| You may have seen chocolate coins in bright gold | | | | children, since it commemorates a period where |
| and silver colored wrappers in the stores around | | | | Jews were not allowed to study Torah by the |
| mid-winter. Unless you're Jewish, you might not | | | | Romans. To hide the fact that they were really |
| have known what these coins were for. While | | | | engaging in forbidden religious practices, playing |
| they're simply a tasty treat for the rest of us, | | | | dreidel games arose. Roman soldiers who |
| these coins are a part of the Hanukkah | | | | encountered someone playing these games |
| celebration for Jews - they're called gelt, which is | | | | assumed that they were gambling, not studying. |
| Yiddish for money. | | | | A dreidel, called a sevivon in Hebrew, is a spinning |
| Gelt is often given out to children to help them | | | | top with four sides. Children play with it for |
| enjoy the holiday. Sometimes the gelt is in the | | | | Hanukkah, and each side has a Hebrew letter |
| form of real coins - the equivalent of stocking | | | | imprinted on it. These letters are an acronym for |
| stuffers - and larger gifts of money from | | | | a Hebrew phrase meaning "A great miracle |
| grandparents. Gelt given in Israel is called dmei | | | | occurred there". This refers to the miracle of the |
| Hanukkah. In addition, those who visit Hasidic | | | | oil that Hanukkah celebrates. |
| Rebbes during the season may receive coins, as a | | | | After the lighting of the menorah, it's appropriate |
| blessing. However, there's also chocolate gelt. | | | | to play the dreidel game. Each child starts out with |
| Modern chocolate gelt can look like current coins | | | | ten or fifteen coins, which may be real, or can be |
| or like antique ones. Each gold or silver wrapper is | | | | made of chocolate. The players spin the dreidel, |
| stamped to look like a coin, complete with a face | | | | and depending on which side the top falls on, they |
| side, tail side and writing. The chocolate beneath is | | | | either win markers from the pot or have to give |
| similarly stamped. Little bags of these confections | | | | up some of their coins. There's more than one |
| can be easily found in drug stores, grocery | | | | way to play the game, and many games keep |
| stores, high end chocolatiers and other places | | | | going until one player has all the chocolate coins. |
| where delicious chocolate is sold. Of course, the | | | | Chocolate coins are a tradition dating back many |
| price of the gelt will reflect the quality of the | | | | centuries. They were enjoyed back then and are |
| chocolate inside. | | | | equally enjoyed as much today. They are always |
| Gelt in the form of chocolate coins is a mostly | | | | a treat and even more exciting since they are |
| twentieth century innovation. It makes a fun gift | | | | reserved for the rare special occasions. Chocolate |
| for children, and can be used instead of real | | | | coins are something everyone remembers getting |
| money in dreidel games. Playing with a dreidel is a | | | | as a child well into their adulthood and then giving |
| big part of the Hanukkah celebration for Jewish | | | | them to their own kids. |