-Caveat Lector-
"Rabbis view Christian festivities in Israel as a threat to the Jewish
foundations of the state. They are claiming that even Christmas trees
'defile Judaism.'
"An Israeli sociologist explains: 'For many Jews, Christianity is
associated with anti-Semitism and persecution. Why, then, should they
tolerate its customs?'
"'If Christians wish to celebrate, they may do so -- in private,' the
Chief Rabbinate has said. 'Events in public places must preserve Jewish
characteristics.'
"It is now rumored among Vatican officials that Pope John Paul II will
cancel his Year 2000 pilgrimage to the Holy Land because of racial tensions
..."
Israel Rabbis, Christians End Feud
By DINA KRAFT
.c The Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) - A compromise between Israel's rabbis and the tourism
industry will allow Christian revelers to carol for Christmas and to ring in
the millennium - but in muted tones that will preserve the Jewish character
of Holy Land hostelries.
The agreement reached Monday ended a battle between rabbis who claimed
Christmas and New Year festivities threaten the Jewish foundations of the
state, and tour leaders, who worried that a ban would further dampen
millennium plans already beleaguered by a lack of organization and sectarian
tensions.
``Christian celebrants may celebrate and run their festivities in closed-off
hotel halls,'' the Chief Rabbinate said in a statement, adding that public
places would preserve a Jewish character.
Most municipal rabbinates keep their supervision of kashrut - the preparation
of food according to Jewish law - confined to the kitchen, but a few,
including those in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, say any in-house violation of
Jewish tradition taints the food operation.
That meant end-of-millennium plans for Christmas and New Year celebrations
were out of the question, both cities' rabbinates said.
Tourism industry leaders were outraged, especially after the state launched
an ad campaign beckoning pilgrims to celebrate Jesus' 2000th birthday in
``The Place Where It All Began.''
Israel, which usually attracts 2 million tourists a year, has already dropped
its 2000 expectations from 4 million to 3 million.
A lack of coordination with Palestinian authorities has left some key areas -
including the border between Bethlehem and Jerusalem - in disarray, and
Vatican officials have suggested that Pope John Paul II may cancel a 2000
pilgrimage because of Muslim-Christian tensions in Nazareth, the city of
Jesus' boyhood.
Hotels do not require a kashrut certificate to operate in Israel, and most
establishments in traditionally Arab east Jerusalem do without. But the
absence of a certificate can cost hotels the business of religiously
observant Jews - and the weddings, bar mitzvahs and circumcision rituals that
make up the bulk of the catering business.
No bacon for breakfast is not usually a problem for Christian visitors, but
the ban on millennium festivities forced hotels to choose between two
lucrative markets.
Most opted to go kosher, leading travel agents to appeal to the powerful
finance committee of Israel's parliament.
``What does a fir tree have to do with Kashrut?'' committee chairman Avraham
Poraz asked rabbis last week.
Their response: the trees would defile Judaism and undermine Israel's Jewish
character.
Centuries of persecution have engendered a deep-seated wariness of Christian
celebration among many Jews, said sociologist Menachem Friedman.
``It's more of a psychological feeling,'' he said. ``They see the history (of
persecution) before their eyes and ask why they should give it any place of
respect.''
With tempers flaring, Israel's Chief Rabbinate - an umbrella body for the
municipal rabbis - stepped in, sensing that the bad publicity could
exacerbate already overwrought secular-religious tensions.
This week, it brokered an agreement. ``It should be emphasized that there was
agreement and understanding among all present,'' its statement said.
Not quite, said travel agents.
Danny Dassa said he lost a group of 3,000 American pilgrims after organizers
heard that their merrymaking would take place on the sly.
``Tourism could be the No. 1 industry in the country if the rabbinate did not
have to ruin things with their interference,'' said Dassa. Others worried
pilgrims would be lost to the Palestinian areas.
Rabbi Shmuel Borstein, the Jerusalem rabbi who banned Christmas trees in
September, said he was happy with a compromise that keeps the tinsel from
dazzling Israelis.
``We have no problem with the Christians coming,'' he said. ``They are not
bringing their holiday to conquer us. The problem is with the Jews who want
to celebrate.''
Israeli Hotel Association spokesman Gilad Nashum said he could live with the
deal.
``In the tourism business, we are not allowed to be pessimistic or waste time
waging wars,'' Nashum said. ``We have to concentrate on the most important
thing, which is to facilitate a great experience on New Year's Eve.''
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