Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site aecom.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!philabs!aecom!teitz From: teitz@aecom.UUCP (Eliyahu Teitz) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: Re: Christmas {report} card Message-ID: <1014@aecom.UUCP> Date: Thu, 13-Dec-84 10:23:57 EST Article-I.D.: aecom.1014 Posted: Thu Dec 13 10:23:57 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 16-Dec-84 05:07:05 EST References: <2028@nsc.UUCP> <2031@nsc.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY Lines: 46 > > Chuqui has inadvertantly brought up > a problem to those of us who are not Christian, particularly those > of us who are Jewish. Christmas and Jews. > >Being brought up in the Judeo-Christian ethic, Christmas has always been a > >very important time in my life.> Christmas is not Jewish, has no roots in Judaism and is > not related to any Jewish holiday. Every year I am somewhat disturbed by > otherwise caring and thinking people assuming that Jews celebrate Christmas. > If you are Christian, do not assume that your Jewish friends celebrate > Christmas! Do not wish us a Merry Christmas! You can wish Jews a Happy > Chanuka since that runs from Dec 18(evening) to Dec 26(day). Be aware > that Chanuka is not an important holiday however. It is only a very minor > holiday and is often not celebrated in Israel. I agree to most of what you say. I don't know why you consider Channuka a minor holiday. It does not have the same status as a Torah commanded holiday, but it is not minor. Also, bringing proofs from Israel isn't valid. After all, they celebrate Independence Day there and I do not consider it a holiday in any sense of the word. > This does not mean that I or most Jews mind being invited to > Christmas parties. I am willing to join Christian friends in celebrating > their holidays just as I often invite Christian friends to celebrate mine. Here I must disagree. Please do not speak for other Jews. If you don't mind attending christmas parties, that's your choice. I personally don't want to be invited the same as I prefer not being wished a merry christmas or even season's greetings. My religion is not their's and the sooner they realize it the better for us all. I would explain that I do not celebrate their holidays and decline but I would prefer if they realized that I do not celebrate as they do. > So don't buy Jewish friends Christmas presents or send us > Christmas cards. Remember people are all different and this time of > year means something very different to Jews and Christians. > > Jay Zelitzky > {ihnp4,hplabs,decwrl}!nsc!myunive To this I also agree. The sooner our christian neighbors realize that there are other people with different beliefs, the sooner we will see peaceful coexistence. Eliyahu Teitz.