Israeli Jewish Holiday ("Hannukah") Toy: "Dreidel" Top

This Israeli Jewish spinning drop, called "dreidel," which is Yiddish for turn, or "sevivon," in Hebrew, is used during the celebration of Hannukah. A gambling game is played with this spinning top.

Each of the top's four sides bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet: Nun, Gimel, Hei, or Shin, which together form the acronym for "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham", or "a great miracle happened there". In the gambling game, Nun stands for nothing, Hei stands for half, Gimel for all, and Shin for put in.

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. In Hebrew, the word "hanukkah" means dedication. The festival began in 164 B.C.E., when Judah Maccabee liberated the Jerusalem Temple from Greek control, re-sanctified it, and declared an eight-day celebration of "joy and gladness". Jewish troops were determined to purify the Temple by burning ritual oil in the Temple.

Judaism is a religion in which people believe that there is one god (monotheism), the same god the Christians and Muslims worship, who created the universe and has a personal relationship with humans. The religion was founded in Israel about 4,000 years ago by Abraham, who entered into a covenant with God to follow the laws of God. Moses received the Jewish holy book from God. Scholars disagree about whether there is an afterlife. Jews are waiting for the Messiah who may bring about an afterlife.

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