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An observant IDF soldier may have prevented a major terrorist attack in a large Israeli city, in what soldiers and commanders called a “Hanukkah miracle.” An Arab terrorist who may have been on his way to the town of Har Bracha in central Samaria, was nabbed Tuesday morning when an IDF soldier arrested him, finding two large pipe bombs on his person. What attracted the attention of the soldier was the unusually large bag the Arab was carrying. The soldier stopped the Arab, who was climbing up a hill that leads to Har Bracha, located near Shechem. The soldier grabbed...

Being Jewish never interfered with my enjoyment of Christmas or my love for this time of year. As a child, my parents would seat me outside my dad’s store — Al’s Men’s Wear on Yonge Street — to watch the Santa Claus Parade and it never failed to enchant. Then it would be off with mom to see the Christmas windows at Eaton’s and Simpsons, with their animatronic displays of Santa’s workshop and other winter scenes. Visits to jolly department-store Santas were also part of our annual routine and did not make me feel internally conflicted about being Jewish, or...

This week, Jewish children all over the world will gamble for nuts or coins using a specially marked four-sided top, a dreidel. In Yiddish, the four dreidel letters stand for words nearly identical to those used in a similar game once played by German-speaking children. Nun: nichts. Nothing happens. Pass the top to the next player. Shin: shtel. Put one extra token into the pot. Hey: halb. Take half the pot. Gimmel: ganz. All! Win the whole pot. In Hebrew, though, the four dreidel letters aren't just game instructions but an abbreviation particularly appropriate to the Hanukkah celebration. Nes gadol...

Gov. Jerry Brown sees a modern day message for proponents of solar power in the story of Hanukkah. Speaking at the Capitol Menorah Lighting this morning, the Democratic governor cast the eight-day Jewish holiday, which begins tomorrow, as a good time to reflect on "the whole idea that we're running out of oil so we need a miracle."

As Jewish families gather this week to celebrate the Festival of Lights, Todd and I would like to wish them a very Happy Hanukkah. This beautiful holiday commemorates the story of the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, following years of struggle by the Maccabees, when one-day’s worth of consecrated oil miraculously lasted for eight. This story never ceases to inspire because it reminds us of the power of faith, hope, and perseverance. The modern State of Israel is the living embodiment of the Hanukkah miracle – a country that was not expected to survive the onslaught of its enemies,...

What is the miracle of Hanukkah really about? One days' worth of olive oil lasting for 8 days, was indeed, miraculous.... but there is so much more to this holiday than meets the eye. Hanukkah is the miraculous story of the Jewish People, and as you will see -the story never ended. It lives today in our times, through the miracle of the State of Israel, and the modern day Maccabees who stand alongside her. Watch this short and powerful video from Jerusalem, for illuminating insights and fascinating perspectives into the holiday of Hanukkah. Watch the video: Hanukkah - In...

Brisket, a staple of the Hanukkah meal, too often ends up tough, tasteless and gray. But turning this culinary catastrophe into a winner is quite simple. When guests at my restaurant try my version of brisket, they are amazed that it is the same cut of meat that they grew up "not eating!" To make this recipe, it helps to have a smoker, but it isn't necessary. All you need is patience (it takes a long time to cook) and to buy the right cut of meat...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is marking Hanukkah as a story of "faith over doubt." Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden convened a Hanukkah celebration at the White House Thursday in an early celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights. Obama said the Hanukkah story was about "right over might, faith over doubt." In the Hanukkah story, a small band of Jews rededicating a Jerusalem temple found that a one-day supply of oil kindled a flame instead for eight. The president noted "our unshakeable support and commitment to the security of the nation of Israel."...

During his first week in office President Barrack Obama declared America was no longer a Christian nation. During his 2011 Thanksgiving address to the American people he reflected “how truly lucky we truly are.” Instead of offering thanksgiving to the provision and guidance of the Lord God Almighty, President Obama declared the true meaning of Thanksgiving as “Americans drew strength from each other.” Recently the White House held a two-week early celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights to “cement America’s support and commitment to the security of Israel.” However, did the President actually use this occasion to once again...

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Yesterday Obama celebrated Hanukkah. That means tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and next Wednesday is New Year's Eve in Obamaville. Hanukkah is not for two weeks, and he lit every candle in the menorah! You're supposed to do it over an eight-day period. He did it all at once just to be done with it. As he says: This is to show my devotion to Israel. BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Snerdley, what do you think the odds are that Obama confused Hanukkah and Kwanzaa? When was Kwanzaa invented? (interruption) No, '66. I looked it up. Kwanzaa was invented 1966....

