Embracing the Festival of Lights, and all of the hallowed tradition's many treats and to-dos and family come-together moments, is something people look forward to, all throughout the year.

And the first day of Hanukkah, which is on Dec. 2 in 2018, is when the celebrating, the stories, the songs, the dreidel games, the heartfelt gifts, and the being-with-one-another-ness begins with blitheness, beauty, and, yes, a lot of delicious latkes.

To find that fun on day number one, best dance your way to the Skirball Cultural Center, which will again be the place to find all sorts of Hanukkah-themed treats, both of the listen/watch assortment, and of the join-in variety, too.

"This Little Light of Mine" is the theme of the Sunday, Dec. 2 event, which will include live klezmer-amazing vibes from Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi, as well as an appearance by the Jewish Youth Orchestra.

More singing, more sweetness, and more songs of old (and new) will flow during the five-hour festivity.

The chance to "(c)reate a little light of your own" is on the roster, too, as is the yummy opportunity to "... decorate chocolate Hanukkah gelt."

General admission is $12, and, indeed "Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg" is still on view.

Zeidler's Café will be open, should you crave a latke or five. Mmm.

Shine your little light on the Skirball site now, for more information on this heart-big expression of Hanukkah family fun.

Tributes to former President George H.W. Bush are pouring in nationwide and in North Texas.

At the George W. Bush Library and Museum in Dallas, people from all over the country paid their respects. Flowers were left by a fountain out front, flags were at half-staff and visitors left notes of gratitude in guest books set out Saturday morning.

"I just said he was a great man. He was a great president and godspeed," said Jim Seibert, a Pennsylvania resident.

"We're very grateful -- not grateful that he passed, but grateful that we can be here and honor his memory," said Barb Seibert, also from Pennsylvania

In memory of the former president, photos that once hung in the White House were on display — images reflecting a father and son's undeniable experience, energy and loyalty.

"It's a bond of just love. It's not about politics. It's not about power. It's about just caring for one another," said Jeffrey Rand, a Michigan resident.

Five years ago, the then 88-year-old George H.W. Bush was with his late wife, Barbara, for the dedication of the library to their son.

"Dad taught me how to be a president. Before that, he showed me how to be a man and 41, it is awesome that you are here today," George W. Bush said in April 2013.

A portrait painted by 43 — of 41 — is now on display at the museum.

The tributes and guest book to leave condolences will be available through Thursday's funeral.

Washington, D.C., will hold several ceremonies and services this week to honor former President George H.W. Bush before he is laid to rest in College Station, Texas.

The 41st president of the United States died Friday night at the age of 94 and was quickly remembered as a humble patriot, dedicated public servant and beloved family man.

See below for the schedule of local memorial events as well as information about road closures and prohibited items.

Monday: Arrival at Joint Base Andrews

Bush's remains will arrive at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland about 3:30 p.m. Monday, where there will be a brief arrival ceremony.

Monday - Wednesday: U.S. Capitol Ceremony and Lying in State

Another arrival ceremony will take place at the U.S. Capitol about 4:45 p.m.

Following a short service, Bush's remains will lie in state in the rotunda of the Capitol from 7:30 p.m. Monday until 8:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

The public can begin lining up Monday afternoon on First Street NE/SE between Constitution and Independence avenues or 2nd Street NE/SE between East Capitol Street and Independence Avenue SE before the viewing opens at 7:30 p.m., according to U.S. Capitol Police.

Public viewing will continue through Tuesday and end at 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

Police said people wishing to pay their respects should prepare for any possible bad weather as the lines will start outside.

Visitors cannont bring any flowers, sealed envelopes or other offerings or tokens into the Capitol or the Capitol Visitor Center.

Police also said visitors must silence their phones and turn off any electronic devices. Photography and video recording are not allowed inside the rotunda, according to police.

Wednesday: Funeral at the National Cathedral, Departure

Bush's body will depart the Capitol at 10 a.m. Wednesday and there will be a service at the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest D.C. beginning at 11 a.m., which President Donald Trump said he would attend.

A departure ceremony is expected to follow the service at about 12:30 p.m. before Bush's remains are flown from Joint Base Andrews to Houston, Texas, for final services.

