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Artist Notes:
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This image conveys good wishes for the Hanukkah holiday. In Hebrew, "Hanukkah" means "dedication," and commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the the invasion of the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E. Behind an old, gnarled tree, Jerusalem can be seen.The dreydls or tops, each carved with four initials for the Hebrew words 'nes, gadol, hayah, sham' (a great miracle happened here) are used in a traditional child's game with the golden coins as playing pieces. Dreydls have both religious and entertainment significance. During the time of the Roman Empire, Jewish children were forbidden to study Torah. So they would bring their dreydls out among the trees (where they would hide their study scrolls), not to play, but to study. If someone approached them, suspecting a study session in progress, then the children would use their dreydls as decoys, giving the impression that they were merely playing a child’s game
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