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Wednesday, December 25, 2024

12/25 Link: Israel: A protector of minorities in the Middle East; Treating Anti-Semitism as a Preexisting Condition; Erin Molan interview

From Ian:

JPost Editorial: We need to find the crack in the darkness
The most recent repercussion of the Hamas massacre of October 7 was the death on Tuesday of Kibbutz Nir Oz member Hannah Katzir, 76, who was released along with 50 other hostages held by Hamas in a deal in November 2023Katzir was kidnapped to the Gaza Strip from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Her husband, Rami, was murdered during the massacre. Her son Eldad, taken captive the same day, was later murdered in Gaza.Katzir’s daughter, Carmit, had written in December last year that her mother returned from captivity “both heartbroken and with serious cardiological issues, including broken heart syndrome.”

The Katzirs’ story is just one of many unfathomable tragedies that have befallen thousands of families in Israel on October 7 and since - those who fell then, those who have fallen in battle, and all of those who have not returned home, as the country gathers to celebrate one of the most family-oriented holidays in the Jewish calendar.

Yet, celebrate we will, as the people of Israel continue to choose life over death and light over darkness.

As Rabbi Stewart Weiss states in a column that will appear in this Friday’s Post magazine, “Hanukkah, at its core, is the celebration of miracles - both then and now. Yet exactly which miracles are being referred to is the subject of much debate.”

One way to look at it is that the lights of the hanukkiah have illuminated our path through the interminable darkness and continue to light our way toward redemption, writes Weiss.

So, when we light the first Hanukkah candle tonight, let’s rejoice at what the Jewish people have and what we’ve accomplished – and the existence and durability of the Jewish homeland, of the state of Israel.

But let’s also think about the Jews suffering from persecution and antisemitism, who are too afraid to display the hanukkiah in their windows and will light in secrecy inside, reminiscent of the dark periods of Jewish history.

And let’s think about the hostages, some languishing below ground with their mental and physical health deteriorating on a daily basis. If anyone deserves a Hanukkah miracle, it’s them and their families.

May the lights from our hanukkiah illuminate a path that reaches them and sends them a message of hope amid their darkness.

As the great Jewish poet Leonard Cohen wrote, “There is a crack, a crack in everything… That's how the light gets in.”

This year, the miracle of Hanukkah will be to find those cracks and shine the light through.
Yisrael Medad: Needed: A little more ‘Three Wise Men’ wisdom
While wise not to reveal to Herod the location, they were even wiser to know that the child was Jewish; he was born in Judea and that area was the land of Judah, a son of Jacob. While not specified, I am fairly certain that they knew the country was not Palestine and as such, that the child was not an Arab Palestinian (even if, earlier this month, the current pope gazed upon a Nativity display of a manger scene that had the representative doll resting on a keffiyeh).

Pope Francis attended the unveiling of the exhibition at the Paul VI Hall on Dec. 7. It was designed by artists Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi from Bethlehem’s Dar al-Kalima University.

“The keffiyeh was added at the last minute during the installation phase,” said Faten Nastas Mitwasi, one of the two artists, students at Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem overseeing the project, along with Johny Andonia.

In a Dec. 12 interview with the Religious News Service, she said that while it was not their initial intention to turn the display into a political statement, they welcomed the final addition of the keffiyeh as a symbol of national identity. She added, “This is a gift from the Palestinian people. So, it’s holding and carrying the Palestinian identity.”

Minister for Diaspora Affair Amichai Chikli quickly wrote to the pope that the decision to portray the scene as such was “a deliberate adoption of the Palestinian narrative.” Within days, the keffiyeh was removed.

A few years ago, in response to the propaganda campaign comparing Jesus, Mary and Joseph with present-day Arabs being held up a roadblock put up by the Israel Defense Forces, there was need of a concerted effort to point out that roadblocks are due to Arab terror operations and not to Jews seeking to be cruel. Moreover, as Matthew 2:19 records, Mary and Joseph, following Herod’s death, returned from a short exile from Egypt and the country to which they came back is recorded, at 2:20-21, as “Israel.” Again, no “Palestine.”

Anyone who searches the Christian Bible will find dozens and dozens of references to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. And a Jewish Temple, too, which was also an object of PLO chief Yasser Arafat’s erasure efforts. “Palestine” and “West Bank” are not to be found, nor, as the case is, in the Quran. Not even Jerusalem. However, at Sura 5:21 the Children of Israel are charged to live in the Holy Land (al-Ard al-Muqaddas).

The verse refers to the words spoken by Moses to the descendants of Isaac: “Remember Moses said … O my people! Enter The Holy Land which God hath written for you, and turn not back.”

Imam Abu al-Qasim Mahmud al-Zamakshari, in his 11th-century commentary al-Kashaf, explained that the borders of “the Holy Land” are from Mount Hermon and part the Golan, whereas others say it extends from the territory of the Philistines (Gaza) until Damascus.

It would be wise to inject more objective, fact-based, ecumenical and genuine knowledge into the regional equation, which would achieve much for religiously motivated supporters—and opponents—of Zionism.
Israel: A protector of minorities in the Middle East
Given the Jewish people’s two millenniums of wandering without access to their homeland, it’s only natural for Israelis to empathize with the Kurdish people and their desire for a state of their own. In past conflicts between Turkey and the Kurds, such as in the fall of 2019, Jerusalem declared its support of the Kurdish people. As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Facebook that October, “Israel strongly condemns the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish areas in Syria and warns against the ethnic cleansing of the Kurds by Turkey and its proxies. Israel is prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the gallant Kurdish people.”

Just last month, the newly installed Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, emphasized the importance of forging a “natural alliance” with the Kurdish nation.

The Turks, Iranians and the Arab regimes in Iraq and Syria share little in common, except a unifying desire to prevent the creation of a Kurdish state. Turkey and Iran, in particular, have been aggressively persecuting their Kurdish population. The major ambition of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is to impede any manifestation of Kurdish independence or autonomous status in Syria.

Erdoğan has trained and financed the rebel groups that ended the Bashar Assad regime’s control of Syria. While the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group focused on capturing Aleppo, Hama, Homs and Damascus, Erdoğan’s proxy—the National Syrian Army—focused on killing Kurds and conquering Kurdish majority communities in northern Syria.

