Lighting the Chanukah Candles

The Chanukah menorah is called a chanukiyah. The entire family can share one chanukiyah, or each person can light his or her own. It is a good idea to place a tray or foil beneath the chanukiyah for the dripping wax! The candles are placed in the chanukiyah each night from the right side to the left (the same way Hebrew is read) but they are lit each night from left to right (the newest candle is lit first). On Erev Shabbat (Friday evening), the chanukiyah is lit before the Shabbat candles. Light and bless the Chanukah lights first and then the Shabbat candles.

There is one candle for each night of Chanukah, plus the shamash, or “helper” candle that is used to light all the others. All eight of the Chanukah lights should be the same height; the shamash is usually placed higher or lower on the chanukiyah, to differentiate itself from the actual Chanukah lights.

First light the shamash then use it to kindle the other Chanukah lights. There are three blessings said on the first night of Chanukah, and then two each subsequent night.

From The Jewish Parent Page of the Union for Reform Judaism