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These very Jewish, very New York items make perfect Hanukkah gifts
(New York Jewish Week) — Baby, it’s COLD outside! Winter may not officially start for another three weeks, but Hanukkah is just around the corner — this year the Festival of Lights begins on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 7.
Whether you hail from a family that goes all-in on Hanukkah presents, or you’re more the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) type, we’ve rounded up a selection of affordable, fun and very New York products that are perfect for all the lights of your life.
Stay warm, stay safe and happy Hanukkah!
Manhattan Skyline Menorah, $119.99
The marvelous Manhattan skyline meets the miracle of Hanukkah with this handmade modern menorah made of brushed steel.
Ralph Lifshitz Embroidered Hat, $49.49
Leave it to the folks at lifestyle brand Old Jewish Men to remind us that all-American fashion icon Ralph Lauren is, in fact, a Jewish man from the Bronx who was born Ralph Lifshitz. There’s a kippah version, too.
Black & White Cookie Teether, $20
Yes, babies can’t nosh on solid foods. But that doesn’t mean they can’t vicariously enjoy the delicious pleasures of a black & white cookie — this teething treat is made of 100% natural rubber.
Chocolate Egg Cream Scented Candle, $28
Made of neither eggs nor cream, egg creams may be delicious, but they’re not exactly gift-able. Instead, give that sweet-toothed special someone an egg cream-scented candle from the Lower East Side’s iconic Katz’s Delicatessen and their apartment will smell sweet for hours on end.
Schmulka Bernstein Tote Bag, $20
Represent the late, lamented Lower East Side kosher Chinese restaurant Schmulka Bernstein’s — aka Bernstein on Essex — with this retro-style tote bag.
“I Pickle NY” T-shirt, $30
If you have a friend who loves New York and loves pickles, then this T-shirt from Lower East Side pickle purveyors The Pickle Guys is for them. Available in several colors.
Barbra Streisand’s Memoir, $31.50
Clocking in at a whopping 992 pages, the Jewish icon and EGOT-winner’s highly anticipated memoir will keep a dedicated reader entertained for many cold evenings to come. Bonus: “My Name Is Barbra” can also serve as a stylish doorstop in any drafty apartment — something Babs, who grew up in public housing in Flatbush, Brooklyn, is undoubtedly familiar with.
Tenement Foods Tea Towel, $19.99
From bagels & lox to pastrami, this tea towel from the Tenement Museum depicts all the classic foods that make New York’s Lower East Side so special.
Rebecca Rubin Doll, Book & Accessories, $146
This may have been Barbie’s year, but everyone knows that American Girl dolls are the superior toys. American Girl Rebecca Rubin is a young Jew growing up in New York in 1914 who dreams of being a movie star, and this set includes a Rebecca doll, her fabulous outfit and accessories, plus a book that tells her story.
Happy Hanukkah Bonbons, $45
NYC’s premier chocolatier, Jacque Torres, celebrates Hanukkah in a decadent fashion with this box of 16 gourmet, kosher (dairy)-certified bonbons, plus a dark and white chocolate centerpiece featuring a menorah.
Zabar’s Classic Coffee Mug, $5.98
A classic for a reason! This 10-ounce coffee mug is cheap and cheerful, and it lets everyone know they’re fans of the Upper West Side’s most iconic grocery and appetizing shop.
Schlepped From NYC Gift Tags, $7
Perhaps you’ve already found the perfect gifts — good for you! Top off your prezzies with these cheeky gift tags that announce to everyone that you live in the best city in the world.
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The post These very Jewish, very New York items make perfect Hanukkah gifts appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.