Fine with me. --- the question was posed to jews. As a gentile your approval is of no more useful than that of an animal.
I have a Menorrah ornament on my tree. --- does it make you feel jewish? Christ was a Rabbi --- religious myth official rabbinic ordination (called s’mikha) had not yet been established in jesus’ day and judaism as a religion does not recognize him as a rabbi. On Nov 27, 5:35 pm, GregfromBoston <[email protected]> wrote: > Fine with me. I have a Menorrah ornament on my tree. Christ was a Rabbi > > > > > > > > On Tuesday, November 27, 2012 3:24:24 PM UTC-5, plainolamerican wrote: > > > Jewish Education and Identity > > November 25, 2012 > > By: Vicki Polin > > > Over the years with the increase of assimilation and the fact that > > Christmas has been promoted as a secular holiday, many non-practicing > > Jews and individuals from many non-Christian faiths have been > > integrating the holiday into their families traditions. > > > Recently I started asking online the question, “Do you think it is > > OKAY for people who are Jewish to have a Christmas tree in their > > home?" I was astounded by the whole array of emotionally filled > > responses I received from individuals from within every movement of > > Judaism -- including those who consider themselves to be orthodox > > through individuals who are unaffiliated. > > > “Susie Cohen” of Skokie, IL said: “For centuries Jews have been > > displaced, raped, tortured and killed for holding onto their culture, > > religion and belief system. –– For that reason alone, I would never > > bring an x-mas tree into my home". > > > Another common theme in responses was that while growing up parents > > decided to bring a Christmas tree into their homes because they didn’t > > want their children growing up feeling like they were missing out on > > something. At the same time individuals from within the same > > demographics (those from rural communities and also large cities), > > stated: “Their parents would haved drempt of bring a Christmas tree > > into their homes because they didn’t want their children to loose > > sight of what it meant to be a Jew.” > > > It was also interesting to hear from a group of people who answered > > the question by saying: “we spend far too much time worrying about > > what other Jews do in their homes, and not enough about how we do > > Judaism in our own.” > > > Rabbi Asher Lopatin, who is the spiritual leader at Anshe Sholom Bnai > > Israel Congregation in Chicago, stated that “a Christmas tree is a > > Christian symbol and, to my understanding, brings a powerful Christian > > atmosphere to any home that has one. Any Jewish home contemplating > > having a Christmas tree should be honest about how powerful this > > symbol is and whether they want the Judaism in their home - which > > might be quite subtle at times - to be overpowered by such a strong > > Christian symbol.” > > > Chicago Resident, David Blatt who considers himself to be an orthodox > > Jew says: “Why not? Asian-Americans, who are often Buddhists like my > > Japanese-American friend John, has had one for years. American Jews, > > sadly have a strong anti-Christian bias but let's be honest: Who of > > these two did a greater transgression: –– Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach who > > was busy molesting girls for years in the name of Torah -–– or Mr B, a > > 50 something single guy, who just put up a small Christmas tree in his > > studio high rise apartment?” > > > David's point when referring to Carlebach has to do the fact that we > > are all human and being so we all have done things we shouldn't do. > > Unfortunately, in our society many individuals have more issues with > > having a Christmas tree then they do about the actions of a sexual > > predator and the ramifications the crimes have on those they > > victimize. > > > Los Angeles native, Alex Asher Sears, shared “I grew up in a mixed > > faith home with a Jewish foundation but joy in celebrating the rituals > > my non-Jewish family had, too. We had a tree from the time I was about > > 10. > > > I also grew up learning that the tree was about the Solstice and that > > the fact that these holidays occur around the same time of year was to > > understand that religions probably have more in common than less. > > > I grew up understanding that all of these holidays in the way we > > celebrate them with gifts was NOT a religious thing. This is a time of > > year for reflection, celebration and doing for others. > > > What was more important was that “I learned to love the family > > gatherings that took place round the menorah and also around the tree. > > Both were important because they were our families rituals. We gave > > them the meaning we wanted them to have. > > > If I marry a man who said no tree, I wouldn't be OK with it, because > > the tree ties me to the rituals of my family. For me having a > > Christmas tree means that when my grandmother talks about Christmas > > morning as a little girl I can understand just as I do when my Bubby > > tells me stories of Passover when she was a child. And I think they > > each got great joy being able to celebrate those aspects of their > > childhoods with their