graders were hard at work determining the best wick to use in a candle, testing a variety of different materials to see if they were flammable. Then they placed them in oil and timed how long the flame lasted. Elementary school students were challenged to make sevivonim that do NOT use the energy from their hands. The models were so creative!