In the 19th century, a group of rabbis set out to answer, “Why on Hanukkah do we play dreidel?” One source explained that the game offered a good cover for studying the Torah when it was outlawed by the Greeks during the Maccabean era. Another story, set in the Middle Ages during various periods of Jewish persecution, told how the Talmud was studied orally in groups and the dreidel game camouflaged these discussions and the teaching of Hebrew to children.

Other rabbis report that the game evolved in Eastern Europe when Jews were forbidden to appear in public places during Christian high holidays and rabbis closed the synagogues for safety. As a result, playing chess, cards, and gambling became traditions, since prohibitions against these games were not enforced but rather encouraged during Hanukkah.

The Yiddish word for “dreidel” means “spinning top” and first appeared in the Jewish language in the 1700s. Historians agree that the dreidel evolved from a popular Irish or English toy called “teetotum,” commonly played game during Christmas in the 1500s. This toy included Latin words that translate to “nothing,” “everything,” “half” and “put in.” Some believe Roman soldiers brought the dice-like spinning tops to the Middle East from England and the Jews adapted this gambling game from their German-speaking Christian neighbors.

Dreidel has evolved into a beloved children’s game celebrated during the Festival of Light, Hanukkah. The four Hebrew letters on the dreidel — Nun, Gimel, Hey, and Shin — represent the phrase “Nes Gadol Haya Sham,” which translates to “A great miracle happened there.” The miracle refers to the moment when the Jews liberated their temple in Jerusalem from Greek rule and found only enough olive oil to light the temple’s menorah for one day. Miraculously, the menorah stayed lit for eight days.

How to play traditional dreidel

Each player starts with an equal number of “tokens” (candy coins or game pieces). All players add a token to the kitty or pot. Often, the youngest player goes first. Players take turns spinning the dreidel in a clockwise direction.

The player spinning the dreidel follows the result of their spin:
- Nun, the player does nothing and hands the dreidel to the next player to spin.
- Gimel, the player takes all tokens from the pot and adds them to their stash. All players replenish the pot with a token.
- Hey, the player takes half of the tokens from the pot.
- Shin, the player must add an additional token to the pot.

If a player runs out of tokens, they are out. The game ends when one player wins all the tokens.