DS attends Jewish preschool. Wants to celebrate Jewish holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For all the posters saying it is wrong to celebrate another religion's holidays.... Do you or your kids celebrate Halloween? I would bet you do. Or maybe your kids don't dress up and go trick treating and you just shelter in your house with your lights off.

There are many Jews who don’t celebrate/acknowledge Halloween. Especially those who are observant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish religious people would spend more energy being the kind of people the purport to be than telling other people about the kind of people they think they should be. Imagine how nice the world would be then?

Give me an effing break. What religious people here are doing is saying it's offensive when people celebrate their religious holidays. No one is telling them what kind of people they should be. Or are people not allowed to be offended by appropriation?

[Anonymous]

Honestly what I hear from most of you is that you don't care if you offend people. Ok, good for you I guess? What a terrible way to go through life and model for your children.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:If you’re non-Christian and celebrate Christmas you really should shut up about non-Jews celebrating any Jewish holidays.

If you aren’t Christian stop appropriating a CHRISTIAN holiday. If you can’t take the culture or flaccid seriously you shouldn’t celebrate it. It’s not fun and games.

Millions of people around the world are going to continue to celebrate Christmas secularly, with secular Christmas songs and Santa and stockings and trees and more, whether or not you give your permission. Feel free to continue to whine about it, I guess.

Truly cannot imagine celebrating the birth of baby Jesus with my children with a straight face if I didn't really believe in it. It is so weird. If being irreligious is so important to you why do you feel the need to celebrate other people's holidays?

Just to piss you off.

I'm flattered but no, not to piss me off. To fill the hole in their hearts that religion should be filling. It's just so stupid to claim to not be religious and then CELEBRATE RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS. What sad people, to believe in nothing but then go out and adopt other people's celebrations.

Yes I drink your milkshake.

Use more caps. The more the better.

Lol, when you can't even respond to the argument so you have to resort to movie quotes and...formatting snark. Whatever fills that hole honey.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP—at first I thought I wrote your post! We are also a non-religious but culturally Christian (ie, secular) household whose son goes to a Jewish preschool. I think some kids just crave that kind of structure, formal value system and traditions that occur throughout the year. Our son has started saying that he’s Jewish because he goes to a Jewish preschool and so many of his and our friends are Jewish.

We also celebrate Jewish holidays in a limited, respectful way and some of our Jewish (Conservative) friends haven even given us Shabbat candles and have been teaching the blessings to our kids when we have meals or holiday celebrations together. The school is open and welcoming, as are our friends, and see this as a child’s desire to honor what he’s taught in school.

If you’re interested in other resources, our school suggested that we check out the books in the PJ Library book lists. We’ve done that for a few years and have found that the books are wonderful and also inclusive of non-Jewish people who celebrate with their Jewish friends: https://pjlibrary.org/books-and-music/books?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish religious people would spend more energy being the kind of people the purport to be than telling other people about the kind of people they think they should be. Imagine how nice the world would be then?

Haha, this. The people getting up in arms about holidays not being celebrated with enough “religion” are the same posters who practice religions they don’t actually believe and lie to their children out of family obligation/tradition or those who don’t realize most Christian holidays are stolen from paganism and have pagan roots (or Jewish roots for that matter).

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:DS attends a Jewish preschool while we work. He’s attended since he was a baby. He wants to celebrate Jewish holidays, especially Hanukkah, Passover, Purim, Yom Kippur & Rosa Hashanah.

We are not Jewish and anything I know about Judaism is what I’ve learned from his preschool. We are irreligious and celebrate a secular Christmas.

Is it appropriate for non-Jews to carry out Jewish traditions? Most of his friends from school are Jewish and I think he feels left out?

Jew here, and we're happy to have you celebrate.
Unlike the other posters who would look to exclude you ("I would feel weird" etc), I say do it.
I would ask someone at your son's preschool about where you could find out more info.

They'll be happy to direct you, as we're an inclusive religion... the more the merrier.

We’re not that inclusive ... we don’t even try to convert people.

Inclusive is not the same as trying to convert.

If you mean we welcome people into our homes to be part of our celebrations then yeah — fine.