grandchildren and vice versa." > > > A few personal friends who converted to Judaism, stated that they > > couldn’t imagine bringing a tree into their homes, especially for them > > the tree represented the faith they walked away from. > > > New York psychologist, Michael J. Salamon stated: “I was raised to > > believe that a tree represents a holiday that we cannot follow. > > Perhaps it is because my father, as a Holocaust survivor, saw Nazism > > as deeply rooted in Catholic anti-Semitism and therefore, symbols of > > Catholicism were just not acceptable.” > > > TammySue Margalit, who grew up in Skokie responded by saying: “HELL > > NO, not in my house, but I will not tell someone else what to do.” > > > Rabbi Zev Shandalov, a Chicago native who now resides in Israel > > believes that “the Christmas tree is one of the most well-known > > representations of the celebration of the Christian holiday. By > > introducing that symbol into one's JEWISH home, one is in fact taking > > another step towards assimilation. A Christian is free to practice his > > or her religion as seen fit. However, it must be realized that it is > > indeed THEIR religion and not ours. Bringing a Christmas tree into the > > home negates one's Judaism and Jewish roots. > > > Additionally, our religion is so rich and full of beauty and wonders! > > The Menorah is such an awesome symbol--one of light in dark times, > > faith in G-d and brings families together in warmth and love. Why does > > one feel a sense of lacking in all that we have that he need bring in > > foreign symbols? Our religion lacks nothing.” > > > Marcia Cohn Spiegel, a long time activist for Jewish women’s civil > > rights believes that “it depends on the situation. I would find it > > disturbing in my house, but in interfaith marriages it honors the > > customs of one partner (if that partner also honors Jewish customs).” > > > Danny Shaffer of Highland Park, IL responded by saying: “The truth is > > I frickin' LOVE christmas! I get the tree with my boys..we listen to > > christmas music while we decorate it, put gifts under the > > tree..cookies for santa.. watch all the christmas movies..the whole > > nine yards..it's a great AMERICAN holiday and as you know –– I’m > > seriously Jewish.” > > > Shoshana Martyniak said: “My husband isn't Jewish, and one of the > > things that I said when we were first dating was that if we were going > > to continue to date, he had to give up christmas and the tree. I > > wanted a Jewish home and part of that Jewish home is creating a safe > > space where you can be free in your Jewishness. I realize that much of > > secular non-Jewish America, including the giant gentiles families –– > > see nothing religious about Christmas. > > > As a Jew, no matter how pretty the lights are, no matter how good the > > tree smells, it is still a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ-- > > a man who is not our messiah, who, to us, is not the son of G-d, nor a > > part of our story at all. So, why would Jews celebrate his birthday? > > Especially in our own homes? > > > Over the years, I've made the concession that if we are in Wisconsin, > > we will visit my in-laws on Christmas. There are rules: 1) No > > Christmas presents for my children 2) An understanding that we are > > VISITING them and my children are sharing their holiday, just as when > > we invite non-Jewish friends to passover, but it is not our holiday, > > it’s not in my houses. > > > And yes, I do judge when it comes to this. I do think it's confusing. > > Children have enough Christianity thrown at them during this time-- > > their houses should be safe. There needs to be a line.” > > > Rabbi David Gruber, a native of Evanston, IL –– stated that “like most > > things in life, a one size fits all approach is seldom helpful. A > > Christmas Tree is not something that has meaning for me, personally. > > It would, therefore, not serve any constructive function in my home. > > However, there may be families, where this may have personal meaning. > > I see no harm in those families having a tree.” > > > Sara Hawkins said that "for many years I put up a Christmas tree. My > > best friend and college roommate celebrated Christmas so we decorated > > for both Hanukkah and Christmas. Life went on, we graduated, moved > > away and then eventually ended up in the same city, she in her > > apartment, my husband and I in our house. > > > Since we had the larger place we'd invite my best friend to come over > > (and others who would be alone) on Christmas. > > > One year I decided to put up a tree for her on Christmas Eve so she'd > > have a familiar experience. It wasn't about me or my beliefs. I did > > that for about 10 years and many of my Jewish friends thought it was > > great while others chided me for being a horrible person for bringing > > a Christian relic into my home. > > > What I do in my home in a loving appreciation of my friends and family > > is not for anyone to judge me negatively, but people will (and do). > > > Do I think Jewish people should put up a Christmas tree? Sure, if that > > ... > > read more » -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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