As we get ready to begin the holiday of Chanukah, we look forward to the special beauty that the lights of the Chanukiah bring into our homes. We are privileged to have as our lead article a piece written by Rabbi Rosen entitled "Shammai wasn't Wrong. Diminished Returns Yield Increased Blessings." In "The Beauty Wars" by Sara Yoheved Rigler, she states that beauty is only worthwhile when it is used to enhance the holy. This concept in Judaism is called "Hiddur Mitzvah" (beautifying the mitzvah). Traditionally, it refers to the physical - making beautiful religious objects. But it can also be spiritual - how can we make the celebration of the holiday itself more beautiful, that is, more meaningful? The articles in the Chanukah edition of Beth Elearning suggest a number of ideas to us - incorporating old family customs into our current practices, involving the entire family into planning for the holiday, listening to contemporary Chanukah songs and watching modern Chanukah videos, and, of course, learning more about the meaningful messages of the holiday and incorporating them into our lives. In spite of all the commercialism of this holiday period, how does your family make the holiday of Chanukah special? We hope you'll enjoy the variety of materials in this issue.

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