Dear Marilyn and Doves,
 
   Thank you for your reply, Marilyn. You and David are often in my prayers. I use the weekly information at sky and telescope.org for a period of 8 days each week from Saturday to Saturday. Of special interest were your noting that Jupiter and Saturn will be the planetary signs in the heavens on 12-14, Teveth (Tevet) day 1. Thank you also for noticing that one of "the days of Noah" in Genesis is Teveth 1. We tend to notice month 2 days, 10 and 17, more than the other dates mentioned in the Noah narratives.Yet each of the date specific dates has value. The shofar would indeed sound on the first day of the new month, the Rosh Chodesh. New moon celebrations sound the shofar in its totally dark phase, to current times. Also, I did not know about the 3 meteor shower cycles, of Orionids, then Leonids, then Geminids. Since the peak of the Geminids will be from 12-13 to 14, that means the ending of Hanukkah. Hanukkah Eve is 12-7 when the first 2 candles are lit, according to the Hillel Calendar. Are you noting another calendar, for the sighting of the sliver of the new moon 2 days later on 12-9? On 12-13 evening, 8 candles will be lit, the Noah number of greatest significance. The evening of 12-14, all 9 candles are lit, the hanukkiahs are all ablaze and day 8 begins. On day 7 of Hanukkah, 8 candles are lit. On day 8 of Hanukkah, 9 candles are lit.
   I am still wondering about the lighting of the hanukkiah early last year on 12-8. Was it a marker leading to the 1 year anniversary? Also, 12-7 is another anniversary, number 71 of "the date which will live in infamy" with the events at Pearl Harbor on 12-7-1941. I am awaiting each day of Hanukkah this year. Thanks again for the new information Marilyn. I hope to see you and all the Doves, soon!
 
With Love and Shalom,
Jean