Israel has a security and strategic stake in an alliance with the Kurds in Iraq and Syria, as well as supporting the Kurds in Iran and the Druze community in Syria. Strong alliances with these minorities would create a barrier against any future attempts by Iran and its Shi’ite Iraqi proxies to infiltrate Syria and link up with Hezbollah.

A prominent Syrian-Kurdish leader told me that while words of support from Israeli government officials are nice, the Kurds need action. The Kurds want an alliance with Israel and they want military assistance. I responded by noting that while it has been difficult for Israel to aid the Kurds militarily given the close military relations Israel had with the Turkish army and intelligence apparatus, Erdoğan’s openly hostile declarations indicate him to be a declared enemy of Israel. As a result, this has changed the calculations in Jerusalem and, Israel may now be prepared to render military assistance to the Kurds.

An alliance with the Druze is much easier given the proximity of the Golan Heights to the Druze villages in southern Syria. As seen in a widely circulated video on social media, some Druze leaders have expressed a desire to become part of Israel to prevent assaults by “radical Islamists.”

These Druze villagers remained loyal to the Assad regime until the end. As a minority, they were always watching their backs, and now they fear retribution from the Sunni jihadist rebels who have taken over Syria. In terms of the bigger picture for the Druze, they would like to be granted an autonomous status in southwestern Syria, realizing that right now, an independent Druze state is unrealistic. Given the weight of the Israeli Druze community, coupled with the prestige and affection with which they are held by the Jewish majority, Syrian Druze feel compelled to choose sides. Their fear of jihadist rule and the prospect of joining with their fellow Druze in Israel under the protection of the Israeli Defense Forces’ umbrella, makes for an easy choice.

A Christian-Lebanese friend of mine recently told me that “Israel must become the protector of the minorities in the Middle East.” He had in mind not only the Kurds and the Druze but the Christians in Lebanon and Syria. Although it is a tribute to Israel’s recent military victories, which have projected Israel as the “strong horse” in the region, those objectives, however, might be far beyond Israel’s resources. Still, an alliance with the Kurds and the Druze in Syria has considerable merit.


Seth Mandel: From Paris to Amsterdam, Treating Anti-Semitism as a Preexisting Condition
The prosecutor sees himself not as a prosecutor of these defendants but as a defense attorney for the future defendants of this crime. Just as they were the night of the violence in Amsterdam, everyone is on the same side.

But wait. Didn’t the prosecutors ask for more time than was given? Don’t they claim to be disappointed by the sentences handed down? To which I’d respond with a question of my own: Are you interested in purchasing a bridge in Brooklyn? If you, as a prosecutor, argue that acts of violence are understandable acts of protest, you are the one who has reduced the sentences of the accused before the trial is even over.

Here’s another example from the same trial: “A 22-year-old identified as Abushabab M., 22, faces a charge of attempted murder but his case has been postponed while he undergoes a psychiatric assessment.

“He was born in the Gaza Strip and grew up in a war zone, his lawyer told the court, while M. sat sobbing as his case was being heard.”

Psychiatric assessment? Is he incapable of not trying to murder Jews because he is from Gaza? That is some kind of defense?

If it sounds familiar, it should. In 2017, a man named Kobili Traoré killed Sarah Halimi at her Paris apartment. He admitted to the crime, and his motive was, as reported by the New York Times, that he “had been troubled by Ms. Halimi’s mezuza.” As he threw Halimi out her own window, he yelled “Allahu akbar” and “I killed the devil.”

Cut-and-dried, right? Not so fast. How did we know he was driven into a frenzy by the sight of Halimi’s mezuzah? From a psychiatric report, which also noted the killer had smoked marijuana. That is apparently the lucky combination, as the court ruled he could not stand trial due to his psychiatric condition at the time of the crime.

That ruling was upheld on the grounds that under French law, “a person is not criminally responsible if suffering, at the time of the event, from psychic or neuropsychic disturbance that has eliminated all discernment or control.”

The neuropsychic disturbance in the Halimi case was the same as in Amsterdam. And it has nothing to do with marijuana.

The affliction is anti-Semitism. And those who suffer from this condition, whether adults who are tried as minors or murderers who like to get high before spilling Jewish blood, will not be treated as if they can control their actions.

Meet the new Europe; same as the old Europe, at least in some very important ways.
Ireland: Antisemitism Without Jews
Leopold Bloom, the novel’s protagonist, is a Jew, sort of. Bloom’s mother was a Catholic, and his father was a Hungarian-Jewish convert to Protestantism. Although baptized at birth, everyone who Bloom interacts with considers him a Jew. Indeed, he admits to being Jewish (and Irish) when challenged by antisemites at Barney Kiernan’s pub.

First published in 1920, Ulysses is a fictional account of one day, June 16, 1904, in the life of Leopold Bloom, as he wanders through Dublin on a journey that loosely follows that of Homer in The Iliad. Examples of antisemitism, including the slanders of ritual murder and global conspiracies, as well references to Zionist projects in Palestine, figure prominently.

Joyce wrote Ulysses when he was living in self-imposed exile in Trieste, then part of Austria-Hungary. Leopold Bloom was a creation based on two Jewish friends of that period, not from Joyces’s earlier Irish background. They were the likely sources of information about Judaism and Zionism.

The Limerick Pogrom (also called the Limerick Boycott), emblematic of the reason for the small number of Jews in Ireland, is not mentioned in Ulysses, although it took place in 1904, the same year as Bloom’s fictional ramble. This pogrom, preceded by antisemitic outbursts in the late 1800s, included violence and intimidation, and led to the exodus of most of the approximately 170 Jews of Limerick; some to other centers in Ireland, many to other countries.

As to the situation for Jews in Ireland today, the outgoing Israeli ambassador, Dana Erlich, noted that she heard concerns about safety from Jewish citizens and Israelis.

In fact, the relatively few Jews in Ireland are not safe. A few weeks ago, a Jewish–American student wearing a Star of David was beaten severely, according to The Irish Times. The assault took place at a Dublin bar (Flannery’s, 1.5 miles from Barney Keirnan’s pub).

