Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site lsuc.UUCP Path: utzoo!lsuc!dave From: dave@lsuc.UUCP (David Sherman) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: San Francisco Menorah Controversy Message-ID: <217@lsuc.UUCP> Date: Tue, 18-Dec-84 10:54:09 EST Article-I.D.: lsuc.217 Posted: Tue Dec 18 10:54:09 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 18-Dec-84 12:17:57 EST References: <291@mhuxm.UUCP> Reply-To: dave@lsuc.UUCP (David Sherman) Distribution: net Organization: Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto Lines: 17 Even if the menorah is comparable to a creche (nativity scene), as J. Abeles suggests, I'm not sure that it would be equally "wrong" to have a large one on display. Christianity is unquestionably the dominant religion in North America, and most sects within Christianity believe in missionizing (read: converting the Jews, and others). Putting up a Jewish religious symbol such as a menorah, however, poses no "threat" to non-Jews, precisely because Jews have no interest in converting non-Jews. The purposes of the menorah, as I see it, is twofold: to remind Jews of Chanukah, that they might remember to observe it; and to announce our celebration to the world at large, that they may know of it (but not observe it). Dave Sherman -- {utzoo pesnta nrcaero utcs}!lsuc!dave {allegra decvax ihnp4 linus}!utcsrgv!lsuc!dave