Though Judaism isn’t the predominant faith in Wareham, Anne Rego’s second grade class still got to learn all about Chanukkah Thursday afternoon.

Sandra Rosen, whose grandson was in Rego’s class five years ago, brought in several different kinds of menorahs – nine-branched candelabras lit on Chanukkah – as well as traditional Chanukkah game pieces, called dreidels. Dreidels are spinning tops inscribed with Hebrew letters, and used by children on Chanukkah to play for gelt, which can be real money (usually pennies) or chocolate coins.

Rosen told the children the story of Chanukkah, and why practicing Jews around the world observe it. Because the holiday revolves around an oil-based Temple light that miraculously stayed lit for eight days, rather than burning out after one, after the Greeks sullied nearly all of the Jews’ holy oil, Rosen said, many of the holiday’s foods are cooked in oil. As a demonstrative treat, Rosen brought in doughnut holes for the kids.

She also showed the kids how to properly arrange and light the candles in a menorah – without fire, of course.

“Today is the fifth night, so I would light this one, and move backwards,” Rosen said, pointing to the fifth candle from the right side of the menorah. “The thing is, you’re not supposed to blow out the candles, and you can’t turn off your lights and use this for light, because that’s just supposed to be a special thing for the holiday.”

Rosen also gave out dreidels, and taught the kids how to play with pennies. However, each child went home with 10 pennies, regardless of how many she or he won during the game.

Rego said she loves having Rosen speak to the kids, because it gives them a taste of a different culture.

“They get a sense of another part of their world,” Rego said. “We focus on how people celebrate holidays in a different way. And they love it. They love how children in different parts of the world celebrate differently.”