In a spin? Great Hanukkah gift ideas

No matter what America's retailers would like to believe, Hanukkah is not "Jewish Christmas." (Let's skip over the history and theology that makes this notion oxymoronic at best, shall we?) It is, however, a holiday often marked by the exchanging of gifts, and these days there's plenty of savvy marketing intended to spark Hanukkah-present inspiration.

Confession: When I opened my new Harry and David catalog and saw the wildly tempting Hanukkah treat baskets offered by the Oregon-based treat experts, I was a goner. So now my latest, admittedly self-serving logic goes something like this: If I'm guilty of commercializing Hanukkah, at least I'll buy Jewish-themed items.

There's a mind-boggling number of such gift sources out there, both retail and online. Good places to start: the small Judaica gift stores run by most Jewish congregations. Seattle Web sites of the Jewish Federation and The American Jewish Committee are also useful resources (www.JewishInSeattle.org and www.AJCSeattle.org).

Both sites provide information on Jewish music, lectures, visiting authors, theater and other events. What follows is by no means an exhaustive list, but rather highlights uncovered with this year's gift-giving in mind:

Music

"The Aleph Bet Story," an engaging book and catchy CD produced by Sarah and David Interactive, is a Hebrew-language program aimed at "ages 5 to 95" according to its mother-daughter creators, Diane and Lily Yacobi. These very clever materials are a Jewish update on the "Dick and Jane" primers of old, starring characters named Sarah, David, Ben and Rachel. Available on the New Jersey-based company's Web site and at various stores (www.sarahdavid.com). Prices from $8.50-$15.95. Among the many Hanukkah-flavored musical offerings: "Just in Time for Chanukah," a CD of fine traditional and hip holiday offerings by Margie Rosenthal and Ilene Safyan. For a look at the range of recordings by these talented Portland-based musicians, check out their Web site: www.Sheera Music.com. Prices vary.

The Web site www.JewishMusic.com has a good selection of holiday CDs, including the lively and clever "Oy Chanukah!" by the Klezmer Conservatory Band; "A Taste of Chanukah" a wide-ranging mix by various artists; and for the World Music fans on your gift list, "Reggae Chanukah," a compilation of some truly out-there stuff. (The Latin arrangement of "I am a Latke" alone is worth the price. When was the last time you danced to a song about a potato pancake?) Price: CDs are $15.98 each.

Look into the terrific series-in-progress being compiled by the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music and recorded on the Naxos American Classics label. Archive founder Lowell Milken is chronicling the American-Jewish musical experience from the sacred to the sound stage. The "Hanukka Celebration" CD (Remember, we warned you about the spelling!) is among the offerings, all packaged with very well-written historical notes. To see a full list, go to www.naxos.com, click on Collections/Sets, then "Milken Archive." The site will refer you to other sources (including Amazon.com) for purchasing or downloading music. Prices vary.

Gift items

If you want a menorah/hanukkiah, the Tree of Life Judaica & Books stores in Seattle and Bellevue stock at least 100 variations, from $10-$250. From traditional to modern, silver, ceramic, wood — you name it. If a cat, coffee cup or high-heeled-shoe motif is your thing, they've got those, too. (Plus 25 kinds of candles and countless dreidels.) The stores also carry Jewish ritual items, books, CDs, videos, toys, wrapping paper and cards. Store spokeswoman Julie Ellenhorn says she expects Dec. 25 (the holiday starts at sundown) to be the busiest of the season.

The stores: 2201 N.E. 65th St., Seattle, 206-527-1130 and 137 106th Ave. N.E., Bellevue, 425-646-6466. The Web site shows a handful of the goodies: www.treeoflifejudaica.com. The site www.JewishSource.com (operated by the Illinois-based Hamakor Judaica) is an enjoyable one-stop shopping site for Jewish items. It has dozens of traditional Hanukkah offerings as well as amusingly goofy stuff like Hebrew-character wristwatches ("See you at quarter after gimel!") for $49.95 to the three-pack "Happy Chanukkah Golf Balls" for $14.95.

Food

Sites selling traditional Jewish foods and kosher specialty items abound, including:

The nearly century-old Barney Greengrass deli/restaurant on New York's Amsterdam Avenue at 86th Street. The "Sturgeon King" will mail you caviar, pickled lox, borscht and some very cool T-shirts with the store logo ($13-$20), as well as truckloads of other deli items at a wide range of prices. www.barneygreengrass.com; 212-724-4707. Zingermans of Ann Arbor, Mich., is a newer player in the world of kosher goodies, with a hip Web site and some awesome collections for mail-order ease. The "(Better than) Bubbe's Baked Goods Box" is a bargain at $80, serving 10 guests in one fell swoop (www.zingermans.com); 888-636-8162.

Along with the luscious (and kosher) snack and dessert goodies arranged in nifty baskets and gift boxes ($39.95 and up) that caught my eye in the Harry and David catalog, the Medford, Ore.-based company has a huge range of fruit-basket offerings in a range of prices.

(www.HarryandDavid.com); 877-322-1200.

Books

Listing good book titles on Jewish subjects is an open-ended prospect to say the least. A handful of new (or new in paperback) books to consider for gift-giving this year:

"The JGirl's Guide: The Young Jewish Woman's Handbook for Coming of Age," by Penina Adelman, Ali Feldman and Shulamit Reinharz (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2005, $14.99).

"Bar Mitzvah Disco: The Music May Have Stopped, but the Party's Never Over" by Roger Bennett, Nick Kroll, Jules Shell (Crown, 2005, $23.95).

"American Judaism: A History," by Jonathan Sarna (Yale University Press, paperback, 2005, $20).

"Born to Kvetch: Yiddish Language and Culture in All Its Moods" by Michael Wex (St. Martin's Press, 2005, $24.95).

"Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books," by Aaron Lansky (Algonquin Books, paperback, 2005; $13.95).

In Portland

If your Hanukkah shopping takes you south to Portland:

Massada, a gift shop in the Hillsdale area, stocks candles, glassware, cosmetics and other gift items from Israel (www.massada-boutique.com). Store: 6351 Capitol Highway, Portland, 97239; 503-546-9137.

Among Portland's many independent bookstores are: Broadway Books (1714 N.E. Broadway St., Portland, 97232; 503-284-1726) and Annie Blooms Books (7834 S.W. Capitol Highway, Portland, 97219; 503-246-0053). Both have excellent Judaica offerings. Annie Bloom's also has a well-structured Web site that allows users to search a range of Jewish titles at www.annieblooms.com.

No surprise, the big book macher in town, Powell's City of Books, has a very large Judaica section of both new and used titles (www.Powells.com). Main store: 1005 W. Burnside St., Portland, 97209; 503-228-4651.