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The name of Iranian ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi is little known outside his own country, which is unfortunate. Ayatollah Boroujerdi has been held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison since 2006. Boroujerdi, aged 50, is an heir to a distinguished Shia clerical family. He was born in Tehran and educated in the Shia religious center of Qom. Like his father, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Ali Kazemeyni Boroujerdi (1924-2002), Boroujerdi preaches the pre-Khomeini interpretation of Iranian Shiism, which calls for religion to be kept apart from politics. His health has been badly affected by the conditions of his imprisonment, yet he...

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and first lady Michelle Obama watch as Dina Retik lights the Menorah as her mother Susan watches on at a Hanukkah reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, December 2, 2010.

<p>A singing group from Yeshiva University has a Hanukkah hit on their hands. The Maccabeats' "Candlelight" is sung to the tune of the pop song "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz, and features latkes, candles and a telling of the Hanukkah story. The video for the song has gotten well over 2 million views since its release about a week and a half ago.</p>

As The Jewish nation celebrates Hanukkah, Israel went through its biggest national disaster in history, with Unity, courage and help from the international community, we will discuss the meaning of the incident in these days, Netanyahu's test of leadership, and explain the story of Hanukkah in our days. Our Special guest on the discussion board is: Joshua S. Treviño - a media-savvy communication strategist, president of Treviño Strategies and Media, now Rogue Strategic Services, Joshua is on advisory board on Act For Israel online, He has proved to be a staunch digital advocate of Israel supporting the Jewish State online,...

President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden hosted a party Thursday marking the second day of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Obama offered condolences to those who have died in a forest fire in northern Israel before recounting the story of the Maccabees fighting in the Temple in Jersualem watching a day's worth of oil burn for eight.

As Jewish families all over the country and the world come together to celebrate the festival of lights – the miracle of one day’s worth of oil lasting for eight – we are reminded that this holiday is also about the miracle of taking a stand against impossible odds, surviving existential threats, and staying true to one’s values and beliefs through it all. More than two thousand years after the Maccabees rebelled against their oppressors and reconsecrated their Holy Temple, the Jewish people continue to face threats to their existence, and they continue to persevere and overcome great odds....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have convened a Hanukkah celebration at the White House on the second night of the Jewish festival of lights. The celebration occurred in the East Room Thursday, where guests recited traditional prayers while lighting candles in a menorah lent by a congregation in New Orleans that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

An uplifting pop gem arriving just in time for the holiday, "Miracle," produced by Dr. Luke protégé Kool Kojak (Flo Rida, Katy Perry, Ke$ha), is drenched in a joyful spirit and features chiming synths, bouncing beats and an irresistible chorus. Matisyahu says, "There are so many Christmas songs out there. I wanted to give the Jewish kids something to be proud of. We've got Adam Sandler's song, which is hilarious, but I wanted to try to get across some of the depth and spirituality inherent in the holiday in a fun, celebratory song. My boy Kojak was in town so...

Today is the first day of Hanukkah, Chanukah and/or חנוכה the Jewish holiday that is spelled a hundred ways in English. Along with the joy of the holiday is the sadness that this minor holiday is continually hijacked by the ACLU and other liberal groups who have no idea what the holiday means.

Chanukah is incredibly pertinent to what we're going through right now in America. It's about winning a seemingly unwinnable culture war. In the second century B.C., the rulers of Israel -- the powerful Syrian empire -- had forced paganism on the country with a ruthless force. Pagan holidays, customs, and religious practices were imposed on the citizens of Israel, and statues of pagan gods were erected throughout the country. People who refused to bow down to idols, or make sacrifices to them, were tortured and killed. People were allowed to have some "private" religious beliefs, but no public acknowledgement of...

Todd and I would like to offer our best wishes to the Jewish community as they celebrate Hanukkah. Known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah commemorates the eight-day miracle that took place when the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated. Though there was only enough consecrated oil for one day, the flame miraculously burned for eight – just long enough to prepare more. This beautiful story is rich with life lessons for members of all faiths. With hope and dedication nothing is impossible, and the Almighty never abandons those who seek the light. - Sarah Palin “Trace the universe back to...

