The doughnut-shaped pastry traditionally associated with Hanukkah in Israel is called a sufganiyah.
A sufganiyah is a round, deep-fried yeast doughnut usually filled with jelly or jam and finished with powdered sugar. Modern versions may contain chocolate, custard, cream, or other fillings, but the filled center remains a defining feature.
Sufganiyot are especially prominent during Hanukkah, when foods fried in oil recall the traditional story of the oil lasting eight days in the ancient Temple. Israeli bakeries and supermarkets commonly sell them in large quantities during the holiday season.
The singular is sufganiyah, while sufganiyot is the Hebrew plural commonly used in English. They are related to other filled doughnuts, but the Hanukkah association and Israeli cultural setting make them distinct in trivia and food history.