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