Just because we’re here in Israel doesn’t mean that there’s no shopping mania around this time of year.

Hannukah begins tonight, and like a multitudes of my countrymen, I rushed to the local mall this morning to finish up some last-minute shopping. I was in the US last year for Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when people line up all night to get into stores at the crack of dawn for special pre-Christmas sales. But they don’t have anything on the hustle bustle going on during any given Friday here, especially a Friday that Hannukah starts.

I was feeling a little overwhelmed, standing between the huge display of mutant sufganiyot from the Neeman Bakery in the middle of aisle and a packed display counter for Magnolia, which sells middle of the jewelry. Then I noticed a friend of mine from the neighborhood bearing the same glazed eyes that I probably owned.

“I hate this time of year,” he said. “I have no idea what to buy.”

I concurred, and confided to him that I had been mulling around for a half hour, waiting to gather the nerve to go up the escalator to the second floor where the women’s clothing stores were situated in order to buy a sweater for my wife.

We bitched and moaned a bit longer, and then concluded by simultaneously saying ‘at least there’s no Christmas music.’

Wishing all a Happy Hannukah, and leaving with you with the now-famous Nefesh B’Nefesh flash Hannukah event in Jerusalem, where my friend Benji outclasses them all.