Hanukkah Trivia
This Hanukkah trivia game is for families, classes and community groups. The 23 Missions mix questions on the Hanukkah story, the menorah, the dreidel and the foods with photo and video Missions, and take about 45 to 60 minutes. Play in teams of two to six, with as many teams as you like.
Missions
1. How Many Nights of Light? (TEXT)
Welcome to the Hanukkah trivia Experience — let's kick things off with a classic! Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights, but do you know exactly how many nights the celebration lasts? Type your answer as a number!
100 points
2. Light It Up! (PHOTO)
The hanukkiah is the star of the Hanukkah show — eight candles plus the shamash, all glowing with holiday magic! 🕎 Find a menorah or hanukkiah near you, snap a single photo of it, and share the light with the group. It can be lit, unlit, real, or decorative — just show us your candelabra!
100 points
3. How Many Candles Can It Hold? (TEXT)
The hanukkiah is the star of every Hanukkah celebration — but how well do you know its structure? It features holders for each night of the holiday, plus one extra holder for a very special helper candle. How many candleholders does a hanukkiah have in total? Type your answer as a number!
150 points
4. Spin to Win! (PHOTO)
The dreidel is one of Hanukkah's most beloved traditions — and now it's your time to shine! Grab a dreidel (or any spinning top) and capture the action: snap a photo of it mid-spin or strike your most dramatic pre-spin pose. May the odds (and the Gimel) be ever in your favor! 🌀
150 points
5. The Helper Candle (TEXT)
On a hanukkiah, one candle has a very special role that sets it apart from the eight Hanukkah lights. It's positioned differently from the rest and is essential to the nightly lighting ceremony. What is this dedicated helper candle called?
400 points
6. Why the Fry? 🕎 (TEXT)
Latkes, sufganiyot, and all things gloriously golden — Hanukkah sure loves its fried foods! But there's a deeper reason behind all that sizzling oil. In 240 characters or fewer, explain in your own words why Hanukkah foods are traditionally fried in oil. Think about the miracle at the heart of the holiday!
400 points
7. Hanukkah Spread! (PHOTO)
Gather up your Hanukkah goodies — gelt, dreidels, candles, decorations, or anything festive you have nearby — and arrange them into an eye-catching tabletop scene. Get creative with your layout and snap a single photo of your Hanukkah masterpiece! No special supplies needed; just use whatever's around you.
400 points
8. The Miracle That Kept Burning (TEXT)
When the Maccabees rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem, they found only enough oil to light the menorah for a single day. Yet according to the Hanukkah story, a miracle occurred — the flame did not go out after just one day. How many days did the oil actually last? Type your answer as a number.
400 points
9. Which Way Do the Candles Go? (TEXT)
Every night of Hanukkah, a new candle is added to the hanukkiah — but do you know which direction? Think about the tradition: when placing candles in the hanukkiah each night, which direction do you add the newest candle? Type your answer!
400 points
10. Candle Counter Extraordinaire (TEXT)
Time to put on your thinking cap! 🕎 Across all eight nights of Hanukkah, how many individual candles in total would be used in a hanukkiah, counting the shamash each night? Remember, the number of candles lit increases each night as the holiday progresses. Think it through carefully and type your answer as a number.
550 points
11. Shout It Out: Hanukkah Greetings! (VIDEO)
Hanukkah is celebrated in homes and communities all around the world — and that means greetings in every language imaginable! Record a short video (30 seconds or less) of your best Hanukkah greeting in any language you know — Hebrew, Yiddish, English, Spanish, or anything else. Try 'Chag Sameach' or 'Happy Hanukkah'! Make it joyful, expressive, and totally YOU!
400 points
12. Empire Strikes Out 🏛️ (TEXT)
The Maccabees were a small but fierce band of fighters who rose up to reclaim the Holy Temple from the powerful empire that had seized control of the land and desecrated it. History buffs, this one's for you — can you name the empire they were up against? Type your answer below!
500 points
13. Hanukkah Around the World (TEXT)
Hanukkah is celebrated by Jewish communities across the globe — and no two celebrations are exactly alike! 🌍 Describe one Hanukkah tradition from a country other than your own. It could be a unique food, a special song, a game, or a custom. In 240 characters or fewer, share what you discovered and where it comes from!
500 points
14. What it means (TEXT)
The word Hanukkah is Hebrew for what? Type your answer.
150 points
15. The Hammer (TEXT)
Who led the Jewish revolt that retook the Temple in Jerusalem? Type your answer.
150 points
16. Which city (TEXT)
The Temple rededicated by the Maccabees was in which city? Type your answer.
100 points
17. The month (TEXT)
Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of which Hebrew month? Type your answer.
200 points
18. A great miracle happened... (TEXT)
Outside Israel, the four letters on a dreidel stand for a Hebrew phrase meaning 'A great miracle happened' where? Type the missing word.
150 points
19. Take it all (TEXT)
Which dreidel letter means the spinner takes the whole pot? Type your answer.
150 points
20. Chocolate coins (TEXT)
What are the chocolate coins given at Hanukkah called? Type your answer.
100 points
21. Fried, not baked (TEXT)
What are the fried potato pancakes eaten at Hanukkah called? Type your answer.
100 points
22. Jelly-filled (TEXT)
What are the jelly doughnuts eaten in Israel at Hanukkah called? Type your answer.
150 points
23. Night one (TEXT)
How many candles are lit on the first night of Hanukkah, not counting the shamash? Type a number.
100 points
How to run it
- Copy the template. Click "Copy this template in Goosechase" and log in or sign up. You get your own copy with every Mission on this page.
- Invite people with the join link. Share your join link so players can join from any web browser or mobile device.
- Play. Start the game. Players complete Missions to earn points, and the leaderboard shows who is winning.