Quite a few Jews left Ireland after October 7, 2023, because of safety concerns, according to Newstalk. One woman, an Israeli, said she does not mention that she is from Israel and avoids speaking Hebrew on her phone in public.

A recent article on antisemitism by Harvard scholar Noah Feldman notes that antisemitism has never been about real Jews as much as the antisemite’s imagination of them. In Ulysses, for example, the antisemite Deasy comments to Dedalus that “the jew merchants are already at their work of destruction” — to which Dedalus replies “ A merchant is one who buys cheap and sells dear … jew or gentile…”

What better example of imagination and reality?
Irish Times Op-ed: Christianity is a Hate Crime
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar recently announced the closure of the country’s embassy in Ireland, citing “extreme anti-Israel policies” including Ireland’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state and its support for South Africa’s legal action against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In response, Justine McCarthy at The Irish Times penned an opinion piece defending her country against Sa’ar’s “abominable” accusation that Ireland is antisemitic.

In the process, she hurls the usual progressive smears at Israel for “their government’s protracted killing spree in Gaza and the illegal settlements in the West Bank,” and she uncritically accepts the illegitimate ICJ’s false claim that half a million Jews live in illegal settlements on land “expropriated from Palestinians.” Compared to Israel’s purported abuses against Palestinians, such as “the mass killings and orphaning of children,” she asserts that her own government’s anti-Israel policies are merely “gentle nudges towards a peaceful two-state resolution.”

Apart from the fact that a two-state resolution will be anything but peaceful, and that the Palestinians themselves have repeatedly rejected offers of a two-state solution anyway, at the core of McCarthy’s article is the argument that religion historically has been and continues to be the source of untold human misery.

A mere few days away from Christmas at the time of publication, McCarthy had the gall to muse on how much more smoothly and peacefully history would have proceeded if the Christ Child had been slaughtered by King Herod in his infamous Massacre of the Innocents:


On Christmas, the Pope Forgets Who the Real Bad Guys Are | Israel Undiplomatic
Pope Francis characterized Israeli counter-terrorism operations in the Gaza Strip as "cruelty" in his Christmas Eve speech.

This marks the second time the pontiff has criticized the Jewish state's actions over the course of a week. Earlier, the pope suggested that the world should investigate whether Jerusalem is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.

JNS senior contributing editor Ruthie Blum and Mark Regev, former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom—both former advisers at the Prime Minister’s Office—unpack Rome's attacks and their moral depravity.

In addition, they discuss the significance of Chanukah in light of Israel's ongoing seven-front war and the near-daily missile fire from Yemen's Houthis. All this and more on this episode of “Israel Undiplomatic!”


Jonathan Tobin: Trump’s mandate: Defund and deport college antisemites
This is not repression of legitimate political views or an assault on the constitutional right to freedom of speech. As the Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther advocates, foreign students who are part of a “virulently anti-Israel, anti-Zionist and anti-American “pro-Palestinian movement” aren’t mere political dissenters. They are part of a global Hamas support network whose sole aim is to subvert American efforts to oppose international terrorism. They are in the United States only as long as they obey the law and don’t violate the terms of their visas, which, it is clear, many of them are openly flouting. Yet many Jewish organizations seem unwilling to get behind Heritage’s effort because they see it as part of the think tank’s Project 2025, which was falsely smeared by Democrats as a blueprint for authoritarianism.

Some Zionist organizations are working to build support for Trump fulfilling his vow to deport these students as well as on behalf of congressional efforts to formally revoke the visas of those who engage in the hatred of Jews. Yet others, like the JCPA, are acting to support the haters as part of its general opposition to enforcement of laws against illegal immigration. So is the Nexus Leadership Project, whose primary purpose is to undermine support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, which cites anti-Zionism as one of the key indicators of contemporary Jew-hatred. The Anti-Defamation League, whose mission is to defend the Jewish community against antisemites but which has often acted as if its real priority is liberal political activism, has so far remained silent about the issue.

Trump’s law-enforcement team nominees, which include Pam Bondi as attorney general, Harmeet Dhillon as assistant attorney general for civil rights and Kash Patel as director of the FBI, have been denounced by liberal opinion as extremists. But what is needed now is not the sort of “moderation” on antisemitism extolled by The New York Times. To the contrary, the trio seems set to fulfill Trump’s promises by cracking down on college antisemitism and deporting foreign antisemites. Those liberal groups that oppose them and the only measures that will make a difference in this crisis have forfeited the right to claim they speak for the interests of the Jewish community or against antisemitism.
Australian journalist Erin Molan shares a more personal side in interview with Israel's Ynetnews
Australian journalist Erin Molan reveals a more personal side in this FULL INTERVIEW with Israel's Ynetnews, during her current trip to Israel with an AIJAC delegation.

Reflecting on the wisdom of her late father, Major General Jim Molan, Former Senator and Senior Officer in the Australian Army, Erin shares how his words inspired her to speak up for Israel.




UN Watch leader: Mary and Joseph would be ‘lynched’ in Bethlehem today
Many anti-Israel advocates are using the Christmas holiday to push the false “Jesus was a Palestinian” narrative, pointing out the number of Israeli obstacles Mary and Joseph would encounter today between Nazareth and Bethlehem—the biblical journey the couple took for the birth of Jesus.

Hillel Neuer, director of the NGO U.N. Watch, slammed those accusations.

“If Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem today, they’d be lynched by your Hamas and PLO friends for being Jewish,” he wrote on X.



Scholars and historians have concluded that Jesus Christ was a Jew from Judea who lived under Roman rule. The Roman Empire did not rename the land “Syria Palaestina” until around the time of the Bar Kokhba revolt in 135 C.E., over a century after Jesus’ death.

The controversy surrounding the “Jesus was a Palestinian” narrative came to a head earlier this month when the Vatican displayed a nativity scene featuring baby Jesus atop a black-and-white keffiyeh, a symbol often linked to Palestinian nationalism. They have since removed the display.