Thursday: Funeral at St. Martin's Episcopal Church

The funeral will begin at 10 a.m. at the church, which is not far from Bush's Houston residence. It is the same church where former first lady Barbara Bush's funeral was held in April.

Following the funeral, Bush's remains will depart Houston via train for Texas A&M University in College Station. There, he will be buried at his presidential library next to his late wife, Barbara, and late daughter, Robin. 

Road Closures in D.C.:

U.S. Capitol Police will closed the following streets from 8 p.m. on Sunday to about 12 p.m. on Wednesday:

• East Capitol Street NE/SE, from Second Street, NE/SE, to First Street, NE/SE
• First Street, NE/SE, from Constitution Ave., NE, to Independence Ave., SE

Police may close more streets around the Capitol as necessary and officials are encouraging people to use Metro to get to the Capitol.

Prohibited Items at D.C. Events:

The following items are prohibited in the U.S. Capitol and on its grounds:

• All firearms, dangerous weapons, explosives, or incendiary devices • Firearms to include replica guns and ammunition
• Weapons (to include but not limited to): Black jack, sling shot, sand club, sandbag, knuckles, electric stun guns, knives (of any size), martial arts weapons or devices
• Pointed objects to include but not limited to razors, box cutters, knives, knitting needles, letter openers. Pens and pencils are permitted.
• Explosives and explosive devices to include Molotov Cocktails, components of a destructive device, and fireworks
• Bags exceeding the size of 18” wide x 14” high x 8.5” deep
• Mace and pepper spray
• Liquid, including water; open and empty clear or translucent bottles and beverage containers are allowed.
• Aerosol containers
• Non-Aerosol spray except for prescribed medical needs
• Sealed envelopes and packages

A spokesman for Russia’s government said Saturday that only two emails and a phone call took place between President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and Russian officials about a planned Trump Tower project.

But Russian officials gave the exchanges no more attention than any other business proposition, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina. 

Peskov told NBC News in an interview that “every week dozens and dozens of foreign businessmen are approaching us, mentioning possible investments, searching for contacts.” He said Trump representatives ceased contact with the Russians.

Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty this week to lying to Congress about the proposed Trump Tower project in Moscow and admitted discussions continued into June 2016 during the presidential campaign.

Firefighters were put on the defensive by a large fire that engulfed a warehouse building on the 16100 block of Covello Street in Van Nuys. Gene Kang reports for Today in LA on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018.

The national menorah was illuminated Sunday evening, the first night of Hanukkah, during a ceremony near the White House.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke participated in the ceremony. 

The annual lighting of the National Hanukkah Menorah kicked off about 4 p.m. and featured performances from the United States Air Force Band and Dreidelman and the Maccabees.

Following the ceremony, guests were treated to latkes and donuts. Free dreidels and Menorah kits were also handed out to spectators.

Tens of millions of people were expected to watch the lighting from home, the National Menorah Council said before the event.

In his Hanukkah message to Americans, President Donald Trump honored the victims of the October shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

"Jews today continue to face many different forms of violence, hatred, and bigotry around the globe," the president wrote in a statement, adding that the country pledges its "continued love and support" to the victims and their families for the holiday.

"Over the coming days, may the warming glow of each candle on the menorah help fill homes and hearts with love and happiness," Trump said. "Together, we reaffirm the truth that light will always break through the darkness."

CORRECTION (Dec. 2, 2018, 4:50 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this story erroneously reported that the national menorah is the largest in the world. The world's largest menorah is in New York City, according to Guinness World Records.

Hanukkah, Judaism's eight-day commemoration of the temple rededication that followed the Maccabees' victory over a larger Syrian army in 165 B.C., begins at sundown Sunday.

Free public menorah lighting ceremonies are scheduled for the Hermosa Beach Pier (3 p.m.); Mar Vista Recreation Center (3 p.m.); Pasadena City Hall (3:30 p.m.); Battleship Iowa at the Port of Los Angeles (4 p.m.); Santa Monica Pier (4:15 p.m.); Culver City City Hall (4:30 p.m.); Beverly Canon Gardens in Beverly Hills (4:30 p.m.); Farmers Market (5:15 p.m.); the Palisades Village shopping complex (6 p.m.); Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica (6 p.m.); and other locations.

