gelt

Gelt is a Yiddish term for money, derived from the German Geld. In Jewish usage, gelt refers to money that is given to children as a gift or incentive, and it is especially associated with Hanukkah. Traditionally, parents or grandparents may give children real coins or banknotes, or chocolate coins known as chocolate gelt. The chocolate version is popular in North America and Europe, sold as foil-wrapped coins of varying sizes and flavors, and is commonly used as stakes in the Hanukkah dreidel game, where players win or lose gelt.

Historically, the practice reflects a broader custom in Ashkenazi communities of rewarding children for learning and good conduct. The term gelt is also used more generally to mean money in Yiddish, and in modern usage may refer to cash, assets, or income. In contemporary contexts, gelt appears both as real monetary gifts and as chocolate coins, serving as a cultural artifact associated with Hanukkah and Jewish family traditions.