According to 2022 estimates, only some 33,000 local Christians remain in the three towns of the Bethlehem area. In Bethlehem itself, only one in five residents is Christian, down from 80% before it was placed under Palestinian Authority control in 1995.
Bear Grylls is labelled 'embarrassing' after his Christmas message to fans called Jesus 'a refugee' and Mary 'a Palestinian' - sparking accusations he is 'eradicating her Jewish identity'
Bear Grylls has been labelled 'embarrassing' after saying Mary was a Palestinian refugee in a Christmas message to his followers.

The 50-year-old explorer took to social media to share 'a quick historical note' about ‘Maryam (Mary)'.

He wrote on X: 'In these next few days billions of us around the world celebrate the birth of a Middle Eastern refugee who, 2,000 years ago, changed the course of the world forever.

'Let me tell you some of his story. This is just a short extract from near the beginning of the adventure.

'When Maryam, a young, poor, and no doubt terrified Palestinian girl, gives birth in a run-down animal pen, to a baby who was foretold for hundreds of years.

'Yet she was not alone. And she never would be. Because this was the moment that God Almighty broke into our fallen world in person… To many of us, it is undoubtedly: The Greatest Story Ever Told.'

His message sparked a series of angry responses from people across social media, with some saying it was 'disappointing'.

One person wrote: 'In what sense - historical, archaeological, political, religious, geographic, ethnic, literally any sense at all - would Mary have regarded herself as a Palestinian?'


USAID-backed report about famine in Gaza taken down after criticism from U.S. ambassador to Israel
A report from a U.S.-backed agency alleging that famine is advancing in northern Gaza was taken down on Tuesday night after facing criticism from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew.

Lew stated that the report, published by the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), relied on “inaccurate” information and called its publication “irresponsible.”

“At a time when inaccurate information is causing confusion and accusations, it is irresponsible to issue a report like this,” Lew wrote in a post on X.

Hours after Lew’s statement — a rare public rebuke by a U.S. diplomat of an American agency — FEWS NET removed its report warning of famine in northern Gaza from the FEWS NET website, a USAID spokesperson told Jewish Insider.

“To address inaccuracies in the population data set, the FEWS NET Decision Support Team has taken down the December 23rd Gaza alert until further notice,” the USAID spokesperson said, acknowledging that the Gaza report had “methodological limitations based on the availability of data.”

On Monday, FEWS NET published the report, which warned that a “famine scenario continues to unfold in North Gaza Governorate.” By Tuesday night, a link to the report showed that it had been taken offline.

The FEWS NET report described a “near-total blockade of humanitarian and commercial food supplies to besieged areas of North Gaza Governorate,” and stated that 65,000 to 75,000 civilians remained in the area, “including civilians who have been unable to or prevented from evacuating.” But according to Lew, that figure is “outdated and inaccurate.”

“We have worked closely with the Government of Israel and the UN to provide greater access to the North Governorate, and it is now apparent that the civilian population in that part of Gaza is in the range of 7,000-15,000,” Lew wrote.

The report published by FEWS NET relied on “outdated population estimates,” the USAID spokesperson said, and it was published “without the benefit of further examination” by a review committee.


For Francesca Albanese, if you want to save Kfir Bibas, you’re destroying the planet
Antisemitism escalates in a predictable pattern. What begins as a conspiracy theory about Jews threatening a specific group or nation ends as a righteous crusade to save the world from the evil Jews at any cost.

This is what happened in Russia, where, after decades of murderous pogroms against Jewish communities in the late 1800s, the Tzarist government produced the infamous antisemitic forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Ziyon, detailing an imaginary Jewish plot to control the nations of the world.

Less than half a century later, the antisemitism of the Nazis escalated from a conspiracy about Jewish treason being the cause of Germany’s defeat in World War One to Jews being biologically inferior to and therefore a threat for Aryans, to Jews needing to be wiped out to the last child in order to save the world from their nefarious schemes.

To his last breath, Hitler blamed the Jews for the war he launched, absolving himself of all responsibility for the suffering he inflicted on Europe, the world, and his own Germany. On April 29, 1945, hours before he committed suicide in a bunker underneath Berlin, Hitler wrote, “Centuries will pass, but from the rubble of our city, our hatred of those who are to blame, international Jewry and its lackeys...I have made it clear that if they treat the nations of Europe as tools that may be bought and sold by these international swindlers for money and material support, then that race, the Jewish race, which is truly responsible for this murderous struggle, shall bear the consquences...Above all, I oblige the national leadership and its followers to observe the racial laws scrupulously and subject the poisoner of all nations — international Jewry — to merciless resistance.”

Given her long and proud history of antisemitism, it is hardly surprising that United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese would escalate her rhetoric to the point of accusing Israel of actively destroying the planet Earth.

In a recent video address, Albanese said that political leaders around the world who support Israel are “destroying the planet.”

“Why not to be remembered for something good instead of destroying the planet” were her exact words to world leaders.


IDF troops destroy mile-long terror tunnels in southern, central Gaza
Israeli forces continue to operate in the southern and central parts of Gaza, destroying underground terrorist infrastructure and eliminating Hamas gunmen, the military said on Wednesday.

Over the past weeks, troops of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade carried out a targeted raid against Hamas infrastructure in the area.

Among other achievements, the division’s engineering forces, working together with the Combat Engineering Corps’ elite Yahalom unit, found and destroyed two 1.2-mile-long attack tunnels, the statement said.

“The routes were branched and had several exit shafts, some of which were booby-trapped, and numerous weapons were found,” it added.

As part of the operation, a terrorist cell that tried to carry out an attack with an explosive device was eliminated, and anti-tank positions and other infrastructure that posed a danger to troops were destroyed.

On Wednesday, the Israeli Air Force carried out a targeted strike on a Hamas terrorist in Gaza City’s Al Furqan area, the Israel Defense Forces announced separately.

“Prior to the attack, many steps were taken to reduce the chance of harming civilians, including the use of precision weapons, aerial observations, and additional intelligence information,” the army statement noted. “The IDF will continue to act with force and determination against the terrorist organizations in Gaza.”


