Twelve-year-old Oz Gaslin took his bar mitzvah project to a whole new level by creating a Hanukkah game titled “The Super Mega Ultra Dreidel Game.” Putting a fresh spin on the age-old tradition that Jewish kids engage in each Hanukkah, Oz decided to break free from the monotony of playing the same game every year.
This seventh-grader has a history of game creation, a skill he developed from a young age. His mother, Mayrav, told the Jewish Journal that Oz has been crafting games and mazes since he was two.
“He collects Monopoly games and loves games of all kinds, but card games are his favorite,” she said. “For the ‘My Family’ project, he turned my grandfather’s story of escaping the Nazis into a board game, which he named ‘Pinchas Escapes Poland.'”
Recognizing their son’s dedication and passion for game creation, Oz’s parents, Mayrav and Glenn, decided to invest in his talent and had the games professionally published. The resulting product mirrors typical store-bought table board games complete with cards, dice, a dreidel and a list of rules. Players can accumulate gelt, sneak treasure from opponents and acquire miracle cards for strategic advantages.
At the Sinai Akiba Hanukkah Boutique, Oz successfully sold all 70 game boxes he brought with him and continues to make online sales. Mayrav proudly reported, “We got all our investment back.”
Oz, who said he has created approximately 15 games to date, expressed his ongoing passion for game creation. Reflecting on the genesis of his dreidel game, he said, “When I showed the dreidel game to my family, they all loved it. The next year, I made another one, and this time we decided to go public and publish it.”
Devoted to making a positive impact, Oz plans to donate all the profits from the game to combat hunger and homelessness in Los Angeles. Explaining his choice of cause, he stated, “I’ve seen a lot of homelessness near my house, and I feel bad for them and want to help them.”
The game has already gained popularity among Oz’s peers and teachers who purchased the game and enjoy playing it at home. Out of the 200 game boxes they have published, there are only 10 left and they expect those to sell out quickly. The family has taken steps to protect their son’s creation by filing for a patent. They plan to publish a couple thousand games and sell them on Amazon.
“I want more people to find out about this game and enjoy it.” – Oz Gaslin
“I’m very excited about this,” Oz said. “I want more people to find out about this game and enjoy it.”
