Dreidel

The dreidel, known in Hebrew as a sevivon, dates back to the time of the Greek-Syrian rule over the Holy Land—which set off the Maccabean revolt that culminated in the Chanukah miracle.

The dreidel top has four sides, each with a different Hebrew letter. After your turn to spin, you either take, give, or do nothing. Whoever gets all the tokens wins.

Playing dreidel (spinning top) is a popular Chanukah custom. Discover layers of meaning in this fun tradition.

What does playing dreidel teach us about Chanukah? Learn about the Festival of Lights with Rebbetzin Tap.

The dreidel tells the story of both the history of the world and its ultimate purpose.

Each component of a Jewish holiday was put in place in accordance with the particular holiday’s singular message. So, where does that leave the traditional dreidel game?

Oh Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, I made you out of clay, and the Almighty Himself breathed into you a soul of fire and you in turn tempered in His people a will of steel...

Are you having a Gimmel day? (It's been a while, eh?) Or perhaps a Shin moment? (That one doesn't require any explanation…) But did you ever ponder the fact that all four letters are faces of the same Dreidel?

The common reason is that the simple little top was used during the Chanukah era to preserve Judaism.