The dreidel game is one of the most famous Hanukkah traditions. It was created as a way for Jews to study the Torah and learn Hebrew in secret after Greek King Antiochus IV had outlawed all Jewish religious worship in 175 BCE . Today we play as a way to celebrate a rich history and have fun with friends and family!
What does the dreidel symbolize?
A dreidel is a top associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Each of the four sides of the top features a Hebrew letter, which are an acrostic for the Hebrew phrase meaning “ A Great Miracle Happened There .”
What is the story behind the dreidel?
According to a tradition first documented in 1890, the game was developed by Jews who illegally studied the Torah in seclusion as they hid, sometimes in caves, from the Seleucids under Antiochus IV. At the first sign of Seleucids approaching, their Torah scrolls would be concealed and be replaced by dreidels.
What do the 4 sides of a dreidel mean?
On each of the dreidel's four sides is inscribed a Hebrew letter—nun, gimel, he, and shin—which together stands for “Nes gadol haya sham,” meaning “ A great miracle happened there ” (in Israel, the letter pe, short for po, “here,” is often used instead of shin).
What is a dreidel and how is it used to remember Hanukkah?
It is customary to play games at Hanukkah. The most common game uses a dreidel and is a popular way of helping children to remember the great miracle. A dreidel is a spinning top with a different Hebrew letter inscribed on each of its four sides . ... The letter on which the dreidel stops determines each player's score.
What is an appropriate Hanukkah greeting?
What is the proper greeting for Hanukkah? To wish someone a Happy Hanukkah, say “Hanukkah Sameach!” (Happy Hanukkah) or simply “Chag Sameach!” (Happy Holiday). Or if you want to show off your Hebrew skills, say “Chag Urim Sameach!” (urim means “lights”).
What are Hanukkah symbols?
The most famous symbol of Hanukkah is the hanukkiah , the nine-branched candelabra which is lit each night, and can often be seen in house windows. Hanukkah celebrations are centred around lighting the hanukkiah, and families will gather to light the candles together.
What's the story about Hanukkah?
The eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem , where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.
How many candles does a Hanukkah menorah hold?
Hanukkah's main ritual is the lighting of a menorah, a candelabra with nine candleholders , lit during the eight nights of the holiday. On the first night two candles are lit: the shamash, “servant,” which is used to light the other candle.
How does the dreidel game end?
When a player loses all of his tokens , he is “out” of the game. The last player remaining in the game is the winner. For another variation, set a timer for ten minutes at the beginning of the game. After ten minutes, all players count their tokens and the player with the most tokens wins.
How do you pronounce sameach?
Chag Pesach Sameach is pronounced “ KHAG PAY-sock sah-MEY-akh” . This is the most prominently used phrase during Passover. The greeting “Chag Pesach kasher vesame'ach” is pronounced “”KHAGH kah-SHEHR vuh-sah-MEY-akh”, according to Chabad.org.
What gifts do you give on Hanukkah?
Ideas include gold gelt coins (traditional chocolate coins in gold foil), a dreidel and handwritten blessings to say as the Hanukkah candles are lit. Top your gift jar with festive blue and silver ribbon.
Is it rude to say Happy Hanukkah?
And of course wishing someone a “Happy Hanukkah” isn't an endorsement of any theological position, any more than wishing someone Merry Christmas is (although we appreciate the recognition of the Jewish presence in ancient Bethlehem). Mostly it's convention and good manners. Thank you.
What are 3 interesting facts about Hanukkah?
The word Hanukkah means “dedication.” The holiday commemorates the triumph of a band of rebel Jews known as the Maccabees in reclaiming their temple from the Greek-Syrians. 2 Hanukkah lasts for eight nights, to commemorate how long the holy light burned. 3 A Menorah is lit each night of the holiday .
What are the 3 traditional colors for Hanukkah?
It's no secret that the American holiday calendar is thoroughly color-coded. The Fourth of July is red, white and blue, for obvious reasons.
What is the meaning of the Star of David?
