Who Knew Hanukkah trivia game box, full product shown on white — Hanukkah trivia questions

50 Hanukkah Trivia Questions and Answers for 2026

October 30, 2026

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Hanukkah trivia questions are an easy way to bring everyone to the table between candle lighting and latkes. Below are 50 questions with answers, split into five rounds: the Hanukkah story, the menorah, dreidel and gelt, food, and pop culture. Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, so there are eight nights to work through them. Use one round per night, or play all five at a family party.

A boxed game for Hanukkah night: Who Knew? Hanukkah Trivia

A ready-made Hanukkah trivia card game for families, handy when you want more questions than one list can hold. It costs about $30.

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How to run Hanukkah trivia at home

Split into teams that mix ages, so kids and grandparents can help each other.
Read each question twice, then give teams 30 seconds to agree on one answer.
Award 1 point per correct answer and 2 points for the final question of each round.
Use chocolate gelt as points. Teams keep what they win at the end.

Round 1: The Hanukkah story

What does the Hebrew word “Hanukkah” mean? Answer: Dedication.
Which building in Jerusalem was rededicated in the Hanukkah story? Answer: The Holy Temple (the Second Temple).
What was the name of the family of Jewish rebels who led the revolt? Answer: The Maccabees, also called the Hasmoneans.
Who was the father of Judah Maccabee and started the revolt? Answer: Mattathias.
What is the nickname “Maccabee” often said to mean? Answer: Hammer.
Which Greek-Syrian king outlawed Jewish practice before the revolt? Answer: Antiochus IV.
According to tradition, how long did the small jar of oil last? Answer: Eight days.
How many nights is Hanukkah celebrated? Answer: Eight.
On which Hebrew calendar date does Hanukkah begin? Answer: The 25th of Kislev.
What is another popular English name for Hanukkah? Answer: The Festival of Lights.

Round 2: The menorah

How many branches does a Hanukkah menorah have? Answer: Nine.
What is the Hanukkah menorah also called in Hebrew? Answer: A hanukkiah.
What is the name of the helper candle used to light the others? Answer: The shamash.
How many candles are lit on the first night, including the helper candle? Answer: Two.
How many candles do you need for all eight nights, including the helper candle each night? Answer: 44.
New candles are added from which side of the menorah? Answer: The right.
Which candle is lit first each night? Answer: The newest one, on the left, so lighting goes from left to right.
Why do many families place the menorah in a window? Answer: To share the miracle with people passing by.
What is the traditional song sung after lighting, whose title means “Rock of Ages”? Answer: Maoz Tzur.
Near which famous building has a National Menorah been lit each year since 1979? Answer: The White House, on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.

Round 3: Dreidel and gelt

What does the Yiddish word dreidel mean? Answer: Spinning top.
What is a dreidel called in Hebrew? Answer: A sevivon.
Which four Hebrew letters appear on a dreidel outside Israel? Answer: Nun, gimel, hei and shin.
What phrase do the four letters stand for? Answer: Nes gadol hayah sham, “a great miracle happened there.”
In Israel, which letter replaces shin, and why? Answer: Pey, for po, meaning “a great miracle happened here.”
Which dreidel letter lets you take the whole pot? Answer: Gimel.
Which letter means you take half the pot? Answer: Hei.
Which letter means nothing happens? Answer: Nun.
What is Hanukkah gelt? Answer: Money given as a gift, today often chocolate coins wrapped in gold or silver foil.
In dreidel, what do you do when you spin shin? Answer: Put one token into the pot.

Round 4: Hanukkah food

Why are foods fried in oil eaten on Hanukkah? Answer: To remember the miracle of the oil.
What are latkes traditionally made from? Answer: Grated potatoes, fried in oil.
What are the jelly-filled doughnuts eaten in Israel at Hanukkah called? Answer: Sufganiyot.
What two toppings are most often served with latkes? Answer: Applesauce and sour cream.
Which dairy food is also eaten on Hanukkah, linked to the story of Judith? Answer: Cheese.
What sweet fried dough balls covered in honey are a Sephardic and Italian Hanukkah treat? Answer: Bimuelos (also spelled bunuelos) or similar fritters.
Latkes are a type of what common breakfast side? Answer: Potato pancakes.
Besides potatoes, name a vegetable people often add to modern latkes. Answer: Zucchini, sweet potato or carrot (any is fine).
In which country did potato latkes become popular among Jewish communities? Answer: Eastern Europe (accept Poland, Ukraine or Russia).
What is the Yiddish name for the sweet noodle pudding many families also serve? Answer: Kugel.

Round 5: Hanukkah in pop culture

Which comedian first sang “The Chanukah Song” on Saturday Night Live in 1994? Answer: Adam Sandler.
What is the title of Adam Sandler’s 2002 animated Hanukkah movie? Answer: Eight Crazy Nights.
Which Nickelodeon cartoon babies had a Chanukah special in 1996? Answer: The Rugrats.
Complete the children’s song: “Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of …” Answer: Clay.
Which two colors are most often used for Hanukkah decorations? Answer: Blue and white.
In which month of the Western calendar does Hanukkah most often fall? Answer: December.
What is the name of the plush Hanukkah doll that sits on a bench? Answer: The Mensch on a Bench.
In 2013, Hanukkah overlapped with which American holiday, earning the nickname “Thanksgivukkah”? Answer: Thanksgiving.
Which Yeshiva University a cappella group had a viral Hanukkah hit in 2010 with “Candlelight”? Answer: The Maccabeats.
Which children’s song begins “I have a little dreidel”? Answer: The Dreidel Song.

Bonus: a tiebreaker

Ask every team to guess how many candles are used over all eight nights of Hanukkah, including the helper candle. Closest guess wins. The answer is 44.

More ways to celebrate

After trivia, a round of dreidel keeps kids busy while the latkes fry. Dizzy Dreidel is a quick Hanukkah card game for 2 to 6 players that costs about $10, and a four-dreidel wooden set costs about $7. For more ideas, see games to celebrate Hanukkah with friends and family and the best Hanukkah gift games.