Hanukkah in Hebrew and What Is Gelt

Two questions come up every year: how do you write and say Hanukkah in Hebrew, and what exactly is gelt? This short guide answers both, with the common greeting you can use during the festival that begins on the evening of December 4, 2026.

Hanukkah in Hebrew

Hanukkah in Hebrew is written חנוכה and means dedication, a reference to the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. English spellings vary because the first Hebrew letter has a throaty sound that English does not have. You will see Hanukkah, Chanukah, Chanukkah and other forms, and all of them point to the same Hebrew word.

The word is pronounced roughly khah-noo-KAH, with the stress on the last syllable in modern Hebrew. The first sound is a soft, breathy kh, like the ch in the German word Bach.

How to say Happy Hanukkah in Hebrew

The most common greeting is חג חנוכה שמח, written in English letters as Chag Hanukkah Sameach. It means a happy Hanukkah holiday. Many people shorten it to Chag Sameach, which works for any festival.

• Chag Hanukkah Sameach: Happy Hanukkah holiday.
• Chag Sameach: Happy holiday, used for many festivals.
• Hanukkah Sameach: Happy Hanukkah, a shorter form.

If you are writing a card, you can write the greeting in English letters or in Hebrew, and either one is welcome.

What is gelt?

Gelt is the Yiddish word for money. During Hanukkah, gelt usually means small gifts of coins, or the chocolate coins wrapped in gold and silver foil that many children enjoy. Gelt is often used in dreidel games, where players start with a pile and win or lose pieces on each spin.

Gelt definition and where the custom comes from

The custom of giving coins at Hanukkah goes back many generations in Jewish communities in Europe, and families have given them in different ways. Some give coins to children on one night, some give on every night, and some give gelt together with a gift for a teacher. Chocolate gelt is a more recent version of the same idea. Customs differ from family to family, so do what is familiar to yours.

Because it is a food item, check the packaging for kosher certification that your household relies on before buying.

Ways to use gelt

• As the stakes in a family dreidel game.
• As a small treat at a Hanukkah party or in a class gift bag.
• As a table decoration in a bowl or on a plate beside the menorah.

Browse Hanukkah gelt and our Hanukkah gifts to build a holiday basket, and order early so you have everything before the first night.