The End of an Era!

The End of an Era
The Very Last
Double Digit
HAVEL HAVELIM!
Number 99!!!

This is a historic moment in Jewish literature, so take a deep breath, and imagine that I've done a good job. Please… I feel the burden of responsibility on me. Enough kvetching…
On with the show!

To start with, if you haven't yet seen it, visit the latest and greatest Kosher Cooking Carnival!

CHANUKAH

Read Akiva's favorite Chanukah story.

And from Reb Chaim HaQoton: The Hasmonean Mistake, the Chanukah story continued.

Here's Parshat Miketz by Moshe Burt.

See the Chabad Chanukah pictures from around the world. I looked for one of the chanukiya they put at our junction, but it wasn't in the collection. (thanks lakevent)

Read YID With LID: Fighting for Justice A Shoah Survivor's Story

Read J O S H U A P U N D I T's The story of Hanukkah; there's plenty there including illustrations.

Life of Rubin found a Pez Menorah.

Happy Channuka from psychotoddler.

And Rubicon3 sings The Dreidel Song - Texas Swing Style.

Here's a great Dry Bones classic!

Check out all of the gorgeous Chanukiyot ~Sarah~ has posted.

Judy Gruen is In a Sweat Over Holiday Gifts!

Rachel, again, posts The Menorah of Courage. Some stories need to be told every year.

Now that Nathan is in Israel, Hanukah has a different meaning.

Look at Dave Bender's fantastic photos. I had trouble going into his blog and I'm glad that he sent me the photo link. Thanks Dave.

Here's a Chanukah meme from Soccer Dad. I was getting nervous, but B"H, he didn't tag me. Besides that post, there's another great post with pictures of the Channuka house.

Ezzie shows Elianna enjoying Chanukah.

Jameel gives his opinion on sufganiyot. Mine are different.

And Jack complains of too many presents.

Here's nuch epes a chosid: Freilichen Chanuka; I love the picture!

See this new Chanukah film by Gil Ronen; thank to Brenda.

Mottel writes about The Sad Case of the Hanukkah Bush.

Take a look at the candles in the windows!

I just couldn't resist Modern Uberdox: The Menorah in the Window...

Here's what A Simple Jew's wife has to say about Chanukah.

By the time you read this it will be Esser Agaroth: The Day After Hanukkah.... (though at this moment—as I write this—we still have a day and a half left.)

Now for the NY's Funniest Rabbi: Chanukah Quiz. Let's see how much you know.

And here's Reb Chaim HaQoton's Rock of Ages.
Elie writes about the fifth day of Chanukah.

ISRAEL

The big Chanukah extravaganza here was the Olive Festival! See the pictures.

Read about the Mt. Zion Redevelopment Project; it's a project funded by the good Jews of Atlanta.

Shiloh Musings: Stoicism is not Heroism! What do you think?

From Moshe Burt: Which Leader Will Bring Israel to Take Responsibility Instead of Depending upon the Nations for Her Security?? That's a good question.

No nonsense about Migron from Mark!

Slightly Mad tells us about a cultural boycott of Israel.

Read Moze's confession, and at the same time you'll see her suggestions to the Histadrut.

There are many types of heroes, and not all are soldiers.

Cozy corner tells us about Moderate Muslim politics on Israel.

The Elder of Ziyon says: Time for the PalArabs to step up. But they won't.

What's the connection between Begin, Yamit, El Al and Shabbat?

Meryl takes A closer look at these “crude, homemade” rockets.

And Treppenwitz gives some details about the Israeli Labor Party.

"Carl's Corner"
I'm giving Carl a special spot, because he sent me a slew of posts all at once, and at this point in my HH preparation, I don't feel like scattering them. Also, some of you may know that last month I challenged you to a "Who are these bloggers and what do they have in common contest?" And now you know for sure; they are Carl and I. The event was the NCSY Reunion during the OU Convention in Jerusalem. Here are some things we have in common:
Blogging
We were both NCSY Chapter President
We were both NCSY Regional Vice President
We were both NCSY National Financial Secretary
We made Aliya
We're members of the Ben Zakkai Honor Society.
We both thought it "clever" to wear old sweatshirts to the reunion, and we can both fit into our old sweatshirts—take a look at my post to see the picture.
And no, we didn't know each other then (he's younger) and we didn't plan wearing the sweatshirts together.
And now, here are his posts:
Persona non grata in Manchester
US Neocons expected Israel to attack Syria
Main entrance to Temple Mount on the verge of collapse
Why they deny the Holocaust
Olmert's stupidities
What went on at the Holocaust denial conference
Misreading Abu Mazen
'Palestinian' Civil War Update - Five more 'Palestinians' killed; IDF denies it's a civil war
Will France become pro-Israel? Dhimmi Carter's petrodollars Anti-Semitism


MISCELLANEOUS

My husband celebrated Chanukah by visiting Har HaBayit accompanied by the man who introduced him to it, Menachem Ben Yashar.