Todd and I would like to offer our best wishes to the Jewish community as they celebrate Hanukkah. Known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah commemorates the eight-day miracle that took place when the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated. Though there was only enough consecrated oil for one day, the flame miraculously burned for eight – just long enough to prepare more. This beautiful story is rich with life lessons for members of all faiths. With hope and dedication nothing is impossible, and the Almighty never abandons those who seek the light.

Just because no one is too worried about gate crashers showing up at the White House Hanukkah party doesn't mean the guest list isn't being watched very carefully. The annual celebration has grown in recent years into an important bellwether in American Jewish circles, a sign of which leaders are in good graces and who is losing clout. So the Obama administration's announcement that it was cutting the size of the Dec. 16 party by more than a third has left many wondering who will make the cut, and what some might do to get their name added to the...

The law did not require Jews to be at the Temple in Jerusalem, as this was not one of the pilgrimage festivals. Every one observed it in his own place, not as a holy time. Jesus was there that He might improve those eight days of holiday for good purposes. Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch when the Sadduciens asked him “How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ tell us.” They pretended to want to know the truth, as if they were ready to embrace it; but it was not their intention....

Are today's American Tea Party patriots anything like the Jewish Maccabees of ancient times? The Jewish eight-day holiday of Hanukah began Friday night. The holiday marks the successful BCE revolt of the Jews of Judea over their Greco-Syrian occupiers. For many years, the Jews of Judea were resigned to their fate and accepted the presence of their conquerors. With the passage of time, however, the Greco-Syrian occupiers began to force their pagan ways upon the Jews and prohibit Jewish religious practices. The loss of rights proved too much to bear for many Jews and a grassroots opposition movement began, led...

At the White House, as the Obama administration is learning all too well, a party is never a simple affair. One bone of contention has been the guest list: Administration officials say they are inviting 550 people, just 50 less than President Bush invited to his White House Hanukkah parties. But reports in the Israeli press spawned fast-spreading rumors that the Obama White House was only inviting 400 – and that the Bush White House had actually invited twice that number. It was, some suggested, a snub – and one that critics said should not come as a surprise. The...

This evening we light the first candle on the Hanukkah menorah, for it's the first night of this minor eight-day Jewish holiday that's become a major one over the years. There are blessings to be recited, songs to be sung, latkes to be eaten . . . . But just what does Hanukkah celebrate? Answer: A successful Jewish revolt against a Syrian empire ruled by the Seleucid dynasty of Greek kings some 2,200 years ago. Well, not exactly. The revolt was not so much against the Syrian emperor, Antiochus Epiphanes, as against his attempt to impose Hellenistic culture on ancient...

The law did not require Jews to be at the Temple in Jerusalem, as this was not one of the pilgrimage festivals. Every one observed it in his own place, not as a holy time. Jesus was there that He might improve those eight days of holiday for good purposes. Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch when the Sadduciens asked him “How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ tell us.” They pretended to want to know the truth, as if they were ready to embrace it; but it was not their intention....

"...If you love your G-d but fear your government, tell others about the destruction of the Second Temple by the Hitlerian Antiochus Epiphanes, and help your children internalize these lessons of Hanukkah. If you would be reminded of the importance of preserving second-amendment freedoms, recall this chapter in the long story of the disarmament of the Jews. Honor the memory of Hannah and her sons by kindling the lights of Hanukkah with firm resolve. If you should ever doubt that righteousness will always prevail so long as we love G-d and fight for his spiritual and physical territory, let your...

When the news broke on Thursday of a freakish traffic accident that injured several people at the Chanukah Wonderland workshop run by the Lubavitch community of Woodmere, on Long Island, the story was picked up by the usual suspects: Newsday, The Daily News, The New York Post and The Associated Press. It also happened to be that day’s top North American offering of a much smaller — and somewhat more specialized — journalistic venture: Chabad.org News. Written and produced from a small home office in Israel by a husband-and-wife team, Chabad.org News is a nonprofit international reporting operation that focuses...

The holiday season is all ablaze, with lights to brighten the eye and warm the spirit. The candles of Hanukkah, recalling the triumph of the Maccabees in repulsing an army of Syrians who tried to evict the Jews from ancient Israel, twinkle for eight days in the Jewish "festival of the lights." The lights of Christmas celebrate the birth of Christ, symbolizing the coming of the Messiah and the triumph of light over darkness in a world of suffering. It's a season about survival, of standing up to evil forces. The lighting of the candles for the rededicated temple commemorates...

