The Festival of Lights is here and I’m going to use this blog to wish you Chag Sameach and to make two observations regarding this holiday as I see it since I moved to the U.S.:

1. Most non-jews think this is the biggest, most important thing in the year for jews. This is obviously because it falls toughly at the same time as Christmas, so it’s gotta be very important. This perception is magnified because due to political correctness, no one ever says “Merry Christmas” anymore: G-d forbid you’re not Christian and are terribly offended by this terrible, terribe mistake (note to readers: no one in the staff of The MKX® will get offended if you wish him Merry Christmas). Instead, you see “Happy Holidays” written in cards and billboards, and the artwork that goes with it is often a Christmas tree and a Hanukkia. How inclusive. In reality, Hanukkah is a very modern (only about 2000 years old!) holiday. So there is no mention of it in the Bible, work is allowed and you don’t even go to synagogue for it.

2. In Hanukka, you light a Hanukkia. Not a Menorah. a Hanukkia. For the mathematically impaired, a Menorah has 7 arms (one for each day of the week) and was used in the Temple. Below is what is thought to be a very accurate depiction of the Menorah from the Arc of Titus (showing Romans with their loot after destroying the Second Temple). This Emblem of the State of Israel is based on this image. A Hanukkia, on the other hand, has 9 arms (one for each day that Hanukkah lasts plus one for the Shamash). Everyone in the U.S., Jewish or not, uses the wrong name and for some reason it bothers me.

is not the same as

3. Last, and I think I’ve mentioned it before, everyone spells Hanukkah differently. Here I chose to use Wikipedia’s spelling but you can go ahead and see the list they have for alterantive spellings. It’s insane. In Mexico, everyone spells it Janucá. Way easier.

So, in order to remain politically correct, completely inclusive and avoid offending anyone:

Happy Holidays! 

I was sent a link to this interesting History Channel report about the Israeli airstrike on the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981.

At the time, the operation was internationally condemned. Today, most of the world is quietly thankful for Israel’s actions, as it is known that the reactor was indeed being built for the sole purpose of creating an Iraqi nuclear bomb. It is impossible to know how history would have been different had Israel not destroyed this reactor, but it’s very clear that it would have indeed been very different

This piece of history seems more relevant today than ever, given North Korea’s and Iran’s nuclear ambitions; and the recent operation Israel carried out over Syria (of which many details are still unknown):

Meet Farfour Mouse, who from the looks of it is Mickey’s evil twin brother. His topics are way more exciting than anything ever touched by Pipo, Juan Pestañas or El Duende Bubulín (played by former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León. It’s now been taken off the air but I’m sure it will come out for DVD soon. If not, who’s going to educate all those children?

[Update 5/10/2007] John Stewart on the subject.

Ok, I’m about a week late… but still I hope you had a chag sameach and especially good presents and that none of your bones are broken. For those who couldn’t care less about this whole thing have a Merry Christmas.

Here’s some good light Hanukkah reading:
Chanukah Blog Tour 5767 by R.E.
Hanukkah (Wikipedia)
Nothing says Hanukkah like a Menorah Wii sensor bar. (note they got the spelling from Wikipedia… no one can ever settle on it)

Right before midnight on Sunday I landed back in Austin. The trip was loooong (11:45 hours from Tel Aviv to Newark plus another 4:30 from Newark to Austin). On Monday morning I was back at work.

Due to technical difficulties I could not upload any trip photos until now. Here they are. I still need to upload the photos from Budapest though.

I had an awesome time in Israel. Seeing all the family in Haifa was great, the UEFA game was awesome (thanks Feingolds), the outings in Tel Aviv, the visit to Jerusalem, the food, and seeing so many friends I hadn’t seen in so long (Adi, Ziv, Sebas, Oron, Itay, Daniela, etc). Hopefully it won’t be another eight years until I return this time. Only regret is that I didn’t stay longer.

To take advantage of the fact that I’m all the way in this side of the world, I decided to take a short, three-day trip to Budapest (originally to be Istambul, but they were sold out). In any case, the Histadrut decided to go into a general strike that could be over “within a few days” while I was here. I’m not sure if my flight to Tel-Aviv will leave later tonight at all. I wish they would have just done something a little less drastic, like losing my luggage.

Last night I really felt like eating schawarma* so I bought a plane ticket to Israel.
*(and for other reasons too)