HANUKKAH

Political leaders and rabbis continued to question Tuesday why inmates in Broward County are being prohibited from practicing their religion while behind bars.

President Joe Biden is expressing alarm about growing antisemitism in the United States and around the globe and vowing to fight back against the scourge.

Jews in Ukraine lit a giant menorah to start the eight-day Hanukkah holiday as tens of thousands remained without electricity.

In celebration of Hanukkah, the 60-story Paramount Miami World Center announced that “The World’s Tallest Menorah” will be lighting up South Florida’s skyline on Sunday.

Important dates to know if you plan on sending packages to loved ones for holiday season.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff -- who is Jewish, and the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris -- led the menorah-lighting ceremony this year at the White House, to kick off the start of Hanukkah.

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses held a “family” celebration of Hanukkah at the White House Wednesday, with the first Jewish spouse of a vice president, Doug Emhoff, joining in lighting the menorah.

A trespasser scaled a fence at the Homestead Jewish Center on Saturday to hang a banner with an anti-Semitic message ahead of Hanukkah, a Jewish festival also known as the Festival of Lights, according to community leaders.

An annual event bringing together Holocaust survivors from around the world to mark the start of Hanukkah was held online for the first time Sunday Dec. 13, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)BERLIN – An annual event bringing together Holocaust survivors from around the world to mark the start of Hanukkah was held online for the first time Sunday due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event organized by the Jewish Claims Conference also paid tribute to those killed by the Nazis and raised awareness of anti-Semitism. Among the survivors who spoke was Walter Breindel, who fled Austria at the age of four with his mother and brother. “Hopefully next year it will not be a memory but we shall be together in reality,” he said.

He wore a face mask and said he was social distancing. Sabbath restrictions on the use of electronic devices do not apply to Hanukkah, so many families are opting for virtual celebrations. South Florida Jews are hosting smaller Hanukkah celebrations outdoors amid the coronavirus pandemic. Tammy Woldenberg, of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, was at a Kosher food distribution drive-thru event. Avoid touching your face mask, eyes, nose, and mouth.

Many Jewish Americans are already accustomed to more intimate celebrations of a holiday focused more on the home than on the synagogue, including Haredim or ultra-Orthodox communities. So the recent successful Supreme Court challenge to New York restrictions on in-person worship by some Orthodox groups won't mean much as far as their Hanukkah plans. But such large gatherings are "not an essential part of the holiday on any level whatsoever,” he added. “Family gatherings are going to be limited, with or without the Supreme Court decision,” he said. “It will be much, much smaller,” she said, adding that many others in their community were planning intimate gatherings just with immediate family members.

[MORE: These 3 apps will help you find the best holiday shopping deals, experts say | Doing a little online shopping? If you’re shipping gifts you want to arrive in time for Christmas, here are some recommended send-by dates for expected delivery by Dec. 25:USPS (excluding Alaska and Hawaii)Domestic Mail Class/Product Send-by Date USPS Retail Ground Service Dec. 15 First-Class Mail Service Dec. 18 Priority Mail Service Dec. 19 Priority Mail Express Service Dec. 23Click here for USPS holiday shipping dates for Alaska and Hawaii, military bases and overseas addresses. UPSShipping Option Send-by Date UPS Ground Dec. 15 UPS 3 Day Select Dec. 21 UPS 2nd Day Air Dec. 22 UPS Next Day Air Dec. 23Click here for more details on UPS holiday shipping. FedEx (U.S. to U.S.)Shipping Option Send-by Date FedEx SmartPost (certain exceptions apply) Dec. 9 FedEx Home Delivery Dec. 15 FedEx Ground Dec. 15 FedEx Express Saver Dec. 21 FedEx 3 Day Freight Dec. 21 FedEx 2 Day Dec. 22 FedEx 2 Day A.M. Dec. 22 FedEx 2 Day Freight Dec. 22 FedEx 1 Day Freight Dec. 23 FedEx Extra Hours Dec. 23 FedEx Standard Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx Priority Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx First Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx SameDay Dec. 25 FedEx SameDay City Priority Dec. 25 FedEx SameDay City Direct Dec. 25Click here to see last-day-to-ship dates if you’re planning to send gifts to Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico or other destinations. AmazonAmazon has not released its 2020 holiday shipping calendar, but last year, the company recommended buyers send products no later than Dec. 22 or Dec. 23 for a Dec. 25 arrival.

Don't get out those Christmas decorations just yet.

Happy Hanukkah 2019Published: December 20, 2019, 8:31 amChef Micelle Bernstein gets you ready for Hanukkah with recipes that are delicious any time of year.

freeimages.com/krzysiuc(CNN) - Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's -- the winter holidays are closer than you think even if you're still in shorts. For many folks, Thanksgiving travel means a flight or drive to a family gathering spot. But the long Thanksgiving weekend can be a fantastic time to plan a bona fide vacation. Plimoth Plantation: 137 Warren Ave, Plymouth, MA 02360; +1 508 746 1622Few things say Thanksgiving like the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. You want the most immersive Christmas travel experience possible.