SUMMARY: Disappearing dreidels, reappearing dreidels, strange blue powder with unidentified genetic material, plus 2 good looking Rabbis - sounds like a job for Torchwood!

Pictures of the dreidels stolen from the collectors house may be found at: http:/ /artwork_avivb. livejournal. com.5158 .html (remove the spaces)

8 short chapters so you can enjoy all of Chanukah with the Torchwood Team.

Comments are the best Chanukah presents ever!

In the meantime, Ianto and Tosh had contacted the Cardiff Reform Synagogue. They called and spoke to their junior Rabbi who said that he hadn't heard about any break-ins or other suspicious activities from his members. "Our dreidels are coming this evening, actually. We also have a community party during Chanukah, but since the holiday is eight days long, we've decided to do it on the fourth night since it will be Sunday and more people will be able to attend.

Ianto and Tosh asked if they could stop by the Synagogue and speak personally to the Senior Rabbi. An appointment was made for later in the afternoon.

Gwen had been busy as well. She had reviewed all the police reports for thefts and break-ins in Cardiff and outlying areas and found two more suspicious reports, both from Swansea. One report didn't pan out. A gift shop had been robbed, but when she checked further, it was a classic robbery, till emptied, vandalism, valuable gold and silver jewelry missing.

The second theft was of some unidentified glass knickknacks being taken from a home. When she contacted the homeowner, she learned that yes, they were dreidels. Nothing fancy, just ornamental. "I have a fondness for blown glass, and I've collected small paperweights for a number of years," the gentleman answered. "I discovered glass dreidels a few years ago, and have fallen in love with them. And I'm not even Jewish," he added sheepishly.

'Now that's interesting,' thought Gwen. 'He's not Jewish, so maybe this isn't an attack on the Jewish community.' She frowned, 'but then what is it, someone with a dreidel fetish?' She arranged to stop by the house in the afternoon and see where the robbery took place and review the events with him.

At 2 PM they gathered in the conference room to share what they had learned. Gwen was going to head over to Swansea following the meeting while Ianto and Tosh were going to go over to the Reform Synagogue. Owen hadn't identified any toxins but did get a positive for non-human genetic material.

Jack decided that he would go with Ianto to the synagogue and asked Tosh to stay behind and monitor the rift as well as check to see if any rift spikes corresponded to the dreidel disappearances. They agreed to meet back at the Hub around dinner time.

As they drove to the synagogue, Jack told Ianto about the Orthodox rabbi. "He knew all about Torchwood, I mean really knew all about Torchwood."

Ianto wasn't surprised. "Jack, everyone knows about Torchwood."

"But he was so casual about it." Jack mused, "I almost expected him to start talking about weevils."

Ianto was very curious about the Rabbi. "So did he have one of those long black coats, and a hat, and the ear locks?"

Jack looked at him like he was demented. "What are you talking about? He looked like anyone else…in fact he was pretty hot, actually."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "No really, Ianto. He's probably in his late forties, a tad shorter than me, slender, nicely dressed in a wool jumper, and dress slacks, big brown eyes, long, long, incredibly long eyelashes…not that I was checking him out or anything."

Ianto snorted. "That's an Orthodox Rabbi you're talking about. I don't think his congregation would be too happy if he was fooling around with anyone, let alone a man. And before you start with your 'oh you people are so quaint' speech, remember he in the business of preserving traditions, not breaking them."

"You are no fun Ianto. Really. Why I remember this one Dragordian Minister….."

"No Jack, hell no, I don't want to hear about you and a man of the cloth."

Jack pouted.

They pulled into the parking lot of the Reform Synagogue and went into the building. There were parents dropping children off for after-school programs and the hallways were filled with kids heading every direction. A couple of middle-school boys were roughhousing in the hallway. A blond woman of about forty came out from an office and gently scolded the boys. She was tall and willowy, wearing a navy skirt and light blue sweater set. She walked over to them with a curious look on her face.

"Gentlemen, may I help you?"

"Yes, we're here from Torchwood to see Rabbi Robbi Brown. Is he available?"

She looked at them amused and bit her lower lip. Ianto thought she was stunning.

"Actually, I'm Rabbi Brown, that would be Roberta, but everyone calls me Robbi. Let's go into my office and talk about this dreidel mystery." She had slight accent, not Welsh that Ianto couldn't place.

As she turned around to lead them into her office, Ianto saw Jack admiring her legs. He gave him his sternest 'don't even think about it' look.

Her office looked like a typical professor's office. There were papers all over her desk and two walls were covered with book cases. Ianto could see that some of the books were in English while others were in what he thought was Hebrew.

"I heard from Rabbi Katz this afternoon about the dreidels being stolen and then returned." My congregants will probably hear about it shortly if they haven't already. I don't know if I can help you, as our Junior Rabbi told you we haven't had any reports of thefts. I will, of course put out an email to our members and ask that if anyone has had a dreidel stolen to contact the Cardiff Police."

"That would be very helpful," Ianto replied. "And if you could ask them to ask for P.C. Davidson that will help us to get the information quickly."

"Mr. Wolman, a member here drove to London first thing this morning to pick up our Chanukah party goods and will return this evening. In addition to individual purchases, he's picking up several hundred big plastic dreidels that will be filled with candy for the Chanukah party."

An idea was forming in Ianto's mind. "It seems as if these thieves are targeting known sources of dreidels. We've just found out that one small collection was stolen in Swansea from a glass collector who isn't even Jewish. I wonder if we could use your Chanukah delivery later tonight as bait."

"How so?" Rabbi Robbi asked.

"Well maybe we could put up a sign by the synagogue advertising your Chanukah party and the candy-filled dreidels you will have. Along with something like, 'wonderful dreidels are arriving on Wednesday,' yes I know that's today."

"I could probably get some of the younger children to do that now. But if someone shows up, what are you going to do?"

"With your permission, we'd like to stake out the synagogue with our team. If someone gains entry tonight, we'll nab them."

The Rabbi seemed concerned about this idea. "I have two reservations, gentlemen. First, guns are forbidden in our house of worship. Now, if it's for protection of a human life, it would be permitted, but that means you can only discharge a weapon if someone's life is in imminent danger. So you will need to promise to let someone escape rather than shoot them as long as they are not threatening anyone. My second concern is that I would need to stay here with you. Not that that's a problem, my husband is used to emergencies keeping me away from home. But if aliens show up don't you even think about giving me one of your little memory eraser pills afterwards. Retcon, I think you call it."

Jack and Ianto looked at each gob-smacked.

Rabbi Robbi laughed at their confusion. "I guess I should explain. Before I was a Rabbi, I was in military intelligence. Israeli military intelligence. So, I'm quite aware of Retcon and its effects."

Ianto stared at her. "You were in Mossad?"

"That's right, and I'm a darn good shot too. So I'll be armed as well. That is, of course, assuming that you are agreeable to my conditions.