Once the Jews defeated the Hellenist Syrian forces of Antiochus IV at the end of a three-year rebellion, the temple in Jerusalem, which the occupiers had dedicated to the worship of Zeus, was rededicated by Judah Maccabee, who led the insurgency begun by his father, the high priest Mattathias.

According to the story of Hanukkah, Maccabee and his soldiers wanted to light the temple's ceremonial lamp with ritually pure olive oil as part of their rededication but found only enough oil to burn for one day. The oil, however, burned for eight days in what was held to be a miracle.

Hanukkah -- which means dedication in Hebrew -- is observed around the world by lighting candles in a special menorah called a Hanukkiah each day at sundown for eight days, with an additional candle added each day.

The reason for the lights is so passers-by should see them and be reminded of the holiday's miracle.

Other Hanukkah traditions include spinning a dreidel, a four-sided top, which partially commemorates a game that Jews under Greek domination are believed to have played to camouflage their Torah study, and eating foods fried in oil, such as latkes, pancakes of grated raw potatoes, and jelly doughnuts.

Children receive Hanukkah "gelt'' (the Yiddish word for money) from parents and grandparents. The tradition originated with 17th century Polish Jews giving money to their children to give their teachers during Hanukkah, which led to parents also giving children money.

In the United States, the practice has evolved into giving holiday gifts to children and others.

Unlike on the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, or Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, observant Jews are permitted to work and attend school during Hanukkah, the only Jewish holiday that commemorates a military victory.

"The meaning of Hanukkah is about the triumph of hope in the face of adversity,'' Rabbi Ilana Grinblat, vice president of community engagement for the Board of Rabbis at The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, told City News Service.

"The holiday begins with the lighting of one candle and a candle is added each night until eight candles are lit on the last night, along with the shamash, the candle which is used to light the others. This increasing light represents heightened joy.

"This year, we begin this holiday in an excruciating moment for our community and our country. In the past few weeks, the shooting in the Tree of Life-Or L'Simcha Congregation in Pittsburgh was followed by the shooting in Thousand Oaks and the fires in which many lost their lives and homes, and community institutions were damaged or destroyed.

"With all this precariousness, we need the message of Hanukkah even more this year. May the light and joy of the holiday bring us a measure of healing and rekindle our spirits.''

It's difficult for Valerie Burke to look at her children's bedrooms, where the brunt of the fire damage took place. Though firefighters prevented flames from spreading to the rest of the house, there's still water-and smoke damage throughout.

But the Burke family is thankful, because if you look down their street, you'll find houses that didn't stand a chance.

"We're really lucky we have a place to go back to and repair rather than starting from scratch," Michael Burke said.

Rebuilding is an overwhelming process. That's why a Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster survivor assistance team is going door to door in the Burke's Malibu West neighborhood. They're looking for survivors who may not know how FEMA can help or the proper steps to take - like making sure to file a claim with insurance before registering for FEMA benefits.

"By law we cannot duplicate benefits so whatever benefits you're receiving from your insurance company you need to use that first we can assist with other needs assistance," said Darrell Habisch, a FEMA employee.

For families like the Burkes, this is a welcome visit during an overwhelming time.

"In the middle of all this pandemonium in our lives it's nice for them to tell us what we can and should be thinking about to get through this," Valerie Burke said.

Eleven police officers who responded to the deadly synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh will light a menorah on Long Island Sunday evening in memory of the victims.

The menorah lighting at Chabad of Roslyn, in Roslyn Heights on Long Island, will commemorate the 11 people killed in the Oct. 27 attack at Tree of Life Congregation.

Also Sunday, the Columbia professor whose office was vandalized with swastikas and anti-Semitic slurs last week lit the school's menorah. 

Elizabeth Midlarsky lit the menorah in an act of defiance against anti-Semitism, the school said. A large crowd attended as a sign of unity. 

On Long Island, the lighting will be “a show of solidarity with the Pittsburgh community and a display of Jewish pride in the face of rising anti-Semitism,” Chabad of Roslyn said in a release.

“The light of the menorah reminds us that when the forces of light and good encounter darkness and hate, without fail light will always prevail,” Chabad of Roslyn’s director, Rabbi Aaron Konikov, said in a statement.

