Holocaust survivors from around the globe will mark the start of the fifth day of Hanukkah together with a virtual ceremony as worries grow among Jews worldwide about the Israel-Hamas war and a spike of antisemitism in Europe, the United States and elsewhere.

Officials say a man fired a shotgun twice outside a Jewish temple in upstate New York, then said “Free Palestine” as he was taken into custody.

Preparing for Hanukkah feels uniquely somber yet defiant this year for the Jewish communities in and around Miami Beach.

Hanukkah — also spelled Chanukah or other transliterations from Hebrew — is Judaism’s “festival of lights.”.

Monday marks the eighth and final day of the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah.

President Joe Biden is expressing alarm about growing antisemitism in the United States and around the globe and vowing to fight back against the scourge.

Jews in Ukraine lit a giant menorah to start the eight-day Hanukkah holiday as tens of thousands remained without electricity.

Important dates to know if you plan on sending packages to loved ones for holiday season.

How much do you know about the Jewish holiday, which this year starts on Thursday and runs through Dec. 15?

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses marked a “family” celebration of Hanukkah at the White House Wednesday, with the first second gentleman and Jewish spouse of a vice president, Doug Emhoff, joining in lighting the menorah.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are participating in a menorah lighting Wednesday evening.

An annual event bringing together Holocaust survivors from around the world to mark the start of Hanukkah was held online for the first time Sunday Dec. 13, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)BERLIN – An annual event bringing together Holocaust survivors from around the world to mark the start of Hanukkah was held online for the first time Sunday due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event organized by the Jewish Claims Conference also paid tribute to those killed by the Nazis and raised awareness of anti-Semitism. Among the survivors who spoke was Walter Breindel, who fled Austria at the age of four with his mother and brother. “Hopefully next year it will not be a memory but we shall be together in reality,” he said.

Many Jewish Americans are already accustomed to more intimate celebrations of a holiday focused more on the home than on the synagogue, including Haredim or ultra-Orthodox communities. So the recent successful Supreme Court challenge to New York restrictions on in-person worship by some Orthodox groups won't mean much as far as their Hanukkah plans. But such large gatherings are "not an essential part of the holiday on any level whatsoever,” he added. “Family gatherings are going to be limited, with or without the Supreme Court decision,” he said. “It will be much, much smaller,” she said, adding that many others in their community were planning intimate gatherings just with immediate family members.

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The first of eight nights of Hanukkah begins Thursday evening at sundown. Hanukkah is meant to be celebrated as a community or large family gathering — things that can’t happen right now. Hanukkah is filled with other Jewish traditions like playing dreidel and eating foods cooked in oil like latkas and donuts to commemorate the miracle of oil. “I think this Hanukkah can be a memorable Hanukkah for so many people. People who weren’t able, busy working, out and about now Hanukkah can be more of a subtle time you can spend time with the family and celebrate the proper way,” said Zwiebel.

[MORE: These 3 apps will help you find the best holiday shopping deals, experts say | Doing a little online shopping? If you’re shipping gifts you want to arrive in time for Christmas, here are some recommended send-by dates for expected delivery by Dec. 25:USPS (excluding Alaska and Hawaii)Domestic Mail Class/Product Send-by Date USPS Retail Ground Service Dec. 15 First-Class Mail Service Dec. 18 Priority Mail Service Dec. 19 Priority Mail Express Service Dec. 23Click here for USPS holiday shipping dates for Alaska and Hawaii, military bases and overseas addresses. UPSShipping Option Send-by Date UPS Ground Dec. 15 UPS 3 Day Select Dec. 21 UPS 2nd Day Air Dec. 22 UPS Next Day Air Dec. 23Click here for more details on UPS holiday shipping. FedEx (U.S. to U.S.)Shipping Option Send-by Date FedEx SmartPost (certain exceptions apply) Dec. 9 FedEx Home Delivery Dec. 15 FedEx Ground Dec. 15 FedEx Express Saver Dec. 21 FedEx 3 Day Freight Dec. 21 FedEx 2 Day Dec. 22 FedEx 2 Day A.M. Dec. 22 FedEx 2 Day Freight Dec. 22 FedEx 1 Day Freight Dec. 23 FedEx Extra Hours Dec. 23 FedEx Standard Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx Priority Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx First Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx SameDay Dec. 25 FedEx SameDay City Priority Dec. 25 FedEx SameDay City Direct Dec. 25Click here to see last-day-to-ship dates if you’re planning to send gifts to Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico or other destinations. AmazonAmazon has not released its 2020 holiday shipping calendar, but last year, the company recommended buyers send products no later than Dec. 22 or Dec. 23 for a Dec. 25 arrival.

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