Is anyone else here Jewish and celebrate Christmas?

[Anonymous]

So we celebrate Christmas, but we’re an interfaith family. DH and I were raised Jewish, but one side of each of our families is Catholic. Religion is primarily a cultural/family history thing for us, so celebrating Christmas is about connecting with our family’s culture. Plus it’s fun.

I guess it’s not technically inconsistent with Judaism to celebrate Christmas, though. Jews see Jesus as a prophet, just not the son of God and the Savior, so celebrating his birthday seems fine to me. Celebrating Easter would be a little weird, IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So we celebrate Christmas, but we’re an interfaith family. DH and I were raised Jewish, but one side of each of our families is Catholic. Religion is primarily a cultural/family history thing for us, so celebrating Christmas is about connecting with our family’s culture. Plus it’s fun.

I guess it’s not technically inconsistent with Judaism to celebrate Christmas, though. Jews see Jesus as a prophet, just not the son of God and the Savior, so celebrating his birthday seems fine to me. Celebrating Easter would be a little weird, IMO.

Jews DO NOT see Jesus as a prophet ! Muslims do, but Jews do not.

Jews have no religious relationship with Jesus at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So we celebrate Christmas, but we’re an interfaith family. DH and I were raised Jewish, but one side of each of our families is Catholic. Religion is primarily a cultural/family history thing for us, so celebrating Christmas is about connecting with our family’s culture. Plus it’s fun.

I guess it’s not technically inconsistent with Judaism to celebrate Christmas, though. Jews see Jesus as a prophet, just not the son of God and the Savior, so celebrating his birthday seems fine to me. Celebrating Easter would be a little weird, IMO.

Jews DO NOT see Jesus as a prophet ! Muslims do, but Jews do not.

Jews have no religious relationship with Jesus at all.

This is correct. Jews can have any view of Jesus any secular person would have. I know some who read the non miracle parts of the NT as history, and so consider him a "great rabbi" (based on NT statements of his knowledge). Some traditional Jews take more seriously the parts of NT where he seems to disrespect the rabbis of his time, and in turn refer to him disrespectfully. But most modern Jews follow secular scholars in treating the NT as an unreliable source, and consider our certainty about the "historical Jesus" limited.

But Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were the last prophets in Judaism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, thank you for this thread. We just moved to this country, and my kid just went to middle school here. First day she comes back and tells us that when her science teacher announced that in the end of the year they are going to build a ginger bread house as a science project. Immediately, the girl who was siting next to my daughter turned to her and told her that because she is Jewish, my daughter has to build a ginger bread house for her.

We all were so confused at home and laughed very hard. We are not Americans. We are Christians who celebrate Christmas. But we had no clue what is a ginger bread house, what does it has to do with Christianity or Judaism. I honestly think that the little Jewish girl is so confused (and perhaps has parents who are clueless).

Reading this thread helps me to understand the mentality of American jewish

There is no “mentality of the American Jewish.” Jews who have roots all over the world, in many denominations, live all over the US. In fact, I live in a small town with one synagogue in our whole region, with Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and humanist members, and we’re having trouble with our rabbi search because many of us don’t agree with what we need for our congregation as Jews.

Please don’t let one snotty comment from a child lead you to those beliefs about all American Jews.

How do you even know the girl said that? This is 2nd hand, from a child whose first language who may not even be English, to a parent whose first language is not English. I seriously doubt the Jewish girl instructed PP's daughter to make a gingerbread house for her. More likely she just said that she wouldn't be doing it. As she should -- a gingerbread house is a traditional Christmas craft. Yes, it can be secular, but a Jewish family is perfectly within their rights to decline to do traditional Christmas crafts IN SCHOOL.

I know it from my child, that I clearly posted in my message. English is her native language, along with few others. You don't know my child, you don't know the Jewish girl, but you chose to accuse my child of lying or misinterpreting information. The girl didn't just said that she cannot do it, but clearly said that my daughter has to do it for her. We are not talking about 2nd grade children, we are talking about kids who are 12-13 years old, who can understand perfectly what has been said.

I found it funny because there is nothing in Christianity about gingerbread house, so no, I don't consider it Christmas tradition at all. Maybe it is a secular tradition in some countries like Germany, but it is not a Christian tradition. We are Christian family and we never ever made a ginerbread house at all.

I never said that the particular Jewish family was wrong in declining anything (they can decline any courses offered by public school, it is not my business). I think they are confused about Christian traditions. And the proper course of action for the Jewish girl would be to discuss it with the school administration, not with the other students. The girl and her parent received the school curriculum for each subject that they had to sign. If the parent don't agree with some aspects of the curriculum, they should contact a teacher or a counselor at school to discuss their issues with the ginerbread house.

Oh shove it lady. You don't know or care anything about American Jews and yet are on here lecturing.

Thank you, Lady. You are very kind. I am learning a lot about American Jews from this thread indeed

You're forming prejudices about Jewish people based on anonymous internet postings? That's ... not great.

Why not? People are more honest when they speak anonymously. There are a lot of Jewish who spoke up at this thread. Why I cannot form my opinion on them based on what they have said?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, thank you for this thread. We just moved to this country, and my kid just went to middle school here. First day she comes back and tells us that when her science teacher announced that in the end of the year they are going to build a ginger bread house as a science project. Immediately, the girl who was siting next to my daughter turned to her and told her that because she is Jewish, my daughter has to build a ginger bread house for her.

We all were so confused at home and laughed very hard. We are not Americans. We are Christians who celebrate Christmas. But we had no clue what is a ginger bread house, what does it has to do with Christianity or Judaism. I honestly think that the little Jewish girl is so confused (and perhaps has parents who are clueless).

