December 7, 2007 | 1:27 pm

Menorah-mobile cruises the ‘Hood

Posted by JewishJournal.com

The Pico-Robertson neighborhood in West Los Angeles (The Hood) is full of many wonderful things (see Jay’s post below), and today I saw a marvelous example as I drove to work —an SUV with a huge, lit Chanukah menorah on top.

After some furious honking, waving and brights-flashing, rightfully-skeptical Valerie pulled over and agreed to pose the menorah-mobile (and two of her kids) for the phonecam.

So here are Orly, 8 1/2, and brother Lev-Yitzchak, 7 1/2, and the SUV with the Ohr Elchonon Chabad menorah on top.

“Don’t forget the big Chanukah parade on Sunday,” Valerie reminded me, and I told her I wouldn’t; you can access the parade information here!

Happy Chanukah!

—Dennis Wilen

December 7, 2007 | 9:38 am

Eight days of Chanukah candle lighting - Day 4: Gino

Posted by Jay Firestone

For those of you who don’t know, I’m a big Pico Blvd. fan.  The road…the lights…the people—all Jewish, for the most part.  That’s why I decided to light Day 4 of the Chanukah candles there.  But on a street with so much culture, it might be surprising to you that I chose to light candles with a non-Jew.  This non-Jew, however, is not just any non-Jew.

Watch my next segment of our VideoJew Chanukah special to learn more.  And feel free to catch up on other nights if you happened to miss any.

Check out David Suissa’s article about Gino for more information.

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December 6, 2007 | 10:53 am

Eight days of Chanukah candle lighting - Day 3: Temple Emanuel musical

Posted by Jay Firestone

JewishJournal.com VideoJew Jay Firestone returns for the third straight night of Chanukah candle lighting…only this time, he’s doing it for the kids.

Today, Jay takes us to Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills where second through sixth graders will be performing a play, “A Great Miracle Happened There.”  Catch it on Saturday night, Dec. 8th at the Temple Emanuel…party to follow.

For a glimpse of this superb musical, check out the VideoJew’s latest candle lighting clip…

And check out the rest of the Chanukah candle lighting videos below!

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December 5, 2007 | 10:13 am

Eight days of Chanukah candle lighting—Day 2, The Latke Experiment

Posted by Jay Firestone

Back for the second night of Chanukah, JewishJournal.com VideoJew Jay Firestone makes a failed attempt at latkes for a few guests.  Join them all afterwards in lighting day two of the Chanukah candles.

Check the rest of our Chanukah candle lighting videos online, all this week!

Happy Chanukah!

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December 4, 2007 | 9:55 pm

Miriam and Shoshana are back in ‘Hardcore Hannuka Dance’ music video

Posted by JewishJournal.com

Those naughty Orthodox ‘schoolgirls’ Miriam and Shoshana are back in this brand new Oren Kaplan video, ‘Hardcore Hannuka Dance.’

It’s a ‘Tolerance Day’ school assembly somewhere far from the girls’ Pico-Robertson ‘hood and the girls are selected to explain the Festival of Lights to the kids. . . . and then all hell breaks loose! 

You go, girls!

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December 4, 2007 | 1:49 pm

Eight Days of Chanukah candle lighting - VIDEOS…with VideoJew Jay Firestone

Posted by Jay Firestone

Come light the Chanukah candles this year during our VideoJew Chanukah Special, “8 Days of Chanukah Candle Lighting. ”

Join me as I travel to interesting places and with interesting people.  From latke making to a Jewish Elvis, we do it all this holiday.

Day 1

Here’s a schedule of the candle lighting videos.

Day 1: Rob Eshman, Editor-in-Chief
Day 2: Making latkes for special guests
Day 3: Temple Emanuel Elementary School Play
Day 4: Live in the Hood with David Suissa
Day 5: GeekHeeb Adam Wills and the amazing upside-down dreidel game
Day 6: Jelvis…the Jewish Elvis
Day 7: Birthright Alum Party
Day 8: A Menorah made out of donuts, not clay

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December 4, 2007 | 12:35 am

Maoz Tzur—Chanukah’s greatest hit

Posted by JewishJournal.com

We love The Dreidel song:

We love Ocho Candelikas:

But neither one touches the most beautiful Chanukah song: Maoz Tzur (“Rock of Ages”). [CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUMENTAL VERSION]

The melody is based on a medieval German folk song, they say, and it appears in some Lutheran liturgy and Bach collections.  This WikiPedia entry has the whole story as well as the translation of the original Hebrew lyrics which are a bit more bloody and graphic than the poetic—politically correct—English versification we all know.

The first verse starts with a general thank you:

O mighty stronghold of my salvation,
to praise You is a delight.
Restore my House of Prayer
and there we will bring a thanksgiving offering.

But moves to the specfic from the rhetorical:

When You will have prepared the slaughter
for the blaspheming foe,
Then I shall complete with a song of hymn
the dedication of the Altar.

Next verse recounts the Exodus, and thanks God, the third tells of the destruction of the First Temple and the Babylonian Exile, the fourth verse tells the Purim story, and the fifth is about Chanukah.

Then comes the mysterious sixth verse—omitted from some versions because it seems to liken “The Red One” to the oppressors of old, and this evil Red Dude is thought to be an allusion to Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa (red beard):

Bare Your holy arm and hasten
the End for salvation -
Avenge the vengeance of Your servants’ blood
from the wicked nation.
For the triumph is too long delayed for us,
and there is no end to days of evil,
Repel the Red One in the nethermost shadow
and establish for us the seven shepherds.

From all accounts Red Fred seemed to be pretty good to the Jews (comparatively), at least according my research, and I don’t know why the writer of the sixth verse put him on his hit list.

The bloody lyrics and Red Fred mystery make the elegant melody and counterpoint even shinier, I think, and isn’t that what Chanukah’s all about?

Happy Chanukah to all!

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