What’s a Dreidel doing on the Temple Mount?

The Temple Mount dirt contains not only ancient finds but also modern ones since it was deliberately mixed with modern garbage. Occasionally we find in the sifting some amusing objects which illustrate the wide variety of activities that took place on the mount in ancient as well as modern times.

Many objects, among them modern Jewish ones, are often very interesting and surprising. On the occasion of Hanukkah we present here a plastic dreidel (Svivon) with the words “… Festival of Lights”, and a base of the Menorah. Many dreidels which are used in Israel have four Hebrew letters which form the acronym “Nes Gadol Haya Po” (a great miracle happened here). We were surprised to find the Hebrew letters “Hey” and “Shin” on our dreidel, which represent a similar but different phrase which are common on dreidels used in the Diaspora – “Nes Gadol Haya Sham” (a great miracle happened there).

Plastic Dreidel

We also occasionally find lead seals indicating kosher food, singed by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. Since Jewish visitors are not allowed to eat on the Mount or conduct cultic activities, these objects could only be the remains of Muslim pilgrim refuse.

Israel Chief Rabbinate Kosher Seals