“If one hate-filled person created such darkness and pain, imagine the impact of so many more people united in doing good,” he added.

Rabbi Konikov is close friends with a rabbi at the Chabad of Pittsburgh who worked with responders after the massacre, he told NBC 4 New York. 

That rabbi helped organize the event at the Chabad of Roslyn, Rabbi Konikov explained. 

Traditional Hanukkah treats will be served at the event, which will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Chabad of Roslyn.

The menorah is the tallest one on Long Island and one of the tallest permanent menorahs in the world, Rabbi Konikov said.

An internal investigation at a Catholic school in Redondo Beach revealed that two nuns allegedly stole money belonging to school funds for several years.

Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper served for 29 years as the principal of St. James Catholic School, while Sister Lana Chang worked at the school for about 20 years as an eighth grade teacher and assistant principal. Both retired at the end of the 2017-18 school year.

The investigation arose during a financial review for Kreuper's retirement. According to a letter sent to the parents by Monsignor Michael Meyers, the school's pastor, an internal investigation revealed that both nuns had used school funds for their personal use.

In the letter, Meyers also said that the congregation to which the nuns belong, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, was cooperating with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to confirm the amount of money that had allegedly been stolen.

Meyers also stressed that the Archdiocese does not want to initiate a criminal process against the nuns but will address the situation internally, along with representatives of the school and the congregation for the restitution of money and sanctions to Kreuper and Chang.

"Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana have expressed to me and asked me to convey to them the deep remorse that each one feels for their actions and ask for their forgiveness and prayers," Meyers said in the letter.

The letter also guaranteed parents that the school had initiated "additional procedures and supervisory policies for management and financial reporting."

"I want to assure you that the investigation has revealed that despite this misappropriation, no student or program at St. James has suffered any loss of educational resources, opportunities or innovations," Meyers explained in the letter. "The education of your children has not been affected or will be affected by these events."

Beautiful Capistrano Beach has seemingly always been a tourist attraction in Orange County, but now, it's garnering attention for a different reason.

A recent storm caused heavy beach erosion on the coastline, leaving behind a battered wooden walkway, a basketball court surrounded by caution tape, broken slabs of concrete and wilting palm trees.

Orange County resident Cindi Aldereti took pictures of what almost looks like wreckage from a ship.

"The boardwalk is falling into the sea," she said.

Heavy rain and high tides punched the shore, bending the stairway and twisting light poles along Beach Road.

"There's a storm this week, and it didn't surprise me that the surf is big; I just didn't expect it to do something like this," said Erik Bryner, a surfer at Dana Point. "Obviously mother nature is up in turmoil."

For Evelyn Calip, a registered nurse, breast cancer has turned into the best thing that could have ever happened to her because she has been able to meet and help other people.

Calip was diagnosed with breast cancer in October of 2007, but she was lucky to find out early, get treatment and beat the disease.

Calip says, "I actually feel lucky to get diagnosed with breast cancer because I'm able to meet other women and now become breast friends forever!" 

Impressed with the help she received at Torrance Memorial Hospital during her breast cancer journey, Calip decided she wanted to work in the South Bay hospital to help others.

She became a certified cancer navigator and helps over 175 to 200 patients per year.

"As a navigator, not only do we educate our patients and advocate for our patients, I'm also a friend to them as they go through the cancer journey," Calip says.

But Calip knew she could do more than just navigate people; She knew she needed a "BFF," and she knew other women needed one too.

So, Calip started her Breast Friend Forever Foundation, an informal no-profit support group that has fun and raises money with private bra parties, bra runs to help other underinsured or uninsured women. 

What started with only eight members has grown up to more than a 100 people. And to those she helps, Calip is an amazing friend. 

"Evelyn is the most giving, selfless, ray of sunshine I've ever met," one of Evelyn’s BFF members said. "The day I met her, I felt safe."

Evelyn always makes sure to remind her members that there is always hope and that everything is going to be OK.

Calip says, "Cancer cannot silence courage, it cannot invade the soul, it cannot steal eternal life and it cannot conquer the spirit."

