Hanukkah for Kids
One of the best known Hanukkah traditions is dreidels or spinning tops. Kids have played with dreidels for hundreds of years and enlivened the candle lighting with fun games. The beauty of dreidels is in their simplicity. Spinning a dreidel is a game of chance that requires no special skills or dexterity. Even the smallest kids can take part.
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Adults often like to collect their favorite childhood toys. Ebay and other sites are full of Star Wars toys and memorabilia and there’s a huge second hand market for childhood favorites like baseball cards, GI Joe figures, and pretty much every other kind of toy that had a major impact on peoples’ childhoods. It’s exactly the same with dreidels.
Handmade dreidels are a bestselling item of Judaica that are prized by adult collectors. Many people who buy dreidels online are nostalgic for the hours of fun they had playing with dreidels as kids. Others want to buy dreidels for their kids and grandkids to play with, and keep the Hanukkah traditions alive. Serious Judaica collectors buy handmade silver dreidels for their inherent beauty, and to celebrate Jewish cultural history.
What is a Hanukkah Dreidel?
A Hanukkah dreidel is a spinning top. People have been playing games of chance with spinning tops for thousands of years. Like dice, they are easy to make and simple to play with.
A traditional dreidel is either round or four sided, each side is inscribed with a Hebrew letter. The four dreidel letters and their meanings are very simple and determine the outcome of each turn of the game.
נ,ג,ה,ש | |||
Side | Letter Name | Hebrew Letter | Hebrew Word |
1 | Nun | נ | נס |
2 | Gimel | ג | גדול |
3 | Hei | ה | היה |
4 | Shin | ש | שם |
When players spin the dreidel, one of the sides will finish face up. The letter decides whether the player will add coins or tokens to the common put, or win some or all of the pot. The game of spinning a dreidel is simple, fast moving, and a lot of fun. It’s one of those special games that everybody from the smallest kids to old people can really enjoy.
How to Buy Hanukkah Dreidels Online?
In the run up to the next Hanukkah, there’s a surge of interest in dreidels and Hanukkah menorahs. People across the US want to buy dreidels online, either as Hanukkah gifts, or for their own Judaica collections. There are some amazing handmade dreidels for sale online in the ICOJ boutique collection.
All our Hanukkah dreidels are handmade in Israel by some of the country’s most talented silversmiths and designers. They come in a range of traditional and modern styles and all kinds of materials. When you bring a handmade dreidel to the candle lighting, you will make this Hanukkah a holiday to remember. Check out the 10 best dreidels for Hanukkah in the ICOJ online collection!
To view our wide range of Hanukkah Dreidels click here
10 Best Dreidels for Hanukkah
1. Handmade Silver Dreidel with Yemenite Filigree
Shoham Simchi has succeeded in creating a beautiful item of collectible Judaica that is robust enough to be used as a kids toy every Hanukkah. Your children and grandchildren can spin this amazing silver dreidel for hours. It’s a great way to teach them the ancient Hanukkah traditions – and give them an early insight into the beauty of Jewish art and craftsmanship.
This is a superb item of traditional Judaica that is ideal as a Hanukkah gift or as a prized addition to a personal Judaica collection!
2. Silver and Enamel Hanukkah Dreidel
The silver and enamel dreidel by Avi Nadav captures the fun spirit of Hanukkah. When Avi was a child, his family played with dreidels every Hanukkah in Jerusalem. He’s taken those childhood memories and designed a handmade dreidel that will delight kids everywhere. As well as being a superb example of modern designer Judaica, this dreidel is a robust toy that will bring hours of pleasure every Hanukkah.
If you’re looking for a modern dreidel that is handmade in Jerusalem, we recommend the silver and enamel dreidel by Avi Nadav. The whole family will love it!
3. Klezmer Design Silver Hanukkah Dreidel
The base of the dreidel is decorated with swirling silver filigree work, and the traditional Hebrew letters נגהש in silver solder. Shoham Simchi adds a special touch of color to the Klezmer dreidel in the form of semi precious stones. When you buy the Klezmer dreidel online, you can specify a choice of the following gems:
- Agate stone – Blue or green
- Amethyst stone – Purple
- Karniol stone – Orange
- Sodalite stone – Blue
- Onyx stone – Black
- Gaspar stone – Brown/natural
Our Jerusalem silversmiths and artisans take pleasure in adding extra personal touches to any item of fine Judaica. Talk to us if you want to buy a personalized Klezmer dreidel, or any other customized Judaica.
