Hillel to go after world record for most dreidels spun

In an attempt to break the world record of most dreidels spun at the same time, student president of the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center Dena Kranzberg will lead students, faculty and community members in a spiraling challenge. \nHillel will sponsor the dreidel spin off at 2 p.m. Sunday in an attempt to “retake” a record IU set three years ago, Kranzberg said. \nThree years ago, the record was having slightly less than 500 dreidels spinning at once, she said. Now participants face a world record challenge of spinning 871 dreidels.\n“It’s said that IU has a campus population of about 10 percent Jews,” Kranzberg said. “That’s about 3,500 people, which would be more than enough people to break the record.”\nThe rules of the dreidel spin-off are simple: Each person in attendance gets one dreidel to spin.\nTraditionally, dreidel spinning rules vary from area to area, but all have similar elements in common – a four-sided top is spun, landing on one of four Hebrew letters. \nThe letters are an acronym for the Hebrew phrase “A great miracle happened there,” Kranzberg said, in reference to the miracle of Hanukkah.\nWhile the game itself is an ancient Hebrew gambling game, the Guinness World Book of Records has no room for cheating, Kranzberg said. \n“Guinness doesn’t allow us to spin a dreidel in each hand,” she said.\nA representative from the 53-year-old publication will also be present to observe the 10-second spin-off.\nThe Universities of Michigan and Maryland plan to break the most dreidels spun at the same time record on Wednesday, Kranzberg added. \n“If we do break the record on Sunday, it might get taken back Wednesday,” she said.\nWhile the event attempts to break and hold a world record in the most dreidels spun at the same time, the event also involves charity. \n“This year is the 60th anniversary for Toys for Tots,” she said. “We’ll be collecting toys for (the organization).” \nKranzberg said that she has also invited the Muslim Student Union and Black Student Union, in addition to the Leo Dowling International Center to come and participate in the event. \n“The goal for this event is to get people together to have fun,” Kranzberg said. \n Since students must be registered in order to count for the potential record-breaking, Kranzberg encourages anyone interested to register online at www.iuhillel.org/dreidelspin/ Students can also register by calling Hillel at 856-3854 or registering before the event begins on Sunday.