Kvitlech
- This article refers to the card game; for the prayer note see Kvitel.
Kvitlech, also spelled Kvitlach, Quitli or Quitlok, (Yiddish: קוויטלך, literally "notes", "slips")[1] is a game similar to blackjack played in some Ashkenazi Jewish homes during the Hanukkah season. Most packs used to play the game consists of 24 cards with identical pairs numbered from 1 to 12. The pack may have originated from Hexenspiel decks by stripping them of picture cards so as to avoid idolatry.[2] The game and deck were created by Hassidic Jews living in Austrian Poland during the 18th or 19th century. Piatnik & Söhne of Vienna was the largest producer of these cards during the 19th and 20th centuries which helped spread the game among Jews living in Austria-Hungary and their North American diaspora. Most European players were killed during the Holocaust and the number of North American players has dwindled.
See also
References
- ^ Steinmetz, Sol (2005). Dictionary Of Jewish Usage: A Guide To The Use Of Jewish Terms. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 66. ISBN 0-7425-4387-0.
- ^ Kissel, Robert. (1990). "Kwitlech: The 'Kosher' Cards of Galician Jews". The Playing-Card XVIII (3), p. 86-100.
External links
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