Order Personalized Klezmer Judaica from our Jerusalem workshops
See an amazing Klezmer painting by Israeli artist Gitty Fuchs
4. Miniature Handmade Hanukkah Dreidel
If you’re looking for a special ornament, or an unusual gift for a Judaica collector, the miniature silver dreidel could be the ideal present. It is perfectly proportioned in every way and spins true. If you want to buy several dreidels as gifts for all your kids or grandkids, a set of miniatures is a convenient solution.
The miniature silver dreidel is a functional toy that’s robust enough to bring out and play with every Hanukkah. Due to its small size, we don’t recommend it for very young children.
5. Delicate Flower Shaped Silver Dreidel
The flower shaped Hanukkah dreidel will look amazing in your display cabinet at home, but it is also a toy. The dreidel was designed to bring pleasure to children and adults alike. We hope it will be at the center of your annual hanukkah celebrations! The flower dreidel is a wonderful example of traditional Jewish silverwork and is a special gift for any family with young children.
Although the flower design is highly intricate and finely crafted, it’s easy to clean the 925 sterling silver and bring it to a high polish before each year’s holidays.
6. Flat Silver Dreidel Toy
The quality of the flat silver dreidel is outstanding. The intricate silver ornamentation glitters from every angle and the underside and cylindrical base are as finely crafted and decorated as the top. This handmade dreidel is an unconventional work of art, but may in fact be similar to some of the handmade wooden dreidels that were made for children throughout history.
You can buy this special silver dreidel online at ICOJ. it’s the perfect small gift to bring to a Hanukkah candle lighting, or to surprise a Judaica collector with!
7. Handmade Yemenite Style Dreidel
You’ll be amazed at how the spinning dreidel catches the light and glitters. It’s designed as a functional toy and the stem-like handle allows fast spins. Whichever way it falls, the dreidel will show one of its Hebrew letters. Your family can play with this handmade silver dreidel for hours – and it will never lose its charm. The dreidel is based on a traditional Ashkenazi toy that originated in Germany, but the style is purely eastern. This is Yemenite silver work at its finest!
8. Box-Shaped Dreidel with Yemenite Filigree
As with all the Hanukkah dreidels on sale at ICOJ, this handmade silver dreidel is a functioning toy. It’s robust enough for your kids or grandkids to play with, and you can easily restore its pristine shine. If you love Yemenite silver filigree work, you’ll never tire of looking at this unique handmade Hanukkah toy. The box shaped dreidel is recommended as a Hanukkah gift, or as a collectors item.
9. Handmade Silver Besamim Box Dreidel
The besamim box design is straight out of a traditional havdalah set, but it really works as a Hanukkah dreidel. The handmade toy spins perfectly on its silver base and falls to display a clearly crafted Hebrew letter (either Shin, Nun, Gimel or Hei). This is one of the single most beautifully and intricately decorated items of Judaica in the entire online collection at ICOJ. It is a genuine work of art!
Buy Besamim Boxes and Havdalah sets online at ICOJ
10. Handmade Yemenite Ball Dreidel
Four Hebrew letters – נגהש – are flawlessly silver soldered onto the surface of the round dreidel. The ball shaped dreidel is an amazing example of old fashioned Yemenite silversmithing, but it’s also a wonderful Hanukkah toy!
Celebrate Hanukkah in Style
A gift of Hanukkah Judaica will make this year’s celebrations extra special. Nothing beats gathering around the lit candles on a cold winter’s evening, spinning dreidels with the kids, and feasting on holiday treats like sufganiyot and latkes!
If you want to buy dreidels, or Hanukkah menorahs (hanukiahs) it’s recommended to order well before the holidays start. You’ll also have plenty of time if you want to order a customized item, or personalize your gift with a blessing or dedication.