I'm drowning in chocolate Santas and gelt...

And I still want more.

Everyone is busy this time of year, particularly when you’re doing double holidays (see previous post).

Lots of love and light - and carbs!

I am still learning the prayer, but I’m enjoying lighting the Chanukah candles each night in honor of my husband’s tradition:

(The house was built in 1913; it needs new windows, I know.)

It’s such a beautiful tradition, and I am grateful to be able to share it.

This weekend, while filling in for Michel Martin on NPR’s All Things Considered, I also felt honored to sit down with three Jewish young people to hear how they’re thinking about honoring their traditions and combatting antisemitism.

I especially loved hearing Jaia shared her view of growing up in a Black and Jewish household, Hannah’s reflections on lighting the menorah as a form of resistance, and Ben’s delightful story about singing the prayers with guests who, quite frankly, “cannot sing!”

I’d love it if you’d have a moment to listen - they all contributed really thoughtful ideas.

A few other things I’m up to:

• NPR’s Morning Edition ran my piece about an uptick - at least a temporary one, anyway - in male patients around the country requesting vasectomies post-Dobbs. The digital story is worth checking out just for pictures of a mobile vasectomy unit. You heard that right!

• Last week, during a round of guest hosting for 1A from WAMU and NPR, we did several deep dives that I really enjoyed working on. A couple of highlights: a conversation about understanding and supporting people on the autism spectrum, and a segment on what Dobbs could mean for fertility treatments like IVF.

• I’m wrapping up some projects and getting ready to take a couple of weeks off, but I will be back (including guest hosting 1A again for a few days!) in January. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year - happy holidays!