Hanukkah Won't be the Same this Year.

Hanukkah, a joyous Jewish holiday, which in the United States has often tried to rival Christmas in buoyancy if not glamour, will not be the same this year. With the Israeli military in the midst of a destructive showdown in its war with Hamas, and with 1,200 dead in Israel and 16,000 in Gaza, few are in the mood to celebrate the holiday that begins at sundown Thursday. Celebrations will, at the very least, be more muted. (The White House Hanukkah party is still on —  slated for Monday.)