For those of us who haven't been in Australia, Sarah's pictures are very tempting.

Simply Jews shows us that shidduchim are a lot better than this. And is Allah better than yoga?

Check out Fred's latest creations.

Have you read The Jewish Voice? It looks interesting.

Here's the Yisrael Medad-Ralph Lord Roy Correspondence.

Take a look at Shoshana's new blog, Kindness Happens; the contributors are some of the most popular Jewish bloggers around.

Read: Daf notes: Daf Yomi - Rosh Hashana 13 - Omer and Chanukah and Rosh Hashana 15 - THE TORAH DICTATES THE LAWS OF NATURE.

According to Emes Ve-Emunah: Hundreds of Children are sexually abused.

Now you can see it, the shechita; that's right, from Life in Israel.

Cross-Currents » Just for the Record is by Jonathan Rosenblum.

Read about Women of Valour on Jewish Current Issues.

Meryl says: There's hope for us yet.

According to Instapundit.com – read, not quote, the Koran.

There is nothing worse than having a seriously ill child. Amber's parents Bagel Blogger and Baleboosteh share with us their feelings. Refuah Shleimah, and may G-d give our two friends the strength to deal with it all and give all their children lots of love and support.

Elder of Ziyon reminds us not to forget Islamic Jihad.

A Simple Jew's baby says her first word! It's "dada," of course.

On esser agaroth you can learn the most important cooking advice.

Here's the Jewish Blogmeister: J Blogger Interview: Featuring LakeVent!

Olah Chadash writes about her very tough Bubby Becky.

An interesting post from Mystical Paths mentions the "catch 24" of eiruv building.

Read what The Pragmatician says about Kindness.

According to NYC Educator, there's hell in NJ for those public school students who don't believe in "j."
AbbaGav reassures us that he's not dead.

Smooth writes that Barcelona is restoring its Jewish quarter, but that's not as good as it sounds.

Cosmic X posted a picture I've thought about taking. OK, Cos' you won!

Westbankmama has good news.

The Israeli Tikkun Blog tells about his First Official Judaism Lesson; what an adventure! Good luck!

Read the Weekly Megillah! You can sign up and get it straight to your inbox.

There are some interesting points in Letters of Thought: The Kapote Conundrum.

Walking for Israel is calling all Jews. Just that you know, the walking isn't in Israel, but check out this new blog.

Check out: Jewish Blogmeister: Get your Jewish Hero Trading Cards... he's not talking about Sandy Koufax!

Read what got to my husband.

If you want to practice your Spanish, check out Herut חרות.

Penny Stock reminds us that things aren't as they first seem.

Here are: Media Backspin, the editor's picks.

And according to Media Blog on National Review Online, ABC News Analyst: Plight of Palestians Similar to the Holocaust.

Yid with Lid writes about the 60 Minutes show about the Shoah.

Marallyn reminisces about NYE in the "old country."

And Ya'aqov wonders when he should take down the succah.

Now, I'm sure that you never expected to see an interview with Santa in Havel Havelim, and I must admit that I certainly never expected to include one, but this isn't your everyday Santa; this is a Santa like you've never met before, but then again, what do you expect from The Bagel Blogger?

The term “Havel Havelim” is from Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, which was written by King Solomon, who built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other “excesses” and finally realized that it was nothing but norishkeit, “havel” or in English “vanities.” I think that King Solomon and his father King David were the original "bloggers." The books they wrote, when you take them chapter by chapter, can easily be described as blog posts. The stones they used to write on made them last, so that we can read them now. I doubt if today's technology will give our words any lasting effect.

Here's a special message from Soccer Dad:

Next week's host is Bagel Blogger. Please note that to make #100 special we're asking everyone to submit a post from this year and, if they have it, a post from last year.

Send your links for the next edition of Havel Havelim via blog carnival, and at the same time you may discover other “carnivals” to visit and enter. You can also use those forms to send kosher recipes and other kosher food posts to the Kosher Cooking Carnival. Blog carnival also has a great listing of recent carnivals for your sidebar. You can either get one for a specific carnival, like HH or KCC, or a general one.

Thanks to Soccer Dad for his hard work keeping this going, and if you want to host, please let him know at dhgerstman at hotmail dot com.

This appears in the UberCarnival.

Please put up a blurb on your site alerting readers to Havel Havelim. Thank you!