Israeli hurt in possible car ramming in Judea
An Israeli was moderately injured in a possible Palestinian car-ramming attack at the Gush Etzion Junction in Judea on Wednesday evening, according to initial reports.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed in a statement that it “received a report of a car-ramming attack at the Gush Etzion Junction in the Etzion Brigade. More details to follow.”

The Magen David Adom medical emergency response group and Israel Defense Forces soldiers provided medical treatment to a 25-year-old man in moderate condition with head and abdominal injuries. The victim was evacuated to Jerusalem’s Shaarei Zedek Medical Center.

According to the Hatzalah Judea and Samaria rescue group, the driver of the car was arrested for questioning as Israeli security forces probe whether the ramming was an attack or a traffic accident.

In the first six months of 2024, Judea and Samaria saw more than 500 terrorist attacks each month on average, according to data made public by Hatzalah Judea and Samaria.

During that period, first responders recorded 3,272 acts of terrorism in the region, including 1,868 cases of rock-throwing, 456 attacks with Molotov cocktails, 299 explosive charges and 109 shootings.

Terrorists murdered 14 people and wounded more than 155 others in Judea and Samaria between January and July, the rescue group said.


Seth Frantzman: What do the Houthis hope to achieve as they lash out on Israel?
It is possible the Houthis are seeking to use new technology, likely with guidance and advice from Iran. As such, they serve as a testing ground for Tehran. The Houthis have played this role in the past by using drones and missiles during the civil war in Yemen, and to attack Saudi Arabia. For instance, the Shahed 136, which Iran exported to Russia, was likely first exported to Yemen.

Therefore, the increased Houthi attacks are an attempt to take advantage of the focus shifting from Lebanon to other fronts, in order to try out new threats.

So, why didn’t they do this six months ago? Why now? The attacks come after Hezbollah ceased its fire due to the November ceasefire, and also while Hamas’s rocket launch capabilities have been weakened; the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq appear to be pausing their attacks on Israel as well.

This leaves the Houthis as the proverbial “last man standing,” clearly trying to provoke and show that they can shoulder the burden.

The first and main goal of the Houthis is to test their missiles. The second is for their Iranian backers, to test the missiles against Israel – because Iran doesn’t want to directly attack Israel, at least not right now. Third, the Houthis want to show that they can take over for Hezbollah as the new senior partner in the Iranian axis. And fourth, the Houthis likely want to provoke a response from Israel, which may help them gain popularity at home.

So, the Houthis are bragging and threatening, having dispatched a series of warnings to the US and Saudi Arabia in recent days. “A member of the political bureau of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement has said that there will be no red line for Yemenis or the resistance group in targeting American interests in the region if the US invades the Arab country,” Iran’s state media reported yesterday.

The Houthis also claimed that they foiled a US and “Zionist” plot – they are lashing out, saying that they are willing to confront the US, Israel, and perhaps Saudi Arabia as well. They feel a sense of arrogance after a year and two months of attacks on Israel and international shipping routes, hoping to position themselves as a regional leader in years to come.

It is not clear if any country will agree to accept this, but being able to blockade shipping in one of the world’s key shipping lanes gives them leverage and clout.
Israeli Defense Minister says Houthi leaders in crosshairs
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that the Jewish state will target the heads of the Houthi terror group after a successful missile interception by Israel’s long-range Arrow defense system shortly before 2 a.m. local time.

The missile was intercepted outside of Israeli territory, the IDF said.

“I warned and said that just as we dealt with [recently eliminated Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar in Gaza, [Hamas political leader Ismail] Haniyeh in Tehran and [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah in Beirut, we will also deal with the heads of the Houthis in Sana’a and everywhere in Yemen,” Katz said.

He made his remarks while touring an Arrow missile battery along with Brig. Gen. Gilad Biran, commander of the Israeli Air Force Air Defense Division, Brig. Gen. Gilad Biran. He praised servicemembers of the air-defense system for their actions throughout the war.

According to Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster, the Jewish state is considering a more aggressive and widespread attack on the Houthis.

The IAF, Military Intelligence Directorate and Operations Directorate have been working to prepare “much more aggressive plans” while expanding the target bank in Yemen, Kan News reported on Tuesday.

Alarms sounded across large parts of the center and south of the country on Tuesday due to the possibility of fragments from the interception injuring civilians.

A 60-year-old woman sustained injuries while running to a shelter in Tel Aviv. She is in serious condition and hospitalized in Ichilov Hospital.

Magen David Adom paramedics treated 25 people who were lightly hurt running to shelters or who suffered anxiety attacks.

The missile followed two others launched from Yemen in recent days. Overnight on Friday, one hit a playground in Jaffa, part of the Tel Aviv-Jaffa metropolitan area, at 3:44 a.m., lightly wounding 16 people.

An Israeli Air Force investigation found that an interceptor missile malfunction caused the failure.

According to Kan News, Arrow interceptors were launched into the upper atmosphere but missed the target outside of Israeli territory. Interceptors were then launched in the lower atmosphere but also missed the target. Video footage showed the failed interception attempts.


Israel’s Arrow 3 downs Houthi missile amid escalating attacks
Israel’s Arrow 3 missile-defense system early on Wednesday intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The missile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli air space, but air-raid sirens were triggered across much of central Israel due to the threat of falling shrapnel, according to the Israeli military.

“For the 5th time in a week, millions of Israelis were sent to shelter as Houthi terrorists in Yemen launched a missile attack,” the Israel Defense Forces posted to its English X account, with an accompanying map showing the many incoming missile and rocket alerts, which were heard in more than 200 communities for the second night in a row.

Seven people were injured attempting to reach a protected area in the Gush Dan (aka greater Tel Aviv) and Judean Foothills (aka Shfela) regions, while two people were treated for anxiety, according to Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service.

Bomb squads were examining three impact sites from the interception in the Sharon region, including in Ramla and Modi’in, and security forces were searching for additional debris, according to the Israel Police.

Interceptor fragments fell on a house in Be’er Ya’akov to the southwest of Ben Gurion International Airport, causing minor damage.

Houthi terrorists have launched over 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel in support of Hamas since the terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The vast majority were intercepted outside of Israeli territory by Israel or the United States.


