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International Dreidel Gallery
What is a dreidel?
Why not just call it a spinning top? Well, in Hebrew it is called a "sevivon" which means just that - a spinning top.
Ceramic, Jerusalem |
But a dreidel is a dreidel: It's the Yiddish word for a top. Haven't you ever heard someone say (in broken Yiddish): "Don't ferdrei me a cop" - That person means to say: "Don't make my head go round...", and don't drive me crazy!
So you've got it now. Actually the name comes from the German word "drehen" which means to turn.
Some people say that the custom of playing dreidel dates back to the times of the Greeks and the Romans.
What is written on the side of the dreidel?
 Silver, Jerusalem |
You've probably noted the Hebrew letters carved or painted onto the side of your dreidel. The Hebrew letters Nun, Gimmel, Heh and Peh stand for the Hebrew words "Nes Gadol Haya Poh" - "A Great Miracle Happened Here". Outside of Israel the letter 'Peh' is replaced by the letter Shin, standing for 'Sham' (there) - rather than 'here'.
Collecting Dreidels
The 10 dreidels displayed here are from a collection of 50 dreidels put together by a keen Judaica collector in London. Since many Judaica pieces today - Torah silver, chanukiyot, manuscripts, spice towers, paintings - are very expensive, dreidels offer a rich opportunity to form a collection at relatively low cost.
Glass,crystal, USA
(limited edition)
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The prices of the dreidels illustrated range from $10 to $500, with the silver and gilt dreidel having risen in value by about 50% since it was produced about five years ago.
Dreidels are made in virtually every medium, including gold, ivory, and water filled glass. This collector has commissioned a multi-layered papercut dreidel from the Jerusalem artist, Archie Granot.
Ceramic, Jerusalem |
The 50 dreidels in the collection were obtained in the past six years and were chosen for their original designs and contrasting shapes and materials. Judaica artists, particularly in Israel, are bringing out new designs every month. It is thus possible to form a collection of several hundred different dreidels, priced from a few dollars to more than $1000 each.
More Dreidels
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