As a child in Israel we were told that the reason we are playing with Sevivonim in Hanukkah was that during the Maccabees rebellion against the Romans the Jews would hide in caves and study the Torah, against the law, as the Romans forbade any Jewish life. When the Roman soldiers approached the cave the children were sent out to play with the dreidels so the Romans will not suspect.
Well….. That is a very lovely tale, but completely not historically accurate! The real story is much more recent, funny as can be and fascinating to learn!
The Jewish initiative, cleverness and wit never seizes to surprise me.