But why would non-Jews light a menorah in their house? Is it not inclusive of me to think that’s weird? It’s a religious ritual.

NP. Honestly who cares? How does what another does in their home affect what you do in yours? Them doing this in a manner they choose does not impact the religiosity of your own family’s custom.

Lighting a menorah isn’t just religious in my house.

Is it ok for a non-Christian to take communion?

I didn’t know Christians took Communion at home. People are free to do what they want in their homes. They are not impinging on your right to celebrate your religion.

[Anonymous]

S/o but a close friend from college married a Jewish man, she came from a Christian home. Both came from average religious upbringings but became atheists in college. After marrying they became creative in how they celebrated various holidays, particularly after having kids. When visiting last year I noticed a unique decoration on their buffet. Her husband had modified a menorah and advent wreath into one decoration to light on those days in order to celebrate the return of light in a seasonal sense. I thought it a tad strange but very unique and creative nonetheless. Secular celebration of these holidays can be done in a fashion that families see fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He is in preschool. Just redirect him after saying you aren’t Jewish.

Hold on! Jews aren't Christians but put.up Christmas trees and give Christmas gifts as well as Hanukka, (sp?) so let him celebrate them. Most stores are owned by Jews and they have no problem decorating for Christmas andand counting Christmas as their highest profit season. So, why can't a young child, whose parents sent him to a Jewish preschool, celebrate Jewish holidays as well?!

[Anonymous]

Ultimately people can celebrate holidays in ways that feel authentic for them. If your DS is interested in Hanukkah then talk about the story, the light in the darkness, and perhaps light candles vs using a menorah. Make sure he understands that this is an honored tradition that is important to many people.

Christmas wasn’t a Christian celebration for the first 300 years. Christians joined the existing winter parties happening around them, which is totally ok. People who believe in Jesus celebrate him and those who don’t celebrate the symbolism of hope, beginnings, togetherness, giving. Tell your kids that the holiday has deeper meaning for Christians and to respect that. This isn’t hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He is in preschool. Just redirect him after saying you aren’t Jewish.

Hold on! Jews aren't Christians but put.up Christmas trees and give Christmas gifts as well as Hanukka, (sp?) so let him celebrate them. Most stores are owned by Jews and they have no problem decorating for Christmas andand counting Christmas as their highest profit season. So, why can't a young child, whose parents sent him to a Jewish preschool, celebrate Jewish holidays as well?!

Most stores are owned my Jews? Omfg, are you for real?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He is in preschool. Just redirect him after saying you aren’t Jewish.

Hold on! Jews aren't Christians but put.up Christmas trees and give Christmas gifts as well as Hanukka, (sp?) so let him celebrate them. Most stores are owned by Jews and they have no problem decorating for Christmas andand counting Christmas as their highest profit season. So, why can't a young child, whose parents sent him to a Jewish preschool, celebrate Jewish holidays as well?!

Wow, did you fly here from the 1920s?

All the PP was saying was if the parents weren’t comfortable with The request they can just say “we aren’t Jewish so won’t celebrate those holidays.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly what I hear from most of you is that you don't care if you offend people. Ok, good for you I guess? What a terrible way to go through life and model for your children.

Well my Catholic mom has to do it as part of her job, does she need to not work every Friday at Shabbat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ultimately people can celebrate holidays in ways that feel authentic for them. If your DS is interested in Hanukkah then talk about the story, the light in the darkness, and perhaps light candles vs using a menorah. Make sure he understands that this is an honored tradition that is important to many people.

Christmas wasn’t a Christian celebration for the first 300 years. Christians joined the existing winter parties happening around them, which is totally ok. People who believe in Jesus celebrate him and those who don’t celebrate the symbolism of hope, beginnings, togetherness, giving. Tell your kids that the holiday has deeper meaning for Christians and to respect that. This isn’t hard.

I agree with you and would just add that hope, togetherness, beginnings, giving can also be tied to other Jewish, Hindu, Muslim Buddhist traditions as well as long as one doesn’t tell others what to do with the celebration. Folks get way too tied up in knots thinking they own a certain day.

[Anonymous]

I am pretty sure that in America you can do whatever you want...