A dreidel has four Hebrew letters on it: Nun, Gimmel, Hey, Shin. (See the graphic below)
The game of dreidel can be played with 2-6 players. Every player starts with an equal number of pennies. To start the game, every player puts a penny into the middle to make a pot. (You can also use raisins, peanuts, marbles, or any other small items to serve as playing tokens.)
Each player spins the dreidel and waits for it to fall on one side. If the dreidel lands on Nun, the player does nothing. If the dreidel lands on Gimmel, the player takes everything in the pot. If the dreidel lands on Hey, the player takes half of the pot. If the dreidel lands on Shin, the player puts a penny in the pot. The player who wins the most pennies, wins the game. |
(Letters reprinted with permission from Jewish Holiday Crafts for Little Hands by Ruth Esrig Brinn, illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn, Kar-Ben, Copies, 1993. To purchase a copy go to www.karben.com.) |
