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If you're thinking about doing something to celebrate Hanukah, open up your checkbook and donate to a Jewish charity.

Along with big spender names that lost big bucks in Bernard Madoff's alleged Ponzi scheme (Steven Spielberg, Frank Lautenberg, Mort Zuckerman), Jewish charities also took a major bath, losing an estimated $600 million to $1 billion. Some have had to close down. Elie Wiesel's foundation was reportedly wiped out.

An expert on Jewish philanthropy told the San Francisco Chronicle, "There are foundations that have lost major assets, donors that have lost their ability to give, and organizations whose investments have disappeared." In short, devastation.

Large-hearted searchers have headed to the Web to track this chronicle of catastrophe, looking up "madoff impact on jewish charities," "jewish charities and California," and "jewish charities losses madoff."

While this does somewhat dim the prospects of a joyous Hanukah, it's helpful to remember that the holiday, is after all, based on the story of a miracle. Below, some of the many searches on Hanukah.