Merry Christmas to our Christian readers, donors and staff. We hope your day is filled with joy, spirituality and happiness. The Birmingham Jewish Federation remains grateful to all of you -- everyday in so many ways -- for your wonderful friendship and support!

The N.E. Miles Jewish Day School (NEMJDS) joined Jewish people from all over the world to help provide 10,000 Chanukah sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) to soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Sufganiyot are an Israeli Chanukah treat, deep fried in oil, to commemorate the miracle of the oil of the Chanukah menorah.

Through the coordination of the Lookstein Center for Jewish Education/Connections Israel, the sufganiyot truck reached army bases throughout Israel last Tuesday on the first night of Chanukah.

NEMJDS students raised funds to send sufganiyot to an army base near the Lebanese border where one of their alumni, Yona Stein (son of Birmingham Jewish community members Susan and Michael Stein), is stationed. Following is a letter of thanks from Yona, who is pictured here (back row 5th from right) with his unit:

To all the students, families and faculty of the NEMJDS...I want to extend a very, very big thank you from the soldiers of Givati Battalion, platoon "Shaked." On the first night of Chanukah, we had the pleasure of receiving a generous donation of sufganiyot, soft drinks, a menorah and candles thanks to the NEMJDS!

What a wonderful gift to receive, especially on the first night of Chanukah -- all the way from Birmingham, sent to an Israeli army base in wintry northern Israel where we are defending our border with Lebanon. On behalf of my platoon, I want to thank the NEMJDS tremendously for such a thoughtful donation and to explain how much we appreciate this and how meaningful this is to us all!

Not only were the Israeli soldiers stuffed from the sufganiyot, also were the numerous "Lone Soldiers," such as myself, who were smiling from ear to ear. We Lone Soldiers are serving voluntarily in the IDF helping to keep Israel safe. Lone Soldiers are young Jewish men and women without parents and/or family in Israel. There are numerous organizations (including The Birmingham Jewish Federation) that provide us with assistance -- so we are not truly "alone." For a Lone Soldier to receive a gift such as this, it means the world.

Like the Maccabee warriors in the story of Chanukah, we are fighting for and protecting our ancient heritage and what we believe in. Thanks so much!

Michael Staggs, who converted to Judaism and who attends Temple Emanu-El, had a poignant piece in today's Birmingham News Viewpoints section on the incorrectly-depicted swastika (pictured here) that was painted recently outside the home of a Jewish family in Vestavia Hills.

"To paint a symbol of the Nazis on a Jewish person's property is to dehumanize those people. It is to lack even a modicum of compassion or dignity where they are concerned," Michael wrote. "Even if it was a teenager (who did it), we have to ask ourselves: Who taught this teenager to feel this way about a fellow human being?"

Law enforcement officials are continuing to investigate the incident and The Birmingham Jewish Federation remains in touch with both the investigators and the Anti-Defamation League which helps communities deal with such incidents.

Birmingham's Aaron Miller, who is now a rabbi in Washington, DC, continues to do his home town proud. Aaron is the son of Temple Emanu-El rabbi Jonathan Miller and his wife, Judi. The Washington Post published a piece by Aaron on Chanukah, the second time that Aaron, a new rabbi, has had his work published by the paper.

In his article Aaron reflected on one of the messages of Chanukah, an 8-day festival that began Tuesday night. "This holiday reminds us of our sacred task...that we should dedicate our lives to bring warmth and light to the cold and dark places of our world," wrote Aaron. "Chanukah is our holiday of rededication, teaching each of us that every miracle in God's world, big or small, depends upon our taking that first crucial step."