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bhg~</p>
<p>I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that being a religious minority was very difficult for my kids or me or that I had any objections to the Christmas activities in which my children have taken part. Neither of those is true. The antiSemitic behavior of some at my children’s high school is another story, but that is an entirely different issue. I grew up a rabbi’s daughter in the bible belt, so I am rather accustomed to being the minority! :)</p>
<p>~berurah</p>
<p>I was referring to the “it’s all good” segment of your post. ;)</p>
<p>Backhandgrip, I agree with you. No real self respecting Jewish family would put a Christmas tree in thier home. You must note, a Christmas tree and a tree for decoration are two very different things. The former represents Chrisitianity and an adherence to it. That tree celebrates a Christian holiday, and in affect those Jews who put up a Christmas tree reject the teachings of Judaism. The latter however, a tree for decoration is just that- a tree that stands in the corner and compliments the room.</p>
<p>It just like no self respecting Christian fasts on Yom Kippur or keeps the Jewish Sabbath.</p>
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<p>Wow. You really seem upset . What do you suggest? Stoning or can they be rehabilitated?</p>
<p>Nope. I suggest that Jews do not put up Christmas trees. Having said that, Jews can do whatever they want. I merely am telling them what the religion means. They can prance naked during christmas time for all i care.</p>
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Wow. I bet that took a long time to learn. Some scholars spend their whole life answering just one part of the questions of their religion. </p>
<p>BTW, I doubt seriously that many Jewish families have The Virgin Mary ornament hanging on their tree. It’s more of a Holiday Tree.</p>
<p>No, I actually doubt many Jews in the first place have any kind of tree to commemorate Christian holidays. This is the first time I have ever heard of American Jews putting Christmas trees up unless there is a parent who is Christian. In fact, I have a feeling that there may be 0 Jewish families with no christian parents or children that put up a tree.</p>
<p>And Curmudgeon, I did not have to spend my who life answering that question on Judaism because as you mention some scholars already have and I got the answer from them.</p>
<p>I know lots of families who are mixed- true not many of the familys who are only Jewish put up trees- but others do.
We have been spending winter holidays away from our extended families for 18 years( at the same lodge)- but have adopted a new set of friends to spend it with.
We have xmas trees with lights ( outside) we have xmas stockings and presents in our room & we have Chanukah candles and prayers out in the snow
it is really beautiful 
( and santa brings us presents in the morning!)</p>
<p>I don’t think you have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas, just like you don’t have to be Irish to Celebrate St patricks Day or Mexican to celebrate Cinco de Mayo or Pagan to celebrate Halloween or New Years Day</p>
<p>Fresin, I found you posts refreshing, thought-provoking, even…soothing in tone. I couldn’t care less if you changed your user name. It’s your prerogative. Please, don’t stop posting. Your perspective is an valid as any other, especially when put forth with such respect and intelligence.</p>
<p>ek4, it’s much the same at my house. Our best friends are Jewish and their only child S is like a brother to my only child D. Those 2 have shared many Chanukahs and many Christmases. We just blend them together and everybody sings the songs. Never been a problem. My German wife has been a dues paying member of Hadassah (she gets the magazine anyway) for twenty years, and has served on several (non-religious) committees. (BTW, she’s also a longtime member of our local African American Chamber of Commerce and has served twice as secretary.)</p>
<p>I think golani’s use of the term “self-respecting” was, umm… unfortunate. I honestly don’t know enough about the practices of the more orthodox Jewish congregations. Perhaps sharing other religious traditions is taboo. I really don’t know. I do know that Jews around here are mixed in their practices of “celebrating” Christmas. Some kind of cave in because the secular gift-giving frenzy of Christmas is sure appealing to kids & they don’t want their own to feel deprived. These are usually not the observant Jews, though.</p>
<p>I do know that my own Roman Catholic parish celebrates a Passover Seder, and I’m pretty sure it falls during the end of Lent. So golani is not correct that self-respecting Christians would not do so. Our pastor is leading it with a local rabi. It’s fairly common among even the most conservative Catholic parishes to do so. Catholics are big on the eccumenical approach, especially as we consider the Jews our faith forefathers. Father Abraham had many sons…I am one of them and so are you…as the song goes.</p>
<p>It just occured to me that every time a Catholic attends Mass he might be considered to be celebrating the Passover Seder because he is reliving the Last Supper, right? No religious scholar here. Just a thought from a layman.</p>