A man is dead after a shooting at a Walgreens near the intersection of Vine Street and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood Sunday night, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

LAPD said a man was shot by a security guard and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:22 p.m.

Homicide detectives were en route to the scene as of 11:50 p.m.

The American people aren't the only ones mourning the loss of former President George H.W. Bush.

Sunday night, Bush family spokesman Jim McGrath tweeted a photo of Bush's service dog, Sully, lying in front of the 41st president's flag-draped casket with the caption "Mission complete."

Bush received the 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever in June from America's VetDogs, a nonprofit organization that helps match service dogs with veterans, active-duty service members and first responders with disabilities. The president had a form of Parkinson's disease, and Sully could open doors, pick up items and summon help.

Sully even accompanied Bush to the polls when he voted in the November midterm election.

Now, Sully will go back to America's VetDogs in New York where he will stay through the holidays before joinging the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's Facility Dog Program in Bethesda, Maryland.

The four-legged companion will work with other dogs to help with physical and occupational therapy for wounded soldiers and active duty personnel at the hospital.

The president and CEO of America's VetDogs, John Miller, issued a statement on the death of President George H.W. Bush.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bush family during this difficult time. It was truly an honor to have provided service dog Sully to be by the president’s side for the past several months. As a true patriot and a visionary, President Bush will forever be viewed by people with disabilities and their families as a hero through his efforts to enact the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are forever grateful to his service to the American people."

Jenna Bush Hager paid tribute to her late "Gampy," former President George H.W. Bush, in a touching open letter — her grandfather’s favorite form of communication.

In a pre-recorded segment, Hager Bush read her “love letter” to her grandfather on the "Today" show Monday, which was accompanied by a video tribute that included past interviews, never-before-seen family videos and memories shared by those who knew him best.

“My grandfather wrote letters all his life, to his children, his wife, friends and even political rivals,” Bush Hager said. "He often wrote about love and family. For me, his words have always been a precious gift. All the more so now. It's my turn to write my love letter to my Gampy."

Family was the most important thing in Bush’s life, Hager Bush wrote in her letter, crediting her grandfather with always making each family member feel adored regardless of "whatever demands were placed on him in his professional life."

Her twin sister Barbara Bush echoed that sentiment: "I’m sure that every one of his grandchildren thinks he loves them the most, he just always makes every person feel so special."

So you're a deodar, which means, quite probably, you're extremely tall, and you're very branchy, and people who stroll in your shade have a way of calling you "majestic" and "mighty."

And you're surrounded by other tall trees, also deodar cedars, your majestic and mighty neighbors. They've been your neighbors for decades, a fact that has prompted local humans to do something festive, each and every December, for nearly a century.

If this is you, and this is the case, chances are good you're a deodar currently standing along Christmas Tree Lane, in Altadena.

Also known as Santa Rosa Avenue, but called Christmas Tree Lane pretty much throughout the year by lots of people, Christmas Tree Lane is the place to see the much-loved deodars, in full sparkle, over several magical evenings, beginning in early December.

Day #1, in 2018, is Saturday, Dec. 8, and while the 98th grand lighting ceremony will take place at 6 p.m., the festivities begin to blossom earlier in the day, at 2 o'clock. Look for craft-making and general joy-savoring at the Winter Festival, and the happy hubbub of a community gathering for a longtime tradition.

The joy is palpable each year, for if you know "Altadena's Oldest Tradition," you know that it has had, like everything under the sun, its ups and downs, including the Santa Ana winds that whipped through in December 2011, sending big limbs to the ground in thunderous fashion.

Making sure the deodars stay in tiptop shape has been a focus (yep, fungus is a foe), and an effort to "Keep the Lane Lit" remains at the forefront of the minds of all of those hardworking volunteers that tend the trees and decorations (yep, all of the electricity can add up).

Want to donate? Volunteer? Show up on Saturday, Dec. 8 to enjoy one of the most hallowed, nature-based expressions of the Southern Californian holiday season? All of the above?

Start here, deodar devotees. And we'll go out on a limb and say it: The Christmas Tree Lane Centennial will be here faster than a tree grows.

The final night of the multi-night run is Jan. 1, 2019, but wait: The trees will again shimmer on Jan. 7, in honor of Orthodox Christmas.