Our Maccabi is Making a Hanukkah Slam Dunk

Shalom Yeladim:


I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgivukkah celebration.  Now it's on to a slam dunk for the Maccabim at the White House.

I know that our Prime Minister tried doing a full court press in the Iran arena, but let's put politics aside and enjoy our 21st century Maccabi hero. Maybe you've read about him? His name is Omri Caspi. This is Omri when he played for Maccabi Tel Aviv back in 2005.

Today he's a big-time NBA star playing for the Houston Rockets, and guess what? President Obama has invited him to the White House to light a Hanukkah candle. I may be wrong, but I read that the lighting ceremony is going to be held this coming Thursday. Omri is real excited.  He says that it gives him a chance to represent Israel AND the entire Jewish community -- that means in the United States and Israel, and hey, all over the world! I am sooo proud and so is his mother Ilana, who is visiting him right now in Texas. Omri is such a good son, he's taking Mama with him to the White House. 

Like me, Omri is no fly-by-night.  This is his 5th year in the NBA -- and this is my 4th year writing this blog. 

See you soon Omri!

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Even I'm Getting Ready for Thanksgivukkah!!!!

Shalom Yeladim:


I know you can't wait for this year's Hanukkah-Thanksgiving celebration. Even I'm invited to a Thanksgivukkah dinner! Can you believe? Yup 6,000 miles away and I'm going to be eating הודו for Hanukkah. Have your teachers told you that the word הודו has a double meaning? It's the word for turkey and it also means thanks, so this Hebrew word is going to have a special place in your joint celebration.

What else am I going to do? Watch Hanukkah shows like this one on TV, go to a Hanukkah play -- there are so many to see.......

And, I'm going to hear The Fountainheads sing about Hanukkah. I love them. They are sooo cool.

Boy, am I going to gobble up this holiday! BTW, for an added Israeli twist try this step-by-step recipe for cranberry jelly sufganiyot.

!חג חנוכה שמח



Hanukkah Poster Credit

I'm Going to the Annual Olive Branch Festival So I Can Stock Up On Olive Oil For Hanukkah

Shalom Girls and Boys:


It's olive harvest time and Hanukkah is in the air. That's why I'm flying up North to the Annual Olive Branch Festival.  In between hiking -- O.K. flying -- and jeep tours, I'm going to learn how to pick and press olives.

Harvesting olives has been going on for thousands of years in the Land of Israel.  Have you ever seen an olive tree? They're kinda short and wide like this olive tree in the Galilee which is sooo old they call it ancient.

If you think the oil miracle we celebrate on Hanukkah was vegetable or soy oil, you're wrong.  It was olive oil, of course. That makes sense since olives are one of the seven species mentioned in the Bible. 

Olives are so rooted to our land that we even have a mountain called Mount of Olives because it once was covered with olive groves. And olive oil? It's about as Israeli as you can get. In fact, anything olive is -- olives, olive branches, olive colored army uniforms.  Have a look at our state emblem and this stamp from Israel's early years. 

Both have olive branches in their design, very much like the olive branch the dove brought back to Noah --  another Biblical connection!

Enough talk. Gotta go. I have to get to the Olive Branch Festival on time if I'm going to have enough olive oil for Hanukkah. I love lighting my Hanukkiah because olive oil is easily drawn into the wicks, creating a clear, bright light.  Do you see what I mean?

Wish me luck in becoming the best olive picker and presser around.

Le'Hitraot.....

Zvuvi

Tree Photo Credit

Stamp Photo Credit

Hanukkiah Photo Credit

I Have a Tikun Olam Project Idea for You

Shalom Girls and Boys:

I just read an article about how much Israel is doing for Syrian children wounded in their horrible war.

I know that Syria is far away from you. And, yes, it's a country that is our enemy. But its children aren't enemies, and the doctors in Israel understand that.

Right now the Rebecca Sief Hospital in Safed -- a famous Kabbalistic city in Israel's northern region -- is treating more than 150 Syrian patients! Many of them are children just like you, but unlike you they are victims of life threatening events. One eight year-old girl had her right leg shattered by a mortar attack. Now she's being treated at the Rebecca Sief hospital and a month ago she took her first steps. Can you imagine? Learning how to walk again at age 8!

This little girl is one of dozens of children being helped by Israel. Israel is providing aid very quietly, but sometimes word does get out. All the medical treatments cost a lot of money but the hospital is giving it to the Syrian patients for free. So here's my idea for a Tikkun Olam project. How about saving your allowance for one month and sending it to the Rebecca Sief Hospital? It's your way of helping Israel lend a helping hand. If you don't want to send money, toys would be just as good.

With Hanukkah and Thanksgiving just weeks away, you can say Thank You in a different way.

Le'Hitraot
Zvuvi




Photo Credit

Puff...Puff...I'm Getting in Shape for the Hanukkah Relay Race

Sh-aaa-lom Yeh--la--dim:

Wow I'm out of shape! All this wing flapping exercise for the Hanuukah relay race is taking the wind out of me -- and that's not good, 'cause wind is supposed to speed me up.

