How to Play the Dreidel Game

There are four different letters on the dreidel: Nun, Gimmel, Heh and Peh, which stand for the Hebrew words “Nes Gadol Haya Po” –“A great miracle happened here”, or in countries outside of Israel, the dreidel will have Shin instead of a Peh, standing for “A great miracle happened “there” (Israel). There are different ways to play the dreidel game, but this is how we’ve always done it in our family.

1. Sit in a circle on the floor.

2. Get a bunch of chocolate chips, jelly beans, chocolate chanukkah gelt or just plain beans and split them up evenly between all players. Start with all players putting two pieces in a pile in the center.

3. Spin the dreidel and see where it lands.

There are four possible outcomes:

Nun– If the dreidel lands on nun the player does nothing.
Gimmel – means you take everything in the pile.
Heh – means you take half the pile.
Peh or Shin – if you land on this you have to put one into the pile.

Keep playing until the players have nothing left. Enjoy eating your winnings or trade them in for real prizes. Have fun!