new york | “Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay.” So goes a well-known children’s Chanukah song about the spinning top.
These days, toy dreidels are more likely to be made from plastic than clay. But there are also collectible dreidels, designed to be displayed rather than spun, that are crafted from wood, metal, porcelain, silver and even ceramic, which is, basically, clay.
The one thing all these dreidels have in common is that each side of the spinning top bears a different Hebrew letter. Each of the letters — nun, gimel, hay and shin — stands for a Hebrew word in the sentence, “Nes gadol haya sham,” which means, “A great miracle happened there.”
The Jewish Museum in New York City sells a variety of dreidels, ranging from 25-cent toys and fabric dreidels for babies to miniature works of art, in its gift shop.
Here is a selection, including dreidels that resemble flowers, musical instruments and even Russian nesting dolls.
• Floral cloissone dreidel, inspired by ornamentation on an 18th-19th century Italian Hanukkah lamp, $45.
• Spiral dreidel, made of anodized aluminum, made in Israel, $45.
• Piano dreidel, ceramic, $18.
• Flower dreidel, hand-painted enamel over pewter, $75.
• Russian stacking dreidels, wood, inspired by matrushka nesting dolls, $65.
• Plush dreidel, fabric, for babies and toddlers, $6.50.
• Sterling silver with titanium dreidel, by Israeli artist Yossi Matityahu, $375.
• Glass dreidel with a laser-cut picture of a dreidel inside, made in Israel, $150.