War in Lebanon saw IDF seize 85,000 Hezbollah items from over 30 villages
The IDF seized 85,170 Hezbollah military items from over 30 villages in southern Lebanon throughout the invasion, the army said on Wednesday.

Many of these items were presented on exhibit to The Jerusalem Post and other reporters on Tuesday at a base in the North.

Among these items are 2,250 larger rockets, 6,840 smaller anti-tank missiles, and rockets, of which 340 are more advanced Kornet missiles.

There are also 60 anti-aircraft missiles and 20 vehicles, often with the capability of firing a dozen or multiple dozens of rockets at a time.

The IDF also seized 9,000 improvised explosives, 5,560 guns, and around 60,800 electronic items, equipment, and documents.

The large scale to which Hezbollah has been weakened

The IDF also said on Wednesday that it killed 3,851 Hezbollah terrorists and wounded around 9,000 since the start of the current war. Of the terrorists eliminated, around 3,017 were killed since mid-September when the IDF started a massive bombing campaign and the Lebanon invasion on September 30, and an additional 44 since the November 26 ceasefire.

The other more than 800 were killed over the first year of the war, spread out over smaller operations from the air or smaller altercations between ground forces on the border.

While former defense minister Yoav Gallant has said 80% of Hezbollah’s larger scale firepower has been eliminated, and others have confirmed this, the IDF on Wednesday put out numbers of 75% of short-range rockets and 70% of strategic weapons being destroyed. A certain category of around 40,000 mortars has also been reduced to 6,000-8,000.

Another category of more strategic and long-range rockets which had been at around 1,000 has been reduced to around 100.

Before the war, the IDF had estimated all of Hezbollah’s larger weapons, including mortars, at around 150,000. At press time, the IDF had not provided a broader updated number of what this total number has been reduced to, though the Post saw around 5,000 seized mortars at an IDF base in the North on Tuesday.

Also, 700 Radwan special forces have been killed and another 1,300 wounded, with around 70% of Radwan commanders killed.


Israel's Atlanta consulate creates initiative where participants create ornaments for Gaza hostages
The Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta has created a new initiative in which participants can add names and photos of those still held captive in Gaza to create unique ornaments to raise awareness of and call for the release of the hostages.

“As Christmas approached this year, a time when families come together, we wanted to use the opportunity to raise awareness to the fact that there are still 100 hostages, among them seven Americans, who should also be home with their families”, Anat Sultan-Dadon, Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, told The Jerusalem Post.

The consulate has reached out to several prominent churches in Atlanta who have agreed to display the special ornaments on their Christmas trees. In addition, they produced an explanatory sheet through which individuals can also print the ornaments and hang them on their Christmas trees.

Details of the ornaments
The ornaments include a photo of each of the 100 hostages still held captive by Hamas, which will be hung on the Christmas tree using a yellow ribbon associated with the struggle for their release.

“The First Baptist Church of Atlanta, a mega church, was the first to agree to the initiative,” Anat Sultan-Dadon told the Post.

“Israel is blessed with many supportive friends out there, and many of them don’t know how they can actively support Israel at this time. This tree is a way to encourage them to act and to use their voices for the hostages and for Israel.”
Freed Israeli Hostage Shares Details About Her Captivity | Aviva Siegel & Marc Beckman
Some Future Day podcast - Episode 64: Freed Israeli Hostage Shares Details About Her Captivity | Aviva Siegel & Marc Beckman

“For the survivor who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the dead and for the living. He has no right to deprive future generations of a past that belongs to our collective memory. To forget would be not only dangerous, but offensive.” These are the immortal words of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

You are about to hear the enduring words of Aviva Siegel. Aviva was a hostage in Gaza. Aviva's husband, Keith Siegel, is still a hostage in Gaza. At six in the morning on October 7th, fifteen terrorists shot their way into Aviva and Keith's home. Aviva's primal scream reached the heavens. The terrorists shot Keith, and they broke his rib.

Soon thereafter Aviva and Keith, still in their pajamas, were forced at gunpoint to enter their own car. The kidnappers drove to Gaza where more terrorists, people with sticks, mothers, children, and even elders and babies lined the streets, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Jews from the nearby kibbutz, who were immediately forced underground, into dark tunnels, into captivity.

And since then, for more than 440 days, Keith has been trapped, numbed, beaten, starved, tortured, asphyxiated, drained, psychologically battered, and the inexhaustible list of atrocities continues.

In this episode, Aviva Siegel shares her harrowing experience of being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas. She recounts the traumatic events that began on October 7th, when terrorists invaded her home, shot her husband Keith, and took them both captives.

Aviva details the ordeal of being moved between multiple locations, subjected to brutal treatment, and the continuous fear and uncertainty they faced. She speaks about the deep love for her husband and her relentless hope for his return, as well as her belief in the power of love and humanity despite the atrocities she witnessed.

The episode also delves into her life before the kidnapping and her dedication to teaching young children. Calling for unity and compassion, Aviva voices a heartfelt plea for peace and the return of all hostages.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:32 The Harrowing Ordeal of Aviva and Keith Siegel
02:38 Life Before the Kidnapping
06:09 A Love Story: Aviva and Keith's Journey
15:20 The Horrors of Captivity
27:24 Reflecting on Keith's Struggle
28:22 Coping Mechanisms in Captivity
31:08 Multiple Captivity Locations
33:47 Moments of Humanity Amidst Terror
36:14 Torture and Resilience
41:27 Release and Disbelief
48:55 Message to the World
53:02 Hope for the Future
55:56 Final Thoughts and Gratitude




Israel’s Christian population grows to 180,300 on Christmas 2024
On the eve of Christmas 2024, Israel’s Christian population is approximately 180,300, accounting for 1.8% of the country’s total population. This represents a 0.6% increase from 2023, according to data published Tuesday by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Arab Christians constitute 78.7% of the Christian population in Israel and 6.9% of the nation’s overall Arab population.

Most Arab Christians reside in the Northern District (68.2%) and Haifa District (14.7%).

Non-Arab Christians are more concentrated in the Tel Aviv and Central Districts (41.3%), with 34.8% living in the Northern and Haifa Districts.