The star was almost universally adopted by Jews in the 19th-century as a striking and simple emblem of Judaism in imitation of the cross of Christianity. ... The yellow badge that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi-occupied Europe invested the Star of David with a symbolism indicating martyrdom and heroism .
How does the dreidel game work?
Each player begins with an equal number of game pieces (usually 10–15). ... Every player puts one in the pot after every turn. Each player spins the dreidel once during their turn . Depending on which side is facing up when the dreidel stops spinning, the player either gives or takes game pieces from the pot.
How many menorahs should you have?
Every household needs at least one Menorah . However, the more candles we light, the better! In fact, the ancient rabbis teach us that we add to the mitzvah (commandment) by lighting multiple Menorahs.
Is Hanukkah like Christmas?
Hanukkah is often thought of as the Jewish Christmas because of its close proximity to the Christmas season, but it's not the same . ... Jews and Christians celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas with lights, family, presents, and food, but the two holidays are not the same.
Can Christians celebrate Hanukkah?
It is not wrong for a Christian to celebrate Hanukkah . The Jews celebrate the holiday as a reminder of the victory God brought to them after a time of severe oppression. They also celebrate His provision of oil for the menorah after the rededication of the temple in 164 BC.
Why do some menorahs have 7?
The seven lamps allude to the branches of human knowledge , represented by the six lamps inclined inwards towards, and symbolically guided by, the light of God represented by the central lamp. The menorah also symbolizes the creation in seven days, with the center light representing the Sabbath.
What is the shamash candle?
Step 3: Light the Shamash The candle that is raised or in the center of the menorah is the shamash ( helper candle ). It's the one you use to light the other candles. Light it first. (Don't use any of the other candles to light the others.)
What does spinning the dreidel mean?
A dreidel is a spinning top with four sides, each inscribed with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. ... The letters form an acronym for the Hebrew saying Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, which can be translated to “ a great miracle happened there ,” referring to the miracle which Hanukkah is centered around.
Are dreidels different in Israel?
The dreidel
In the diaspora, dreidels have the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hey, and shin, representing the phrase “nes gadol haya sham” — “a great miracle happened there.” In Israel, however, dreidels have a pey instead of a shin , an acronym for the phrase “nes gadol haya po,” or, “a great miracle happened here.”
Are dreidels gambling?
Dreidel is a traditional game of chance , and one of the most well-known symbols of Hanukkah. ... Jews who gathered to study the Torah would play dreidel to fool soldiers into thinking they were just gambling. Now, it's usually played to see who can win the most gelt (chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil).
Is it OK to say mazel tov?
Yup, it's perfectly OK . Unless you're using some phrase that's very sacred to somebody else's religion, using greetings like “Mazel tov” or “Shalom” is not inappropriate even if you don't share the person's religion.
Do you say Happy Passover to someone?
Unlike Yom Kippur, which occurs in the fall and is a somber holiday, it's appropriate to wish someone a “Happy Passover” because it's also about celebrating life after being enslaved. A person could also wish someone a “ Happy Pesach ,” as “Pesach” is Hebrew for “Passover.”
What is Shabbat Shalom?
When Jews say “Shabbat shalom – Sabbath peace ” to family and friends after a draining work week, we mean far more than “have a peaceful and restful day.” What we are really saying is: May you be restored to wholeness on the blessed Sabbath!
What do you say on the first night of Hanukkah?
On the first night of Hanukkah add this blessing: Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu v-ki'y'manu v-higianu la-z'man ha-zeh . Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.
Is there an emoji for Hanukkah?
Hanukkah (sometimes spelled Chanukah or Ḥanukah) is celebrate annually, usually in December. ... Emojis on this page may also be relevant for other holy days on the Jewish calendar such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Is it appropriate to send a Hanukkah card?
Those who sent you religious cards are, Miss Manners agrees, insensitive . But those who failed to send you Hanukkah cards may actually be sensitive to the fact that some Jews regard them as an offensive aping of Christian customs.
Which city has the largest menorah in the world?
- For the eight days of Hanukkah, a 32-foot-tall menorah lights up New York City's midtown.
- For the rest of the year, the world's largest menorah lives in a welding shop owned by a Catholic man.
