2nd Day of Chanukah

There's so much inspiration in life if people simply wish to see it.

It's amazing how much we have going on this Chanukah, when we were thinking it would be a rather quiet one. After Ed's vort on Sunday, we had a party last night at my grandparents with my brother, SIL, and Ben, Hen, and Shen; on our way out, my grandmother happens to slide in that "Oh, we're moving to a retirement community in Philadelphia*". Oh, really? When? "Oh, we're starting to pack now, it'll be 2-3 months." I call my mother, and did she know? No, of course not. Ahh, family. Meanwhile, I loved how this photo came out - it's one of my great-grandfather's paintings behind my grandfather's menorah.

This morning, I attended a bris of the son of friends of ours. What's especially nice is that the family of the mother was one which I am particularly close to, and as they live out in the Milwaukee tundra, we only see each other when they have a family simcha here. Tonight, Serach is eating out with a friend while I may go to the Lander chagiga; and we're invited to/part of six more chagigot, birthday and graduation parties, a kiddush, and a bar mitzvah before Chanukah is over. A couple weeks ago, we had nothing in mind but the visit to my grandparents. Life can change fast...

There are some really nice pieces out there today, so enjoy them, and again, Happy Chanukah:

• The Jewish Week has a great piece on R' Horowitz: The Teen Whisperer.
  
• David Linn has a nice story about his grampa's menorah.
• Erachet writes a fascinating story about a (non-religious) woman who wanted to celebrate Chanukah with her daughter, and got it wrong - but so right.
• Northern Light notes some interesting details and sensitivities from her recent trip to the White House. I think it shows how attention to details can matter, even if nobody would really care, and it's really nice.
  
• Great quote:

  Chance favors those in motion. ~ James H. Austin
  

• Jewlicious hosts Haveil Havalim #197!
• Gil discusses what mussar should and shouldn't be learned by/about YU from the Madoff story (quoting the NYT piece).

* One interesting twist on why we care a bit: My grandparents are Conservative, with my grandfather leaning more to the Orthodox side and my grandmother more to the Reform. They'd been looking at two communities - one in Cleveland, which is for everyone but the shul is Orthodox; the one in Philly has a woman rabbi and is less religious, and my grandfather would probably be less comfortable there. But available is available, and they really shouldn't be living completely on their own in icy Queens.