Dreidel Song

The Dreidel is one of today's most well known Hanukkah traditions, and The Dreidel Song has likewise become on of today's best known Hanukah songs. However, the dreidel tradition did not necessarily begin as a part of Hanukkah.

It's rumored that the song was used by Jewish children studying the Torah during a period in history when the Greeks had made studying the Torah a crime. The children would gather around the Torah and read until they heard a noise - possibly from a guard. They would then quickly put the Torah away and pull out their innocent dreidel game. When the guard happened upon them he would find a group of children playing an old Jewish game, not children committing a crime by reading the Torah. 

Since this time the Dreidel has become an integral part of the Hanukkah celebration.

How to Play Dreidel: 

To play Dreidel, gather around in a circle and put something in the "pot". This can be your shoe, a stick, or anything you like. 

Each player takes a turn spinning his or her dreidel. How the dreidel lands determines what will happen next: 

  • Nun (nothing) - - The player takes nothing.

  • Gimmel (everything) - - The player takes everything

  • Hey (half) - - The player takes half of the things in the center.

  • Shin (put in) - - The player adds an item to the center.

Whoever collects everything in the center wins the game!

And Now We Sing: 

Here is the recording of the song, the sheet music, and a lyric sheet all for you to download. 

Enjoy!

* Recording

* Sheet Music

* Lyric Sheet


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