The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (or Chanukah) commemorates the  “miracle of the container of oil”. In 2009, the holidays lasts from sunset December 11 to sunset December 19 — a total of 8 days. Customary rituals include lighting of the 9 candles on the menorah, eating festive meals (like latkes and sufganiyot) and reciting Hallel prayer. Continue reading to get a list of popular Hanukkah Prayers.

1. Judisam 101 provides a list of prayers (in English and Hebrew) for the first night of Hanukkah, Blessing for Hanukkah and Blessing over Candles.

2. Full and Partial Hallel prayers are available on Wikipedia.

3. Chabad offers the Blessings on the Menorah prayer in an audio version, Hebrew and translated in English.

His faithful dog, sky, is always there with him. Matthew is hoping that being out there and being available will give folks a bridge to finding faith. You can stop by his prayer stand if you are in the area:

San Tan Flat restaurant parking lot.
6185 W Hunt Hwy
Queen Creek, AZ 85142-3270

To get more information, you can visit, http://prayerstandministries.org.

Shiloh Pepin, the girl with the rare “Mermaid Syndrome”, died at age 10. Shiloh Pepin was born with fused legs and had gained a wide following on the Internet and U.S. television (after appearing on Oprah’s show). Doctors had predicted that she would only survive days after her birth, but “Mermaid Girl” proved them wrong. Her mother described her as a “tough little girl”.

Besides having fused legs from the waiste down, Shiloh Pepin also only had one partially working kidney, no lower color or genitals. Shiloh died Friday Afternoon at the Main Medical Center, after suffering from a cold that developed into pneumonia earlier this month.

Please pray for shiloh pepin’s friends and family who are dealing with the loss of such an extraordinary girl.

President Obama Declares H1N1 National Emergency

The declaration came as the disease is now more prevalent than ever in the country. Production delays are undercutting the government’s initial, optimistic estimates that as many as 120 million doses of the vaccine could be available by mid-October. So far there have been over 1000 deaths from H1N1. So far only 11 million doses have gone out to health departments, doctor’s offices and other providers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials.

Some hospitals are opening drive-thrus and drive-up tent clinics to screen and treat H1n1 swine flu patients. I guess they are hoping that this will help slow down the spread of H1N1, but keeping those with the virus from sitting in waiting rooms infecting others.

Please pray for those sick from the H1N1, the families of those who have died, and for the slow down of the spread of the H1N1 Swine Flu.

Somer Thompson

On Thursday, after three days of disappearance, Somer Thompson, was found dead in Georgia landfill. The 7 year old child was going to school on Monday when she disappeared. There was a vacant house the Somer Thompson home. Investigators believe that the kidnappers kept her there for three days and after that they killed her and threw on garbage landfill. Detectives searching for a 7-year-old’s killer have interviewed more than 100 sex offenders living nearby, sifted through tons of garbage and combed the well-kept neighborhood where Somer Thompson disappeared.

Somer Thompson, was last seen alive on the sidewalk in front of a vacant house, and authorities said Friday that they’re searching for anyone who saw what happened to the 7-year-old after that. Investigators sifted through evidence from that vacant house and the Georgia landfill where her body was found Wednesday. So far, no witnesses have come forward to say they saw Somer Thompson attacked.

Somer Thompson’s mother appeared on television interviews and warned her daughter’s killer: “We’ll get you.” She pleaded for anyone with information to “please, please tell” police. Despite doggedly pursuing hundreds of leads, police have not made an arrest.

Please pray for Somer Thomspons family, and that the police can find the people that did such a horrible thing to this young child.

In Chennai, India, A man suffered from an injury on his left leg so he went ot the Gov’t Hopital. After being admitted, he was then thrown out of the hospital. He continued to wait, since he was still bleeding. When they finally took him in again, it was to the mortuary, because he was already dead. The Hospital was the Government General Hospital, the biggest one in the state.

There were several witeness who claimed that they saw the hospital staff dump him on the pavement. He survived for 20 days, by begging for food. No one cared for him. He survived on food given to him by beggars.

Government General Hospital dean J Mohanasundaram said: “I am not aware of the case and not sure if he was expelled from the hospital. Sometimes some cases don’t even get into the case registry,” he said.

It is so sad to hear how this man was ignored. Please pray for others who are suffering around the world like this man did.

Jasper Howard UConn Football

The starting cornerback for the University of Connecticut football team (Jasper Howard) died on Sunday after an on-campus stabbing just hours after the team’s victory over Louisville.

Jasper Howard was near the uconn’s university Student Union near the center of the UConn campus when he was stabbed (just after midnight).  A University dance had just ended when a scuffle broke out between two groups of students.   Another student was also stabbed in the fight, but he was treated and later release from the hospital.

Jasper Howard had a promising football career in front of him.   He led the Big East college football conference in punt returns last season.

The police haven’t been able to locate the person who stabbed and killed Howard.

We have set up a prayer post for those who would like to pray for Jasper Howard’s friends, family, classmates and teammates.

Jasper Howard Uconn Football

The fake bus driver told the kids that their bus had broken down and asked them to get on the bus. Thankfully the kids did not get on the bus.

The parents of the school were warned about the incident. The letter urged parents to talk to their kids about safety and what to do if they are approached by strangers.

Police have not caught the bus driver.

Please pray that the police can find this woman.

‘Two US service members were killed and two died of wounds sustained in a single improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan. President Barack Obama is under pressure to order thousands more soldiers into an escalating eight-year war

No further details were immediately available but thousands of US troops are fighting in southern Afghanistan as part of a push to quell a resurgent Taliban in what is their spiritual heartland.

Please pray for the safety of the US Military and for the family and friends of the soldiers that were killed.

Sixty-two-year-old John Tabutt, from Florida , was sleeping last night and thought there was an intruder in his house.  Not knowing who it was, and wanting to be a protective to-be husband (thinking his fiance was asleep in bed), he got out his gun and fired into the hallway where he heard the footsteps.

Well, the footsteps turned out to be those of his fiancee.  He shot and killed her, one day before they were supposed to marry.

The Winter Springs Police are investigating the killing, but so far it appears to just be an accident.  More results are expected after the investigation.

John Tabutt  told investigators he thought he heard an intruder early Friday morning, got his gun and fired at a figure in the dark hallway. He struck his live-in fiancee, 62-year-old Nancy Dinsmore and killed her. Family members say the couple planned to get married Saturday in a small ceremony.

You can pray for for John Tabutt and/or his fiancee Nancy’s friends and family on this prayer request page.