The traditional Israeli doughnut filled with jelly and eaten during Hanukkah is a sufganiyah.
Sufganiyot are deep-fried yeast doughnuts, usually filled with strawberry or another fruit jam and finished with powdered sugar. Their round, filled form distinguishes them from the ring doughnuts common in North America.
They became strongly associated with Hanukkah because fried foods recall the oil in the Hanukkah story. In Israel, bakeries and supermarkets typically begin selling sufganiyot weeks before the holiday, and modern versions may contain chocolate, custard, dulce de leche, or other fillings.
The Hebrew singular is sufganiyah; sufganiyot is the plural. They are sometimes compared with Polish pączki or Italian bomboloni, but those are separate pastries with their own culinary traditions. Sufganiyot are especially linked to Israeli Hanukkah celebrations, while latkes are the other widely recognized fried Hanukkah food.