Posted on 12/03/2010 3:04:32 PM PST by bsaunders
On the web site About.com, a reformed Rabbi answers a question regarding what the "right" thing to do is when wished "Merry Christmas."
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
Happy Hanukkah!
I’m lucky that the Jews I work with are wonderful guys. I always acknowledge/respect their holidays & they work on Easter & Christmas so that I can be off.
A little problem right at the start.
It’s not REFORMED........it’s REFORM
No such thing as Reformed Rabbi
That said, it may be Christmas time...but right now it’s Hannukkah.
Merry Christmas. And Happy Hanukkah.
Isn’t that the kid from “Two and a Half Men”?
No, it's just 2.5 men
I’m Catholic but will be attending a Hanukkah dinner party this weekend. I’m glad the host didn’t water it down to a ‘holiday dinner party.’
No...it’s Kevin James from ‘King of Queens’
I really don’t know what all the hoopla is. Back in the day, my Jewish cousins would have a Christmas tree and throw a Christmas/Hanukkah party for everyone. We went to synogogue with them. They’d come over to our house to spend the night on Christmas Eve and the next morning would find their gifts from Santa under our tree. No big deal. Hey, more fun, more presents and more candy!
Happy Hanukkah my friends. More than ever we Christians need our Jewish friends. We need to stick together in these trouble times. This Christian stands by you.
I heard Mark Levine humming along to a Christmas song being played as bumper music yesterday when he said, “I love Christmas music”. LOL!
NOT good article.
I'm Jewish too.
I wish plenty of people a "Happy Birthday" when it's not my birthday. Why should I not wish people a Merry Christmas?
People who wish ME a Merry Christmas, obviously are not aware, or they forget, that I am not a Christian. Big Deal. They mean well. Should I make them feel awkward? I don't think so.
And what of "Happy New Year," good Rabbi? Maybe most folks don't know but it's really the "Feast of Circumcision." Is this awkward for you too? All these people are celebrating a Jew and Jewish values. You should join them.
ML/NJ
The second half of the article, the part where Ben Stein is quoted, says much what you say. It was Ben I agreed with, as per my comment that Ben got it right and not the Rabbi.
Should we be going out for Chinese tonight, then?
Damn....we are going to a greek restaurant tonight.
I once was the only Christian working for a Jewish company of about 50. Never had any problems either way. Why someone would ever be offended by someone wishing you Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah is beyond me. I loved being included in the Jewish festivities, mainly because of my Christian heritage, and the feeling seemed to be mutual the other way as well.
As secularized as Christmas has become, it amazes me anyone would be offended.
I feel that many Christians do not have a familiarity with Jewish customs and traditions except through the readings of the Bible.
In forums, such as FR, we have a chance to learn and understand.
The question that I have always wanted to ask: How do the Jewish people view Jesus Christ, a Jewish man that has a divine nature as the son of God and who has fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament?
As many Jews became Christians and as Christians, we have a Jewish heritage, I am puzzled that God came amongst us, yet some still don't accept Jesus Christ as God
LOL
and then go hide out in a movie theater.
I love Christmas music, I love Christmas lights, I love the feeling everyone has around Christmas, why would I want to stop that? As a Jew, I don’t know any other Jew, even when I lived in New York, who wanted to deny anything Christmas...it is a small group of very loud, unhappy people who do these things.
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