How could I leave out the festival of lights...

Oh Channukah. Honestly, my memories of channukah really consist of getting presents and singing Ma O'Tzur. I can't even imagine what it would be like if I didn't come to Israel. Channukah became a less and less important holiday as time went on to the point where I didn't even know it was happening last year. However, now not only am I celebrating it and doing the mitzvot I'm also getting a whole new understanding of what the holiday really means. Back in the day when the Jews were taken over by the Syrian Greeks, we kind of just accepted the fact that that was how it was going to be. We evolved into their life and got sucked into the 'modern' society'. Of course that was until the story of the maccabbes, when the family of Matityahu (and his sons Eliezer, Shimon, Yochanan, Yonatan and Yehuda-I only know them because of Morah Sheinkophs 5th grade class in Maimonides) overtook the Syrians. Also with the help of Yehudis cutting off the generals head (reason being why women get to relax after lighting the candles), the one miracle of winning the war happened.
Anyways, I think that the real miracle of Channukah (learned from one of our Av Bayis) was saying no to just adapting to a normed culture; freeing ourselves from only doing the parts of halacha and being OK with it as well. It parallels today when there are people that are living in a colorful Jewish world and still follow all the halachot (real modern orthodoxy). I take this lesson to heart, in now being freed from my blackberry and a public college society. I'm starting to appreciate the real things in life; happiness, love, truth, clarity.
All in all, this holiday is not about presents anymore. At least physical ones. Give yourself a spiritual gift by honoring G-d. He WILL pay you back, I promise. This Channukah, I was honored to receive a recognition from the "Guide to Online Schools" site for being one of the top 50 Jewish blogs. The site features different blogs that have a variety of Jewish topics ranging from Jewish parenting, to Israeli culture. (http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/library/best-jewish-blogs). I can tell you, receiving a gift such as that is truly spiritually uplifting. This month as well, I was featured as NCSY Alumni of the month found here: http://www.ou.org/blogs/rabbi_dave/al. Getting this was also spiritually uplifting since NCSY always did and will hold a special place in my heart since it was my only connection to Judaism in my public high school.
Happiness goes a long way when you begin to understand what it really is. Chag Sameach! Happy Holidays! Enjoy this Channukah video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvY337zKttA