| Children, as well as adults, love to play
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| | curio cabinets.
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| the Dreidel Game during Hanukkah (also
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| | "L'dor l'dor" means "from generation to
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| spelt Chanukah), and a wide range of
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| | generation," and it refers to the
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| dreidels can easily be purchased online
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| | importance of passing down traditions and
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| at judaica shops. The selection and
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| | religious practices to your children.
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| variation of styles available can be
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| | Hanukkah is one of best times to pass
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| overwhelming, but the game played with
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| | down your Jewish traditions to your kids
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| them is always the same!
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| | because of how many resources there are,
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| A dreidel (also spelt draydel and
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| | and how much fun the holiday is.
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| draydle) is a four-sided top or any
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| | Fortunately, it's easy to help your kids
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| shaped spinning item with four Hebrew
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| | enjoy and understand the Hanukkah season,
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| symbols on it. The symbols are each a
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| | and to get them involved in Hanukkah
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| different Hebrew letter: nun, gimel, heh,
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| | activities. Of course, most popular is
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| and shin. These four letters stand for
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| | the dreidel game. If your kids don't have
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| the words: nes, gadol, hayah, and sham.
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| | dreidels, buy at least one for each of
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| The translation of these four words is:
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| | them and teach them how to play. If you
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| "A Great Miracle Happened There." In
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| | want to encourage their artistic side,
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| Israel, the last letter on the dreidel is
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| | you can get dreidels your kids can color
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| peh instead of shin. This last letter
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| | and decorate themselves, or even ones
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| stands for the word poh, which changes
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| | that they can build themselves such as
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| the meaning to: "A Great Miracle Happened
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| | the new clay dreidel that can be molded,
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| Here."
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| | dried and then painted before it is
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| To play the Dreidel Game, you start with
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| | played with.
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| a "pot" in the middle. The "pot" can be
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| | Other activities during the Hanukkah
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| made of candy, coins, chocolate gelt, or
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| | season include reading Hanukkah books,
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| any other small thing of value, although
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| | eating candy and gelt, coloring, putting
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| most times children play with gelt. Gelt
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| | together puzzles, sending out Hanukkah
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| is the Yiddish word for "money," but in
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| | cards, making cookies with Hanukkah
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| this context, gelt often refers to
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| | cookie cutters, playing with Hanukkah
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| chocolate coins widely available during
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| | stickers, and more. Kids can even get
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| Hanukkah. Each player is given a certain
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| | Hanukkah yo-yos that play traditional
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| amount of gelt and puts one piece into
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| | songs like The Dreidel Song, which
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| the center to start the "pot." The
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| | begins, "I have a little dreidel."
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| players then take turns spinning the
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| | It is common for each child in the family
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| dreidel, and whichever side faces up (or
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| | to have their own Hanukkah menorah to
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| whichever Hebrew letter is pointed to)
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| | light. But if you have kids who are too
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| when it stops spinning determines what
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| | young to light candles, then you may want
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| you do:
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| | to consider some of the kid-friendly
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| If the letter NUN is facing up, you do
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| | menorahs available today. For instance,
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| NOTHING.
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| | there are stuffed menorahs with flames
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| If the letter SHIN is facing up, you PUT
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| | that Velcro on, and thin plastic ones
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| ONE piece of gelt into the pot.
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| | that stick to the window and have
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| If the letter HEH is facing up, you TAKE
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| | separate plastic flames that can be
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| HALF the gelt from the pot.
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| | attached.
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| If the letter GIMEL is facing up, you
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| | Because the Hanukkah season is so
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| TAKE ALL the gelt from the pot.
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| | festive, there are big parties and family
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| If ever the pot is empty, each player
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| | gatherings. Many families give their
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| puts one piece of gelt into the center.
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| | children a present each night of Chanukah
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| When a player runs out of gelt, he or she
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| | and decorate their homes with blue and
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| is out of the game! The winner is the
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| | white festive decorations and electric
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| last one left in.
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| | lights, often shaped like dreidels. Gifts
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| Some dreidels are hollow and can be
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| | run the gamut from gelt to clothing, from
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| filled with candy or chocolate. Some play
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| | hanukkah toys and crafts to video games.
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| music when they spin. And still others
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| | Some families choose to get and fill
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| can be stacked on top of one another as
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| | Hanukkah bags for their kids so they
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| they spin. They are made from many
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| | don't feel left out when their non-Jewish
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| different materials, including plastic,
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| | friends receive gifts and candy in
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| wood, ceramic, glass, gold, and silver.
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| | stockings. Again, all of these wonderful
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| The plastic versions cost as little as
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| | items are easily available online as you
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| ten cents, but gold and silver dreidels
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| | shop from your armchair, and you can shop
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| can cost in the hundreds of dollars. Even
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| | to your heart's content as you plan on
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| though dreidels are mostly enjoyed by
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| | making this a hanukkah for your kids to
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| children, no matter how young or old,
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| | remember with hanukkah toys, activities,
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| many adults collect ornate and beautiful
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| | dreidels, puzzles, cookie cutters,
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| dreidels, and display them in china or
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| | menorahs, and more.
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