I know, I know....you think that the Hanukkah torch relay race which begins in modern Modi'in (the ancient Maccabees' home town)

and ends at 

The Western/Wailing Wall

is only for people, but hey -- we flies have a life too! And with all the eating and feasting we've just done for the holidays (not to mention every Shabbat), it doesn't hurt to burn off some calories.

The first Hanukkah torch relay race in Israel took place in 1948 -- the same year Israel became an independent country. I just found this article, so you can read all about it.

Today, Jewish communities all over the world are creating their own Hanukkah relay races. For example, Jews living in the the Czech Republic did it last year. They had fun being Maccabee runners and I'm sure you will too. Personally, I think you should hold this race. Not only is it fun and a good way to stay in shape, but ordinarily the usual menu for Hanukkah is a few doughnuts and latkes. But this year you guys in America have a doubleheader with Hanukkah and Thanksgiving falling on the same day. You know what that means! Another eat as much as you can feast. 

Instead of getting hot and bothered about how much weight you're going to gain, get fired up about being a Maccabee runner. 

Hope your team wins.

Almost forgot. Here's a Hanukkah trivia quiz you can take while you're resting in-between races.

Good Luck! בהצלחה 

Zvuvi

Modi'in photo credit

Western Wall photo credit

A Druze School in Israel is #1

Shalom Yeladim:

I'm off to Beit Jann -- a Druze village in the Galilee. The Druze are a non-Moslem, religious minority in Israel that

speak Arabic and serve in the Israeli Army. Most interesting of all, though, is the really special Beit Jann high school: if you ask the students how much they love their school, the answer is -- "A Lot!"

Can you imagine!!!! I even know why.

Here's the story. In the past, this high school was nothing to write home about.  They had a high drop-out rate and one of the lowest matriculation rates. That means only a tiny number of students took the tests needed to go to college. 

But this year -- they're #1! That's right: they have the highest rate in the whole country. How did that happen? The teachers decided they were not going to give up on any student. They even tracked down the drop-outs and convinced them to return to school. I know I'm going to sound like Barak Obama, but what did they tell the students? Yes, you can! And they did, thanks to a new upbeat atmosphere, a program developed by Yeholot (which mean capabilities) to bridge the gaps, and a lot of hard work by the students. 

It didn't happen overnight.  It took the school four years to reach an amazing 100% graduation rate. But you know what I like the best? Something that can be done in all schools, starting from 1st grade. The school wants the parents to believe in their children so the principal and teachers constantly call the parents to tell them about their children's achievements! You heard right. Parents aren't only called in to school to hear the usual complaints. And you know what? It worked!!!! The parents are proud and the students love their school. As one girl puts it: "Until I came here I never met teachers who looked out for the students."

What a school! 

Le'Hitraot

Zvuvi

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I'm Celebrating Sukkot with the Children of B'nei Menashe

Shalom Yeladim:

I want to introduce you to my new friends.

These boys belong to a community called B'nei Menashe. The people of this community say they are descendants of the tribe of Menashe which was sent into exile more than 27 centuries ago by the Assyrian Empire. In other words, the B'nei Menashe claim they are one of the lost 10 tribes!

Do you know what the words B'nei Menashe -- בני מנשה --  mean?
That's right, the sons and daughters of Menashe.

Let's go back to the time of the Bible. Who was Menashe?
He was one of Joseph's two sons. The other son was Ephraim. Many fathers bless their sons on Friday night by reciting the blessing
ישמחה אלוקים כאפריים ומנשה -- May God make you like Ephraim and Menashe.

Why this blessing?
Because Jacob blessed his two grandsons instead of their father Joseph. He wanted them to become role models for all Jews.
Here's an interesting thought: Their mother was Egyptian. Now, that's something to discuss!

Where do today's  B'nei Menashe come from?
North East India. Somewhere between Mynamar and Bangladesh is a piece of land where the Bnei Menashe have been living a Jewish way of life. Their customs and beliefs are very similar to the Biblical Children of Israel. 

AWESOME!!!!
So awesome, that when an Israeli organization called Shavei Yisrael found about them and discovered that the B'nei Menashe want to return to live in the Jewish homeland, the organization's director -- Michael Freund -- travelled to India to meet them.  Sure enough, he discovered that they celebrate Sukkot just like the rest of us. Maybe that's when he decided he would do everything to help bring this community back to Israel?!

So far, Shavei Yisrael has brought 2000 members of the B'nei Menashe to Israel. That's how I met my new friends. Close to 7,000 are still waiting back in India. I'm looking forward to meeting ALL of them, AND I'm looking forward to meeting other long lost Jews brought over by Shavei Israel.

You gotta admit: you and I, we belong to an interesting nation.

Chag Sameach!!!!




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