<p>Its very important to take note of small nuances and subtelties when discussing religion. There is a huge difference between “sharing religious traditions” or “having children of different religions play together” and taking another religions, religious observance and observing it yourself in your own home with your own family. Maybe I was a little misleading in my diction and explanations. So I will try to clarify. My stance here will be soley from a Jewish standpoint because as a Jew I cannot speak for other religions on such matters. There is no problem for a chirstian and a Jew to interact, to share ideas, to invite eachother to dinners that commemorate the Jewish sabbath, every friday night, or christmas dinner on dec 24. There is also no problem with singing songs or playing games. However, as a Jew, I feel the problem starts when the Jew, remember I cannot speak for a christians, starts taking and adapting the religious practices of another religion. For example. having a Christmas tree in your home, not as part of a some kind of holiday block party, but as part of your own faith. Likewise it would be wrong to pray CERTAIN christian prayers, although it would also be wrong to disrespect these prayers by disturbing them or not acting properly while they go on. Likewise, in my house we have had many non Jews celebrate sabbath with us on friday nights and never have we forced them to put on a kippah, or say any of the prayers. Some have chosen to do so on their own others have not and either way it is not a problem for me. But to take aside religious reasons for what I just said, lets look at some social ones. Jews have been around for a long time. Longer than they should have been. Constantly there have been attempts to wipe out the Jewish race and they have failed. Again with religious reasons like the help of God aside, I ascribe the surviaval of the Jews to the their religious texts and practices. By adapting other religious practices or texts or whatnot, the Jews in effect are killing their own identity. That is one of the reason I feal inter-religious marriage for Jews is such a problem.</p>
<p>As for your Catholic parsish celebrating passover, I am not gonna lie, I have no idea what to tell you. It seems kind of pointless to me. Just in case we are talking about the passover that Jews celebrate right?</p>
<p>golani, I’m not going to post anymore because I’m really not qualified. I’ll just answer your last question about Passover & Catholics in my layman’s clumsy way. Catholics believe it was at the Last Seder (we call it Supper) where Jesus established the Eucharist as a sacrament. At every Mass, the Catholic priest renenacts this Last Supper, where Jesus turned bread & wine into His body & blood. We believe this is not symbolic, but that this actually occurs (transubstantiation.) This part of our Mass is called the Liturgy of the Eucharist. By having a community celebration of a Passover Seder during Easter season, we are acknowledging the roots of our faith and connecting the current Mass to the life of Jesus. He is our Messiah. I believe you are still waiting for yours. This in no way weakens the Catholic religion because our faith is a continuation of yours. Of course some practices have evolved & have been adapted. </p>
<p>I agree with you that sharing candy canes (symbol of Jesus — turn it upside down) or spinning dreidels with friends of other faiths is just being a good neighbor. And if you don’t have a strong grasp & foundation in your own faith, it can all appear as a great big feel-good jumble. And that can be especially distressing to a Jew, given their long history of persecution. Of course your faith has been critical to your survival. But the Catholic Seder tradition is really not far-fetched, nor is its purpose to water down the faith.</p>
<p>More knowledgable posters are invited to correct any errors in this post. I’ve surely made a few.</p>
<p>hm I am still confused why you would celebrate the Jewish passover because that has nothing to do with Jesus, but about the exodus of jews from egypt. I am not attacking this tradition of this parish it just confuses me since I see no purpose. They obviously have a rite to do it and i dont want to take it for them. Its just that Passover has nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity.</p>
<p>O.K. I will post once more to clear it up. At the Last Supper, Jesus was celebrating a Passover Seder. He was a Jew, remember?</p>
<p>It’s not just done at my parish. It’s fairly widespread.</p>
<p>O. Now I see. So then this has nothing to do with a welding of christianity and judaism, but is simply a catholic custom? and how is done are all the prayers and laws and traditions of passover absorved, is everything said in hebrew and aramaic as the jews do?</p>
<p>I’ve never attended. Just talking about it is making me curious, so maybe this year I can find the time. I doubt it would be in Hebrew or Aramaic, because then very few Catholics would have any understanding of the service. It’s really not a custom. I don’t actually know how long this has been done. Its purpose is to give a more thorough understanding of the foundation of our Eucharist celebration. As far as “welding” the faiths…I think they are already welded. Catholicism branched off from Judaism & both faiths use the Old Testament.</p>
<p>By welding I meant more of an “artificial” politically correct-lets understand other religions- type welding, if you understand what i am trying to say now</p>
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<p>Sixteen years of Catholic education taught me that Jesus did not come to convert Jews or anyone else to Christianity. but rather to extend the Convenient between God and the Jews to all of mankind. </p>
<p>All Christians are “new Jews”. And what’s so bad about that? </p>
<p>Bonus Ques:<br>
Name the legalistic loophole God used so as to not violate the Convenient.
(no help from the audience please)</p>