CRAFTS : Traditional Hanukkah Toy Is Tops

Hanukkah wouldn’t be Hanukkah without dreidels, the four-sided tops that children traditionally receive as gifts over the eight-day holiday.

Hebrew letters on the small toys-- nun, gimel, hay and shin-- stand for “nes gadol haya sham,” meaning “a great miracle happened there.” This refers to the miracle of some 2,200 years ago in which a lamp, containing only a little oil, was said to burn for eight days and nights until more oil could be found. The Jews lit the lamp, which was supposed to burn continuously, in the temple at Jerusalem to celebrate their defeat of the Syrian army intent on suppressing Judaism.

To play the dreidel game, participants ante up with an equal number of nuts, pennies or Hanukkah gelt (gold), which today typically means coin-shaped chocolates wrapped in gold foil. Next, players take turns spinning the dreidel, and, depending on which letter faces up when it comes to rest, neither take nor add to the kitty ( nun ), take everything ( gimel ), take half ( hay ) -- if the kitty contains an uneven number, players take half plus one--or add one piece (shin). The victor wins all the pieces.

The dreidel game has spiritual as well as historical symbolism, says Rabbi Mark S. Miller, of Temple Bat Yahm in Newport Beach.

“God directed those events of Hanukkah 2,200 years ago,” Miller said, “so when we play each year, we are reminded that God is still in charge of the affairs of the world. When the dreidel lands on one of the four letters, it seems to us it’s by chance, but there is really no chance.”

Many families buy dreidels today, but some preserve tradition by making them. Children can help build a simple, cardboard dreidel.

You’ll need:

* Two pieces of cardboard, one 2 by 4 inches, one 3 by 3 inches.

* A ruler and pencil.

* Acrylic paints, preferably blue and white (the colors of Israel), and a small paint brush.

* Masking tape.

* Household glue.

Making a Dreidel

The dreidel is a four-sided top used in a Hanukkah game. The Hebrew letters on each side refer to a miracle that occurred some 2,200 years ago.

1) Starting from the two-inch edge of the 2-by-4-inch piece of cardboard, draw three vertical lines, an inch apart, then one horizontal line lengthwise. End up with two rows of four one-inch squares.

2) Make hash marks at the bottom edge of the cardboard at one-half inch, 1 1/2 inches, 2 1/2 inches and 3 1/2 inches. Draw lines between these marks and the two upper corners of each lower square. Cut along these lines.

3) Fold along horizontal line and all vertical lines so that triangles point slightly away from you. Then fold pieces together to form a box with an open top and pointed bottom. Tape all seams.

4) Using the 3-by-3-inch cardboard, cut away a one-inch square from each corner, creating a cross shape. Fold arms of cross down and glue to sides of box to give it a top. Let dry.

5) Draw diagonal lines between corners of box top. Where the lines intersect, pierce the pencil through top and bottom. (Start pencil hole with a knife.)

6) Paint the dreidel. When dry, paint on Hebrew letters, one on each side in the sequence shown. Use blue on white or vice versa to represent the colors of Israel.

Source: “Joy Through the World,” Allen D. Bragdon, produced in cooperation with the U.S. Committee for UNICEF