Hanukkah Events From Coast to Coast

The lighting of the first candle of Hanukkah menorah is tonight, and across the country, celebrations are underway to recognize the Jewish tradition commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The celebration stems from a time when the Jewish faith had been suppressed by the Syrians in 167 BC; a rebellion eventually reinstated the Temple, and the eight nights of Hanukkah commemorate the eight miraculous nights that lamp oil was able to burn there after the Temple was restored. Today, the lighting of the menorah is considered a symbol of religious freedom and peace.

• The National Menorah Lighting is tonight on the Ellipse outside the White House in Washington, D.C. And on Saturday, December 4, the Sixth and I Synagogue will host Jewmongous, a comedy concert offering hipster Hanukkah humor. 
  

• San Francisco lights a 25-foot-tall mahogany menorah at the Bill Graham Menorah Day Festival in Union Square this weekend on December 5, and will have candle-lighting events throughout the week.
  

• New York's Jewish Museum will be hosting a Hanukkah Family Day on December 5, with art workshops, puppet shows, and self-guided tours of Line of Fire, architect Daniel Libeskind's installation of the museum's collection of menorahs. And the New York Public Library will offer programs for children that celebrate the holiday and look at how religions intersect throughout the holiday season. Candles atop the 32-foot-high world's largest menorah will light up the intersection of 5th Avenue and 59th St near Central Park. The first candle will be lit tonight. Or compete in Spinagogue, a tournament for dreidel fanatics that will take place on December 9 at Brooklyn's The Knitting Factory. 

• The Imagine It! Children's Museum of Atlanta will host a Hanukkah celebration on Saturday December 4th with contemporary and traditional Festival of Lights storytelling by TV star and theater actor Barry Stewart-Mann.
  

• Ten music-filled menorah-carrying barges and over 800 people are expected at San Antonio's 13th-annual Hanukkah on the River Walk this Sunday December 5th. A concert by the band Padre Rock will follow the menorah lighting ceremony led by Mayor Julián Castro at the Arneson River Theatre.

• Honlulu Hanukkah, a sunset celebration featuring a six-foot dreidel, hot latkes and a visit from Governor Linda Lingle, will take place on December 2.
  

• In Chicago, the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies will host Latke-palooza, nightly cooking demos throughout the week that re-interpret the traditional holiday dish. Check out chef Laura Frankel's recipes for a taste of what's in store. 

Have a Hanukkah event near you that should be on this list? Tell us in the comments below!

Photo: Mike Perkins/My Shot

Hanukkah Events From Coast to Coast

Backlink: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2010/12/hanukkah-events.html

Places Rated: Scotland's Moray Firth Coast

The November/December issue of Traveler features our annual "Places Rated" survey of destination stewardship, and this year 340 expert panelists rated 99 coastal destinations around the world. Here on the blog, we're going to highlight some of these coastal destinations and are interested in adding your feedback to the mix. What do you think?

Scotland: Moray Firth Coast, Inverness to Peterhead
Rating: 76 -- "Top Rated" category

A popular vacation spot for more than a century, this coast offers "outstanding cliff scenery" and maintains "a strong community feeling." Seasonal and year-round residents appear to live in relative harmony. Tourism keeps "pretty coastal villages" economically afloat as Scotland's fishing industry declines.

Why did the place earn this score? Read representative panelist comments after the jump.

Places Rated: Scotland's Moray Firth Coast

Backlink: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2010/11/places-rated-scotlands-coast.html

Places Rated: Tanzania's Swahili Coast

The November/December issue of Traveler features our annual "Places Rated" survey of destination stewardship, and this year 340 expert panelists rated 99 coastal destinations around the world. Here on the blog, we're going to highlight some of these coastal destinations and are interested in adding your feedback to the mix. What do you think?

Tanzania: Swahili Coast
Rating: 61 -- "In the Balance" category

Given its historical appeal, natural beauty, and location in a relatively politically stable country, it's not surprising that Tanzania's coastline has emerged as one of Africa's tourism hotspots. The region "has so much potential" but will face numerous bumps in the road on its journey to becoming a sustainable destination--things like political corruption, insufficient infrastructure, and poor waste management.

Why did the place earn this score? Read representative panelist comments after the jump.

Places Rated: Tanzania's Swahili Coast

Backlink: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2010/11/places-rated-tanzanias-swahili.html

Places Rated: Bulgaria's Black Sea Coast

The November/December issue of Traveler features our annual "Places Rated" survey of destination stewardship, and this year 340 expert panelists rated 99 coastal destinations around the world. Here on the blog, we're going to highlight some of these coastal destinations and are interested in adding your feedback to the mix.

Bulgaria: Black Sea Coast
Rating: 49 -- "Facing Trouble" category


Resort developers are snatching up large swaths of Bulgaria's coastline, increasingly regarded by price-conscious Europeans as an affordable alternative to Spain and Greece. They have left in their wake a built landscape that "does not adequately reflect the area's cultural resources and heritage." Nevertheless, travelers who venture far enough off the beaten path find pockets of "untouched natural areas." Nesebur's well-preserved Old Town is worth a visit.

Why did the place earn this score? Read representative panelist comments after the jump.