I personally have no desire to partake in anything that is attached to Christmas. I’m not against it for Christians - I just see it as a meaningless, historically inaccurate holiday that supposedly celebrates a Jew( although no one wants to admit it). And especially now I find it hypocritical when most of the people celebrating it during “university break” are pro- Palestinian retards. Sorry to be a sourpuss- but the hypocrisy is overwhelming. Great article though- as usual!
We did Chinese food from the frozen aisle at the supermarket. We call it "Jewish Christmas."
It is not easy to explain to a child why the holiday with all the pretty lights, presents and fun is not yours but you do it and your child is better off for it. BTW explaining to them about Hanukkah and what it actually means not just the dreidel song, but the actual underlying meaning of Hanukkah makes it rather easy not to celebrate Christmas.
But it also doesn't mean that you completely ignore the Xmas holiday-
Once when my son was 7 i got him a christmas tree shaped cookie. Harmless. Fun. Allowing him to be part of the wider culture.
I told him but all he heard was christmas tree
"You got us a christmas tree!"
"No I got you a cooke shaped like a christmas tree."
Then without skipping a beat he said, "well I can have a christmas tree since I am half Christian."
"No you are not." I immediately said (Both of my husband and myself are Jewish all the way back to Avraham Aveinu)
He then sulked since his trick didn't work, but he happily ate the cookie.
He's in his 30s now and quite proudly Jewish.
Wait so apartheid Israel has Christmas trees, and Christmas markets throughout the country, and the christian community is one of the more accomplished and only growing one in the entire MENA. Hmmmm.....
Doesn't bother me at all that the biggest holiday around much of the world is in honor of Rabbi Jesus, who was an observant Jew crucified by gentiles (Romans) along with hundreds if not thousands of other Jews crucified by Rome. I enjoy looking at the brightly colored trees, all the lights, and the sense of good cheer. I don't mind when folk who don't know me greet me with a "Merry Christmas," they mean well. I don't wear a yarmulke so not clearly Jewish. My Christian friends wish me "Happy Hanukkah" or "Happy Holidays." We never had a tree in my house, not growing up, not while my kids were growing up, and not now. But the trees are lovely and cheerful. I keep my window menorah glowing with all nine lights after the 8th night of Hanukkah, and don't take it down until my neighbors take down their Christmas displays. Where all my Jews at?? We should all keep those candles lit. Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah!
As we celebrate our festival of lights, for the past 40 years, I hang blue, white and yellow lights outside our various US homes ( we've moved around a bunch of times). We decorate inside the homes throughout the years with blue and white lights, blue and silver garlands, and hanging Chanukah cardboard images. The lights also help me with SAD ( Seasonal Affective Disorder) - to come home on an early dark day to welcoming and comforting lights that have always reminded me that we can openly celebrate our festival of lights holiday of religious freedom and recommitment to the one God ( and not to a bunch of statued gods).. We also always light our hanukkiahs at our dining table in front of our large front window. BTW for dinner on 12/24, we enjoyed delish Chinese food while watching the hysterical movie, The Grinch.
This year was even more poignant to do all of this with the Bondi Beach massacre of Jews and so many other anti-semitic crimes worldwide.
Chanukah should be explained to non Jews as a religious freedom holiday because even the Christians ( whose roots do include this holiday and the Maccabeen story) are losing their religious freedoms horribly in Africa and have been for a long time in Muslim majority countries, and when many of the traditional European Christmas markets have been overrun in the last few years by Muslims and protesting pro-pal thugs.
Thank you for a wonderfully written reminder of the reality for many of us. Personally I'm happy in Israel where the day is not really noticed by most of us. I would be uncomfortable figuring out how to manage it in a Christian country.
I personally have no desire to partake in anything that is attached to Christmas. I’m not against it for Christians - I just see it as a meaningless, historically inaccurate holiday that supposedly celebrates a Jew( although no one wants to admit it). And especially now I find it hypocritical when most of the people celebrating it during “university break” are pro- Palestinian retards. Sorry to be a sourpuss- but the hypocrisy is overwhelming. Great article though- as usual!
We did Chinese food from the frozen aisle at the supermarket. We call it "Jewish Christmas."
It is not easy to explain to a child why the holiday with all the pretty lights, presents and fun is not yours but you do it and your child is better off for it. BTW explaining to them about Hanukkah and what it actually means not just the dreidel song, but the actual underlying meaning of Hanukkah makes it rather easy not to celebrate Christmas.
But it also doesn't mean that you completely ignore the Xmas holiday-
Once when my son was 7 i got him a christmas tree shaped cookie. Harmless. Fun. Allowing him to be part of the wider culture.
I told him but all he heard was christmas tree
"You got us a christmas tree!"
"No I got you a cooke shaped like a christmas tree."
Then without skipping a beat he said, "well I can have a christmas tree since I am half Christian."
"No you are not." I immediately said (Both of my husband and myself are Jewish all the way back to Avraham Aveinu)
He then sulked since his trick didn't work, but he happily ate the cookie.
He's in his 30s now and quite proudly Jewish.
Wait so apartheid Israel has Christmas trees, and Christmas markets throughout the country, and the christian community is one of the more accomplished and only growing one in the entire MENA. Hmmmm.....
Doesn't bother me at all that the biggest holiday around much of the world is in honor of Rabbi Jesus, who was an observant Jew crucified by gentiles (Romans) along with hundreds if not thousands of other Jews crucified by Rome. I enjoy looking at the brightly colored trees, all the lights, and the sense of good cheer. I don't mind when folk who don't know me greet me with a "Merry Christmas," they mean well. I don't wear a yarmulke so not clearly Jewish. My Christian friends wish me "Happy Hanukkah" or "Happy Holidays." We never had a tree in my house, not growing up, not while my kids were growing up, and not now. But the trees are lovely and cheerful. I keep my window menorah glowing with all nine lights after the 8th night of Hanukkah, and don't take it down until my neighbors take down their Christmas displays. Where all my Jews at?? We should all keep those candles lit. Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah!
Shalom to y’all!
As we celebrate our festival of lights, for the past 40 years, I hang blue, white and yellow lights outside our various US homes ( we've moved around a bunch of times). We decorate inside the homes throughout the years with blue and white lights, blue and silver garlands, and hanging Chanukah cardboard images. The lights also help me with SAD ( Seasonal Affective Disorder) - to come home on an early dark day to welcoming and comforting lights that have always reminded me that we can openly celebrate our festival of lights holiday of religious freedom and recommitment to the one God ( and not to a bunch of statued gods).. We also always light our hanukkiahs at our dining table in front of our large front window. BTW for dinner on 12/24, we enjoyed delish Chinese food while watching the hysterical movie, The Grinch.
This year was even more poignant to do all of this with the Bondi Beach massacre of Jews and so many other anti-semitic crimes worldwide.
Chanukah should be explained to non Jews as a religious freedom holiday because even the Christians ( whose roots do include this holiday and the Maccabeen story) are losing their religious freedoms horribly in Africa and have been for a long time in Muslim majority countries, and when many of the traditional European Christmas markets have been overrun in the last few years by Muslims and protesting pro-pal thugs.
Absolutely beautiful. 😍😍❣️
Great ending!!!
Thank you for a wonderfully written reminder of the reality for many of us. Personally I'm happy in Israel where the day is not really noticed by most of us. I would be uncomfortable figuring out how to manage it in a Christian country.
josh-podcast?