The cities with the largest Arab Christian populations include Nazareth (19,800), Haifa (18,700), Jerusalem (13,100), and Nof HaGalil (10,500).

In 2022, 762 Christian couples married in Israel. The average age at first marriage was 30.9 for Christian grooms and 27.6 for Christian brides, both higher than the average for other religious groups in the country.

In 2023, Christian women gave birth to 2,193 infants, with approximately 74% (1,616 infants) born to Arab Christian mothers.

The total fertility rate for Christian women in 2023 was 1.64 children per woman, with Arab Christian women having a slightly lower fertility rate of 1.52 children per woman.


How the Media Blame Israel for Ruining Bethlehem’s Christmas (Again)
It’s that time of the year again. But we won’t repeat the obvious: Media love blaming Israel for ruining Christmas in Bethlehem.

We will, however, point at the strategy they use to achieve this.

Here is the issue: Media need to cover what they see. And in Bethlehem, they see a baby Jesus doll placed in rubble, no tourists, and protests in solidarity with Gaza. It is undoubtedly a somber Christmas in Jesus’ traditional birthplace, and it should be reported.

But media should and can apply critical thinking in their choice of interviewees and background material. And here they are failing.

The Only Priest in Bethlehem?
The media star of the season, except for Jesus, was (again) Munther Isaac, a pastor at Bethlehem’s Lutheran Church.

Outlets like Reuters, BBC, ABC News, and NBC News were happy to quote Isaac for a simple reason: His church was responsible for the media stunt showing baby Jesus as a Palestinian child amid Gaza rubble.

Fair enough. But nowhere did these outlets mention that Isaac has also justified the October 7 massacre and has been described as “the high priest of antisemitic Christianity.”

Respected news outlets should not fall prey to the manipulations of one priest. Professional coverage should have bothered to contrast his view with that of other voices in the local Christian community.

But the problem runs deeper. For these outlets rely on Palestinian producers in Bethlehem who would never undermine — out of fear or bias — this anti-Israeli narrative. And their foreign bosses would not dare question their work, because they need their connections.


Hamas appeals dismissed
Two defendants accused of expressing support for the banned terrorist organisation Hamas have had their pre-trial appeals dismissed. In a judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal yesterday, three judges headed by the lady chief justice of England and Wales upheld rulings made by trial judges at separate preparatory hearings in the Crown Court.

Although these pre-trial hearings cannot normally be reported, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill partially lifted reporting restrictions, saying it was in the public interest for the appeal court’s decision to be published “without delay”. The defendants were not identified and nothing was disclosed about the allegations against them. Court of Appeal

Sitting with Lord Justice Edis and Mr Justice Murray, Carr said that each defendant had been prosecuted under a provision of the Terrorism Act 2000, introduced in 2019, which says that:
A person commits an offence if the person—
(a) expresses an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation, and
(b) in doing so is reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support a proscribed organisation.


Each defendant is accused of expressing a belief or opinion supportive of Hamas, which is banned under its full name of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya. ABJ

The first application for leave to appeal against a preparatory ruling was made by a defendant referred to as ABJ. Judge Lodder KC, the senior judge at Kingston Crown Court, had ruled that:
The offence does not require proof that the defendant was aware of the fact that the organisation in question was proscribed; and

proof of the ingredients of the offence is of itself sufficient to ensure that a conviction is a proportionate interference with a defendant’s rights under article 10 of the human rights convention, the right to freedom of expression. No proportionality direction to the jury is required.


Goons deface Hamptons park with swastikas and antisemitic graffiti ahead of Hanukkah: ‘Heartbroken but not shocked’
Hate in the Hamptons reared its ugly head.

Swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti were discovered in a Montauk park last week.

The vandalism inside the popular Shadmoor State Park included spray-painted scrawls of Nazi-era references to “SS” and “der Jude,” the German term for Jews. And this was the second time that antisemitic vandalism was discovered in the posh east end enclave since the Oct. 7 attacks.

Rabbi Josh Franklin of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons was “heartbroken but not shocked”. Rabbi Joshua Franklin

Rabbi Josh Franklin of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons was “heartbroken but not shocked” when he discovered the hateful rhetoric in the park last Thursday, the same day that an Israeli flag was ripped from his own East Hampton synagogue.

“I’m through being shocked because I’ve seen this far too many times,” he told The Post, adding, “there’s a sense of violation in the community.” An “emotional” Franklin said the incident elicits a “visceral response from my gut.”

He also noted he’s regularly been called “baby killer” and “Nazi” in the wake of the 2023 massacre and ensuing war in Gaza.

In a “impromptu” rally the rabbi helped organize the same day, a somber yet stoic Franklin told the crowd not to bow to gaslighters who try to paint Jews as “hysterical” for calling out antisemitism. “Listen – because [someone] might not be seeing something that we experience incredibly profoundly,” he said, “There is antisemitism and Jew hatred all over the place… This is our reality.”

Longtime Hamptons residents expressed both anger and fortitude over the hateful expressions.

“This is an attempt at intimidation – an evil attempt we see all over the world – and we have to fight it, like we’ve fought it for thousands of years,” said 86-year-old Mitchel Agoos, an east ender for 50 years.


Seth Frantzman: 'Gazafication': The terror threat in northern West Bank is growing
More concerning is a report from the IDF overnight that “during an IDF counterterrorism operation in the area of Tukaram, a David APC was hit by an explosive device. Commanding Officer of the Judea and Samaria Division Brig.-Gen. Yaki Dolf and Commander of the Menashe Regional Brigade Col. Ayub Kayouf were in the vehicle.

The report goes on to note that “the commander of the Menashe Regional Brigade was moderately wounded and was evacuated to receive medical treatment. His family has been notified.”

The battles in Tulkarm included airstrikes on terrorist cells and the discovery of explosives. Ynet reported that six terrorists were eliminated. Al-Quds Palestinian media claims eight people were killed in Tulkarm. However, the fact that a vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device (IED) is concerning.

