My Maccabean Revulsion

What does DC have against the Jews? Apparently, the tribe has come out in full force this Hanukkah season and there are no candles to be found anywhere in the metro area. The festival of lights has been dark in the Feldman household. (Well, until we improvised with birthday candles.)

Yesterday, my friend David and I scoured downtown DC for candles. We stood in a corner of CVS (where, when we asked a clerk for candles, she instead showed us a tiny gift bag with a dreidel depicted on front - their only Jewish item) and David phoned all the area Giants, Safeways, Rite Aids, and Bed, Bath, and Beyonds. ALL devoid of our precious wax. It's like the mythic story of Hanukkah come to life, where a few drops of olive oil miraculously burned for 8 nights.

Is DC so preoccupied with planning for the inauguration they completely forgot to order their stock of Jewish items this year (although, I bet, Rahm Emanuel got his box)? What will happen when Passover comes around. Will buying a box of Matzo harken back to Soviet Union breadlines? Come on, Washington!

Somewhere a menorah is crying.

Blimey!

Thanks to my friend Matt Summers for bringing Up for Renewal to jolly ol' England and actually posing with it on a double-decker bus. I wonder what part he's reading - he looks fairly entertained.



My friend Madelyn emailed to tell me that she needed another copy of the book - hers was stolen out of her gym bag. So what I'd really love is a photo of the thief posing with her bounty (it had to be a female thief, don't you think?)

This robbery had me thinking. What if I was the perp? What if I purposely stole my own book from friends? They'd probably all want to buy another copy, especially if I signed their book with something extra nice. It's one way to increase sales, right?