MUMBAI: "Is it safe to be here, all of us together?'' asked a Jewish woman before seating herself on a chair facing the Gateway of India. A retired colonel reassured her. Fighting back fears of congregating at a public place, a sizeable number of Jews-both Indians and foreigners-came forward to attend a prayer meeting organised by Chabad House on the occasion of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. While Moshe, the orphaned child of Rabbi Gavriel-who was claimed by the terror attack at Nariman House-was conspicuous by his absence, his grandparents-Shimon and Yehudit...

Take note all ye cultural fascists out to annihilate Christmas: The Catholic League has a nativity scene on public property in New York City, right in Central Park. We deliberately put it on the corner of 59th and 5th so that New Yorkers taking the 5th Avenue bus downtown can’t avoid seeing it. Indeed, it’s impossible to miss. Next to it will be the world’s largest menorah, a religious symbol that some dunce lawyers still think is a secular symbol. “Every year we get a permit from the New York City Parks Department to display our life-sized crèche in Central...

Governor Sarah Palin celebrates the first day of Hanukkah with members of the Jewish community in downtown Anchorage.

Hanukkah for Dhimmis (excuse us, Dummies) by Bill Levinson (originally posted in December 2006) Hanukkah is often called “the Jewish Christmas” because it takes place at about the same time of year. There is in fact a very strong connection between the two holidays; had it not been for the events that Hanukkah commemorates, there would be no Christmas. Hanukkah is about standing up to those who menace one’s home, family, or way of life as opposed to singing “Kumbaya” with them. We have often pointed out that science fiction and fantasy societies are based on real human societies, and...

Polish president, in historic first, visits Warsaw synagogue for Hanukkah celebration By VANESSA GERA | Associated Press Writer 2:15 PM EST, December 21, 2008 WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's president celebrated the start of Hanukkah in a Warsaw synagogue Sunday in a gesture the city's Jewish community greeted as a historic step in its revival. Lech Kaczynski's visit marked the first time the head of state has attended a religious service at a synagogue in Poland, whose Jewish population was nearly wiped out in the Holocaust and later suffered from communist-era repression. The visit "means we're in a normal country...

The power of Hanukkah is rooted in miracles, including the legend of one night's oil that burned for eight days after Jewish warriors reconquered a sacred temple. The second century BC rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem is commemorated by Hanukkah, an eight-day festival that begins tonight. Today, more than 2,000 years later, Jewish leaders say that faith and hope continue to resonate as appropriate themes for a celebration taking place in difficult times. They cite the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic crisis and, locally, what police describe as the hate-crime death of an Ecuadorean immigrant in Patchogue....

Presidential Message The story of Hanukkah recalls the miraculous victory of a small band of patriots against tyranny, and the oil that burned for eight nights. Through centuries of exile and persecution, Jews have lit the menorah. Each year, they behold its glow with faith in the power of God, and love for His greatest gift -- freedom. This Hanukkah we celebrate another miraculous victory -- the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. When President Harry Truman led the world in recognizing Israel in May of 1948, many wondered whether the small nation could possibly...

Baby Jesus disappeared last year from a Nativity scene on the lawn of the Wellington, Fla., community center, village officials didn’t follow a star to locate him. A GPS device mounted inside the life-size figurine led sheriff’s deputies to a nearby apartment, where it was found face down on the carpet. An 18-year-old woman was arrested in the theft. Giving up on old-fashioned padlocks and trust, some churches, synagogues, governments and ordinary citizens are turning to technology to protect holiday displays from pranks or prejudice. About 70 churches and synagogues eager to avoid the December police blotter jumped at a...

You may find the title confusing. After all, religious Jews don’t celebrate Christmas. So why should a Jew care if a store clerk says “Merry Christmas?” Why should the public disappearance of Christmas matter to the Jewish people? Patience. All will be explained in due course. In the meantime, ‘tis the season to be politically correct – a coast-to-coast harkening-free zone and the tyranny of hyper-sensitivity. The increasingly successful effort to purge Christmas from our culture (correctly called the War on Christmas) proceeds apace – municipal Christmas trees are re-christened (no pun intended) “holiday trees,” schools ban Christmas decorations and...