It is a reminder that three IDF soldiers were killed in Beit Hanoun in Gaza by an IED this week as well. It appears the terrorists are shifting tactics. This has also been a slow process, going back two years in the northern West Bank. The enemy appears to be maturing in its capabilities.

The overall picture emerging in the West Bank is concerning.

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) are seeking to inflame local populist sentiment against the PA. They may hope that the recent victory by the opposition in Syria could pave the way to a new kind of Arab Spring. In essence, they want populist rage to grow against the PA.

It appears that Doha-linked media such as Al-Jazeera may also be fanning the flames. In addition, UNRWA in Jenin has not helped the matter by waiting days before mentioning that terrorists took over a medical facility and refusing to condemn or name the “armed groups” responsible for the growing chaos. The building blocks of a kind of “Gazafication” are now in place in Jenin and other areas in the northern West Bank.

Hamas is likely biding its time in Gaza, refusing to make a hostage deal, hoping that it can utilize the West Bank clashes for its benefit.

These are concerning signs. The IDF raid in Tulkarm, the use of IEDs by terrorists, and the attempt by Hamas and PIJ to exploit the PA raid in Jenin are all part of a growing trend that should be seen as more than the sum of its parts.

In addition, the frequent images of young men, including teens, with M-4 and M-16 type rifles is also a major concern. Many of the rifles have modern sights and accessories, indicating that they have been recently smuggled in.

The weapons are flowing to the West Bank and enabling the growing terrorist threat.


Illinois city sparks complaints, petition by limiting Hanukkah menorah display to just a few hours
A city in Illinois sparked controversy by limiting a Hanukkah menorah display to a few hours instead of the full eight days.

As of Tuesday, more than 6,500 people have signed a Change.org petition demanding Lake Forest allow a menorah display at its Market Square shopping center for the duration of the holiday.

"The City is pleased to support Chabad of Lake Forest's Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Ceremony in Market Square on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at 4 p.m. Mayor Stanford Tack will participate by lighting the middle candle of the Menorah and other local elected officials are expected to attend," the city, which is located north of Chicago, said in a statement.

"While the ceremony is a valued community event, the menorah will not remain in Market Square unattended after the event this year," it added. "Based on legal guidance from the City’s attorneys, the City must either allow all requests for extended displays by private groups on public property or deny them entirely to ensure safe public access and consistency in the use of public spaces."

"Since granting all such requests could lead to challenges in managing public spaces, the City has chosen to allow only time-limited displays as part of organized special events by community groups," it also said.

The Change.org petition, authored by a self-described local "interfaith family," said last year’s menorah display in Market Square was up for all eight days and "brought great joy to us and was well-received by our community."

"However, to our dismay, we learned that this year the city will only allow the menorah to be displayed for a few hours on the evening of December 29th. This decision undermines the inclusive spirit our city showed last year and deeply disheartens us as well as many other families who appreciated the menorah display's representation of our community's diversity," it added.

"Let us push for the reinstatement of the menorah at Market Square, not just for one night, but for all the eight nights of Hanukkah, continuing the practice of honoring and showcasing the rich cultural and religious diversity within Lake Forest," it concluded.

Rabbi Moshe Spalter of Chabad of Lake Forest told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that 2023 was the "first time that we actually had the event there, and it was the first time we had the menorah up there for the whole eight days of Chanukah."

"They were excited about the idea last year but this year I guess they put some more thought into it and changed their mind," he said.

Spalter said he would prefer a menorah to be allowed to stay up in the city for the full eight days of Hanukkah.


Stars of David with Elon Gold: Emmanuelle Chriqui Is Talented, Lovely and Dynamic
Emmanuelle Chriqui talks to Elon about growing up in a Modern Orthodox family, how she landed her iconic role in Entourage, and how her new friends and advocates in the Jewish community inspire her.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
07:02 Handling antisemitism
10:03 Being raised modern Orthodox
14:28 Jewish pride in Hollywood
18:29 Role in Entourage
21:24 Jon Favreau has a sukkah
22:21 Changes in the industry
23:16 Rosh Hashanah
23:48 Famous Jewish female inspirations
27:10 Yiddish word of the week
30:01 The humanity of celebrities
32:11 Outro


World extends Chanukah greetings ahead of holiday
World leaders wished a Happy Chanukah to Israel and world Jewry ahead of the holiday, which begins on Wednesday evening.

The holiday celebrates the victory of the Jews, led by the Maccabees—a Jewish priestly family—over the Seleucid Empire and the forces of Hellenistic assimilation in the second century BCE.

The holiday is commemorated by the lighting of the menorah, which symbolizes the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking at a White House Chanukah reception on Dec. 16, reiterated his support for Israel.

“I’ve said many times before, my commitment to the safety of the Jewish people and security of Israel and its right to exist as an independent nation-state remains ironclad,” he said.

“I know this year’s Chanukah falls on the hearts that are still very heavy. It’s the second Chanukah since the horrors of Oct. 7. Over 1,000 slaughtered, hundreds taken hostage, unspeakable sexual violence and so much more. The trauma of that day and its aftermath is still raw and ongoing,” Biden added, speaking of the Hamas invasion last year.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, hosting his first Chanukah reception at Downing Street on Tuesday, expressed admiration for the Jewish community’s resilience.

“I am absolutely acutely aware of just how difficult the year has been on so many levels,” he said. “We will do everything we can so the Jewish community stands tall and proud and safe and secure, stamping out intimidation wherever we find it.”

Antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom have surged in 2024, according to Community Security Trust, a Jewish nonprofit.

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi tweeted in Hebrew: “Best wishes to Prime Minister @netanyahu and to all people around the world celebrating the holiday of Chanukah. May the light of Chanukah illuminate everyone’s lives with hope, peace and strength. Happy Chanukah!”

Zoran Milanović, president of the Republic of Croatia, wrote in a statement, “May the light that symbolizes Hanukkah guide you through the challenges of modern life and illuminate your homes, enabling you to celebrate the holiday in peace and prosperity, surrounded by the warmth of family joy and the companionship of friends.”

Chanukah falls on Christmas this year for the first time since 2005. It has only fallen on Christmas a handful of times since 1900, including in the years 1910, 1921 and 1959.






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