Reading this thread helps me to understand the mentality of American jewish

There is no “mentality of the American Jewish.” Jews who have roots all over the world, in many denominations, live all over the US. In fact, I live in a small town with one synagogue in our whole region, with Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and humanist members, and we’re having trouble with our rabbi search because many of us don’t agree with what we need for our congregation as Jews.

Please don’t let one snotty comment from a child lead you to those beliefs about all American Jews.

How do you even know the girl said that? This is 2nd hand, from a child whose first language who may not even be English, to a parent whose first language is not English. I seriously doubt the Jewish girl instructed PP's daughter to make a gingerbread house for her. More likely she just said that she wouldn't be doing it. As she should -- a gingerbread house is a traditional Christmas craft. Yes, it can be secular, but a Jewish family is perfectly within their rights to decline to do traditional Christmas crafts IN SCHOOL.

I know it from my child, that I clearly posted in my message. English is her native language, along with few others. You don't know my child, you don't know the Jewish girl, but you chose to accuse my child of lying or misinterpreting information. The girl didn't just said that she cannot do it, but clearly said that my daughter has to do it for her. We are not talking about 2nd grade children, we are talking about kids who are 12-13 years old, who can understand perfectly what has been said.

I found it funny because there is nothing in Christianity about gingerbread house, so no, I don't consider it Christmas tradition at all. Maybe it is a secular tradition in some countries like Germany, but it is not a Christian tradition. We are Christian family and we never ever made a ginerbread house at all.

I never said that the particular Jewish family was wrong in declining anything (they can decline any courses offered by public school, it is not my business). I think they are confused about Christian traditions. And the proper course of action for the Jewish girl would be to discuss it with the school administration, not with the other students. The girl and her parent received the school curriculum for each subject that they had to sign. If the parent don't agree with some aspects of the curriculum, they should contact a teacher or a counselor at school to discuss their issues with the ginerbread house.

Gingerbread houses might not be Christian, but they are part of the Christmas celebration. Santa is also secular, but I sure don’t want my Jewish child doing any school projects that involve him.

Where do you come down on snowmen?

As far as I know, it snows on everyone in our region, and it’s a human trait to recognize and create people in inanimate objects ...Snow is not something that forced assimilation.

Snow is not, but the snowman is. Same thing is with evergreen trees and decorated evergreen trees. So how you chose to accept a snowman, but not a decorated tree?

Hm. The first recorded evidence of a snowman was actually a Jewish figure (who was, I admit, present at the crucifixion). But scholars assume that since snow has fallen, people have built snowmen in their own images, and very little ties historical snowmen to Christmas...not even that first one. Frosty the Snowman makes so reference to Christmas in the original song, and barely mentions it in the movie. So, I’m not sure what your point is.

Where are the ties of the evergreen tree to the birth of Christ?

There are none. But a decorated evergreen tree is a traditional symbol of Christmas (first German, then English via Queen Victoria’s husband, then American), while snowmen are just symbols of winter. So, again, what’s your point?

The point is that you are falsely subscribe something to the religion that you are not familiar with. Should we say that burqa is a traditional symbol of Islam following your logic?

[Anonymous]

Yikes, please stop taking this so seriously
Either you are afraid of the gingerbread house, or the tree or snowman, or claim that Christmas is not American

Please just stop

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our family celebrates Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, and Purim, we just remove all the religious aspects

This.

[Anonymous]

No. I don't.

But I live in a homogenous suburb without many Jews and I think it would be confusing.

I definitely would if I lived in DC or Kemp Mill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our family celebrates Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, and Purim, we just remove all the religious aspects

This.

Why do you celebrate others holidays?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our family celebrates Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, and Purim, we just remove all the religious aspects

This.

Why do you celebrate others holidays?

Because they are ingrained in American culture. It's like asking why Chinese immigrants celebrate Thanksgiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our family celebrates Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, and Purim, we just remove all the religious aspects

This.

Why do you celebrate others holidays?

Because they are ingrained in American culture. It's like asking why Chinese immigrants celebrate Thanksgiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our family celebrates Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, and Purim, we just remove all the religious aspects

This.

Why do you celebrate others holidays?

Because they are ingrained in American culture. It's like asking why Chinese immigrants celebrate Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is the ultimate feast of immigrants—that’s what the Puritans were, after all. Plus it doesn’t require that you pray to a specific god. It’s different. A better analogy would be asking why Chinese immigrants celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our family celebrates Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, and Purim, we just remove all the religious aspects

This.

Why do you celebrate others holidays?

Because they are ingrained in American culture. It's like asking why Chinese immigrants celebrate Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is the ultimate feast of immigrants—that’s what the Puritans were, after all. Plus it doesn’t require that you pray to a specific god. It’s different. A better analogy would be asking why Chinese immigrants celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah.

Many Chinese celebrate Christmas because they are Christian. This is why it is silly to call Christmas an "American" holiday.

If that is true, it is also a Mexican, Brazilian, Spanish, Italian, Rawandan, Angolan, etc holiday. And this says nothing of the countries that have many christians, but not a majority.

Christmas is an American holiday only in the sense that most Americans celebrate it, nothing more or less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our family celebrates Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, and Purim, we just remove all the religious aspects

This.

Why do you celebrate others holidays?

Because they are ingrained in American culture. It's like asking why Chinese immigrants celebrate Thanksgiving.

You think Purim is ingrained in American culture? I am pretty sure that 99.9% of non-Jewish people I know have never even heard of Purim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our family celebrates Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, and Purim, we just remove all the religious aspects

This.

Why do you celebrate others holidays?

Because they are ingrained in American culture. It's like asking why Chinese immigrants celebrate Thanksgiving.

You think Purim is ingrained in American culture? I am pretty sure that 99.9% of non-Jewish people I know have never even heard of Purim.

The ones who are married to Jewish people have heard of it