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#stolenmenorah taken over the weekend from SF Washington Square story @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/9E2k3KcGAp

— Mark Matthews (@MarkMatthewsNBC) December 26, 2016

In an act that some local religious leaders are calling a hate crime, a large metal menorah was reported stolen from Washington Square Park this week, right as the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah began.

San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Sergeant Michael Andraychak says that the 100 lb menorah was reported stolen from the North Beach area park at noon on Sunday, which was both Christmas Day and the second night of Hanukkah. It was "apparently stolen during last few days," Andraychak says, describing the missing item as "approximately 6 feet tall...with a stand measuring 3 x 6 feet."

The Chron reports that the menorah was installed in the northeast corner of the park about two weeks ago by the North Beach Chabad, a local branch of "a worldwide Orthodox Jewish organization in the Hasidic tradition," NBC Bay Area reports.

The menorah's absence was noted Sunday, when Chabad members went to light the first candle of the holiday.

“We didn’t think somebody could make off with something that big,” Chabad co-director Miryum Mochkin told the Chron.

Police suspect that the menorah was targeted by unethical recyclers, who steal metal and resell it to recycling centers for reuse. But if the thief expected to get rich off the menorah, they're going to be disappointed — though brass goes for as much as $1 a pound, this menorah was made of "brass-colored steel," the Chron reports. This knocks its price down to about five cents a pound. In any case, Andraychak says that "metal recyclers are asked to be on the look out for anyone attempting to sell large brass pieces as recycled metal."

But Mochkin says that even if that's the case, her group still regards the theft as a hate crime.

“At the end of the day, someone that evil, who would target a religious symbol, is a person of darkness,” Mochkin told the Chron.

“We’re a celebration of light. They’re stuck in a dark place.”

"For somebody to, in such a public space to take a symbol that means just joy they have to be in such a dark space in their lives," Mochkin told ABC 7

"The idea that someone wants to take away that light from us, we're not going to let that happen."

There were not any anti-Semitic markings or signs at the scene, NBC Bay Area reports, saying that thieves "had also cut the power cord of lights on the Christmas tree at the same park."

"They cut the wires on the lights tree, we had to restring the tree and then low and behold they took the menorah," President of North Beach Neighbors Trish Herman told ABC 7. "So we can't be dashed by this kind of vandalism."

Police say that surveillance video from nearby businesses might offer clues. But don't you dare suggest to Mochkin (as the Chron apparently did) that they offer a reward for the menorah's safe return.

“We don’t pay ransom,” Mochkin responded. “We’d rather buy a new one than reward a thief.”

Andraychak asks anyone with information on the theft to call the SFPD anonymous tip line at 415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.

With the end of Hanukkah tonight, the Festival Of Lights officially comes to a close for 2015. And so, it is perhaps more than a little confusing that over the course of the Jewish holiday San Francisco City Hall was lit up not with the blue and white usually associated with Hanukkah, but rather the very-Christiany Christmas colors of red and green.

The folks at the San Francisco Chronicle found this a little odd as well, and put the question to City Administrator Naomi Kelly.

It seems that the red and green lighting display "is not for Jesus, it’s for the holiday season,” Kelly carefully explained.

“We haven’t received a request to put up lights for Hanukkah, nor have we received any complaints for not putting up lights for Hanukkah,” Kelly continued.

Ah, so City Hall only puts up lighted color schemes when people request it, is that it?

Kelly didn't want to get too far ahead of herself, however, telling the Chronicle that before any blue and while lights can be deployed for future holidays she needs to make sure it is constitutionally (ahem) kosher.

“Before I get out there to flip the switch to blue and white I need to make sure I don’t run afoul of the First Amendment or the separation of church and state."

Meanwhile, those green and red definitely-not-Christmas lights remain.

Related: Sick Lights: S.F. City Hall Lit Up Rainbow Bright

Ignoring for a moment that contractions of multiple holidays for the purpose of creating a singular, tongue-twisting bonanza has been nearly done to death, the seasonally-relevant original production of The Oddman Family Christwanzaakuh Spectacular is some enjoyable independent musical theater. (Not indie-music theater, mind you.)

We attended opening night of the meta-production in the tiny back stage at the EXIT Theater last week and were delighted by cheeky musical numbers and perfectly inappropriate skewerings of all the major religious holidays (by goddess, they even included Winter Solstice). Don't just take our word for it though, The Appeal has a full review from a more qualified theater aficionado.

The production runs Thursday through Saturday nights until December 18th at the EXIT Theater. [SFAppeal]

Inaccurately (yet so amusingly) mistaken as Jewish Christmas, the annual Festival of Lights begins at sundown tomorrow, Dec 1, and ends on Tuesday, Dec 9. But what ever shall you do? Let's see: CHOW has some chit-chat going on about where to dine after lighting your Hanukkah candles. Saul's (1475 Shattuck Avenue) in Berkeley, it seems, typically has a Latka stand. That sounds tasty.

Another option? Jeff Segal, owner of Heart Wine Bar (1270 Valencia) in the Mission District, will pair eight obscure wines for Hanukkah, ones that promise to "cut through the richest of latkes and taste great with beef brisket." Sounds better than the usual revolting glass of Manischewitz, yes? Yes.