MAF Announcing Honoring Heroes at the Holidays IIMove America Forward is thrilled to announce that we are bringing back Honoring Heroes at the Holidays to honor our troops again this Christmas and holiday season! Last year, MAF introduced Honoring Heroes at the Holidays and traveled to cities all over the country. We were so excited by the results that we had to do it again for 2008! Our troops deserve to know that we love and appreciate them! Starting December 13th, we’ll once again be hitting the road to take our message to the people of America who want to...

SPOKANE, Wash. - They made a list, but they should have checked it twice. In a December newsletter to the families of elementary school students, Spokane Public Schools' list of "important dates" didn't include Christmas. Hanukkah, Human Rights Day, winter break, the Islamic holy day Eid al-Adha, first day of winter and Kwanzaa all made the list. But no Christmas. "It was absolutely an error of omission," district spokeswoman Terren Roloff said. "In our efforts to be inclusive, we missed the obvious." The omission drew complaints from some parents that in an age of political correctness, Christians are being overlooked...

Christopher Hitchens’ attack on Chanukah has received no major push-back to date in major media outlets. Several weeks ago, the Jewish world shook its collective fist at Ann Coulter’s audacity in admitting on CNBC (Oct. 8) that she, a Christian, believed in Christianity: “We just want Jews to be perfected,” said Coulter. “That’s what Christianity is.” The Anti-Defamation called her “anti-Semitic.” They lectured her about the power of words “to injure others and fuel hatred.” On the Web, the popular blog Wonkette, blared, how will Coulter “finally complete Hitler’s Dream? She’s going to convert all the poor lost Jews to...

The President and First Lady spent the weekend in Washington attending church in the morning and the taping of "Christmas in Washington" later in the day. Today the President met with Jewish leader in the Roosevelt Room and also attended a Hanukkah reception at the White House. Today The First Lady makes opening remarks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House during a video teleconference regarding the situation in Myanmar, also known as Burma, in recognition of International Human Rights Day. Today Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spokes at the Women's Foreign Policy Group's annual Luncheon in Washington. Pray...

Please click on the link and then on the "play video" to hear President Bush's speech at the annual White House Chanukah Party. Afterward, Daniel Pearl's parents, Ruth and Judea light the chanukiah. (No offense to anyone, but I'd turn it off after "Maoz Tzur".) Text of speech: 5:27 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Good evening. Laura and I welcome you to the White House. Mr. Attorney General, thank you for being here. Secretary Chertoff, and family. Hanukkah is a time of joy and festivity in the Jewish religion. We're honored to gather with members of the Jewish community...

Holiday Shopping: Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah FRiends! This is the time of year that is special because is engenders the spirit of giving and selflessness of its sacred origins. Each of us, in his or her own way, has a special place in our heart for this joyful time. As we put others' needs and desires first, as we look forward to the expression of surprise and delight on our loved ones' faces as they receive our gifts, as we peruse the ailes, let us consider the economic import of our duty. Some...

Are you having trouble trying to figure out what to buy your favorite Jihadist for Christmas this year? Look no further, The Rogue Jew is here to help you out so that you don’t LOSE YOUR HEAD this holiday season, we wouldn’t want to disappoint that favorite IslamoNazi in your life. Is there a Muslim that you know that likes to go camping in Iraq or Iran? Perhaps he or she enjoys those nice long weekend getaway at their favorite cave in the mountain regions of Afghanistan? For that special Islamofacist/Outdoor enthusiast, the Koran now comes in two ply. No...

A posh food store in New York's Greenwich Village has found itself red faced after offering hams for sale with the slogan "Delicious for Hanukkah," the current Jewish religious holiday. The non-kosher labelling was spotted at the weekend by Manhattan novelist Nancy Kay Shapiro, 46, who decided instead of alerting management to take a picture of the unorthodox sign and post it on the Internet. "I just thought it was funny," Shapiro, who described herself as an unobservant Jew, told the New York Post. "I wasn't offended in any way. I just thought, here's somebody who knows nothing about what...

And so we have a semiofficial celebration of Hanukkah, complete with menorah, to celebrate not the ignition of a light but the imposition of theocratic darkness. Jewish orthodoxy possesses the interesting feature of naming and combating the idea of the apikoros or "Epicurean"—the intellectual renegade who prefers Athens to Jerusalem and the schools of philosophy to the grim old routines of the Torah. About a century and a half before the alleged birth of the supposed Jesus of Nazareth (another event that receives semiofficial recognition at this time of the year), the Greek or Epicurean style had begun to gain...