Spin the Dreidel

The legend has it that the game of Dreidel was developed in Eastern Europe hundreds of years ago. When the Jews were forbidden to study Torah, they used the game of Dreidel as a decoy for studying. They pretended to be playing and gambling but were actually praying and learning.

The four sides of the dreidel are decorated with the first four letters from the Hebrew phrase Nes gadol hayah sham, which means, A great miracle happened here.

Objects Needed:

• 1 dreidel


• pennies (these can be m&m's, skittles, rocks, etc.)

How to play:

• Everyone begins with 10 items.
• Before you begin to play, each student needs to put one item in the middle of your playing area.
• Each player needs to take turns spinning the dreidel.
• Follow directions based on the letter that is face – up when the dreidel stops.
• Continue to play until one player has all the items.

Nun = Take nothing from the pot.
Gimmel = Take the whole pot.
Hay = Take half the pot.
Shin = Add two items to the pot.