Miller's East Coast Deli (1725 Polk), our favorite Bay Area delit, also boasts an array of other-coast Jewish delectables, including their famously well-hung matzo ball soup. It's huge brace yourselves.

To kick things off, be sure to check out Good For The Jews at Cafe Du Nord (2170 Market) on Wednesday night. Billed as Jewish music for people who don't like Jewish music, The Onion says of them, "Imagine Adam Sandler with a few additional IQ points." Which: impossible! And the Providence Phoenix describes them as "infectious enough to make the Pope bust a gut." (God willing. We kid! Sort of. Anyway.) The show starts 8 p.m. Tickets which are $12 a pop, can be purchased here.

Any other Chosen One-related options we forgot? Let us know in the comments. Thanks.

1. Hanukkah has multiple spellings: Hanukkah, Hanukka, Chanuka, and Chanukah.

2. It's important to double check (using a calendar, not a person) which is the actual first night of Hanukkah. We accidentally lit our first candles on Monday, December 3rd. Whoops. Sorry, Maccabees.

3. If you received a menorah as a gift from your in-laws, be sure the count the candles included in the box they gave with the menorah. If the box seems to be missing any candles for whatever reason [insert tasteless yet funny Jewish joke here], buy some more. You'll need 44 total, according to our mathematically-inclined sources.

4. Firefly makes some damn good latkes. They also do a lovely job of continuing dinner service during a power outage.

5. Not every non-Jew lady likes being called a shiksa. Apparently, it's offensive or something... We think it's rad and love our shiksa-goddess status.

6. The phrase "Heebie Jeebies" is NOT anti-semitic at all. So get over it. Jeez. (Heh.)

7. Hanukkah is all about latkes and macaroons. The entree is SO over. See ya, brisket.

8. Hanukkah is the new black.

-- Booty Call Wednesdays: Local living legend and drag artist Juanita MORE! shares the spotlight with her harem of followers, the More Boys as well as her fans, at this night of drunken debauchery and DJ dancing. DJ Missy Hot Pants and Juanita man the decks, so to speak, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Bar On Castro; free.

-- Comedy, Darling -- Hanukkah: The chosen ones are known for their comedy. Come see if the stereotype is true for yourself as "Comedy, Darling" presents a Hanukkah night of funny. Such gregarious Jewishness as Moshe Kasher, Jason Downs, Bucky Sinister, Nico Santos, and Derek Schmidt bring on the hold-day hilarity starting tonight at 8 p.m. at Edinburgh Castle; $5.

-- Vampire Weekend: As we already went on about, this smug band of bratty ivy leaguers produce pretty good music -- tunes that Hiya Swanhuyser describes as "the musical equivalent of Wes Anderson." Have the privilege of hearing them at 8 p.m. at the Independent; $12.

We gobble the various food sections up each Wednesday. We feel especially in touch with our inner Cookie Monster after all that reading, and you'll see why. These are our favorite tidbits from today's offerings:

SF Chronicle Amanda Gold recommends using seasonal spices in baked desserts, including cookies. We really want to try the dreamy looking and sounding lemon layer cake with cranberry lemon curd, ooh la la!. Gold is also all about the (vegetable) oil rather than the fried foods cooked in said oil. Kids of all ages, look to that oil for true Hanukkah meaning. Olivia Wu welcomes back Chilean Sea Bass, sort of. Watch it! The Monterey Bay Aquarium's gives the controversial fish a big fat "avoid", since it may not be truly sustainable, just yet. That designation is under review by the Aquarium, with new results by February.

We gobble the various food sections up each Wednesday. These are our favorite tidbits from today's offerings:

SF Chronicle: Tasty homemade food gifts that are ea$y on the budget (dark, milk & white chocolate brownies, here we come!); "Gadget-holic" Stacy Finz really, really likes kitchen and cooking gadgets; and Bette's Ocean View Diner scone mix rocks da house.

SF Examiner: Gifts for your fave foodie. We think the BBQ and milk chocolate ornaments look fun, but may pass on any sips of p.i.n.k. vodka because we don't feel caffeine and vodka should ever mix. We have relatives (& their friends) who likely disagree with us on this one, but they are younger and of the male gender, and totally entitled to their (wrong) opinions. Super Chef Mario Batali is in an Amex ad, which we would have otherwise skipped had we not seen his well fed and easily recognizable mug. We want Patty Unterman's column back (!), and hope to see it next week.

Contra Costa (CoCo) Times: Weeds (not that kind of weed, silly) may be superfoods, according to a couple in Bolinas who offer classes on "wildcrafting" to "connect with nature." No, we really haven't ever dreamed of gathering acorns the way the Miwoks did, but think foragers are cool. The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis gets reviewed. Lewis, who was an African American cook that passed away this year, is thought to be important for her years of restaurant work, cookbook writing, and sway over Alice Waters and James Beard.

Oakland Tribune: The how tos of dessert wine giving and pairing are explained. Tip: pairing that dessert wine is all about considering textures, flavors and acidity. Hanukkah latkes: it's all about the oil, baby. Holiday shoppers have appetites, too.

SFist Mary Ladd contributing