DS attends Jewish preschool. Wants to celebrate Jewish holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my Christian home, growing up:

We celebrated passover with unleavened bread.
We sometimes celebrated a seder with a nearby community.

I've taken my kids to a Chabad Hanukah celebration that happened to be happening at an ice skating rink where we were planning on going. They got light up dreidels. It was fun.

So, having done this, I think it's fine to do a watered down celebration. Light Hanukah candles at Hanukah. In a normal year, go to a chabad hanukah celebration.

I was never confused about what our religion was even though we noted other faiths' holidays in a secular way.

Lighting Hanukkah candles isn’t at all secular.

There are a lot of giant menorah displays in public spaces around this time of year; should they all be taken down?

You can't possibly be this stupid. Think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't he get to celebrate at school? That should be enough. You can't co-opt other people's religious holidays just because they look fun.

This.. I also like the idea of attending events hosted by the JCC they are open to the public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't he get to celebrate at school? That should be enough. You can't co-opt other people's religious holidays just because they look fun.

This.. I also like the idea of attending events hosted by the JCC they are open to the public.

In non-covid times, the JCC parties are great options for preschoolers. In covid times, I can't say I really think it's terrible to have a Hannukah celebration at home for non-Jewish child. Plenty of Jews celebrate Christmas. I would just make sure they know the meaning. A child wanting to celebrate the holidays is also kind of expressing his own independent wish for religious exploration, so it's not like it's totally "non-Jewish"!

[Anonymous]

Why did you send him to a Jewish preschool if you weren’t bringing him up as a Jew?

[Anonymous]

New poster here

I like the first PP's response about getting some children's books about the holidays.

What do you (Jewish posters) think about non Jews doing the dreidel game?

[Anonymous]

You could celebrate by eating potato pancakes and donuts. There are children’s books about Hannukah that might be fun to read. Learning about other cultures is totally fine and fun at any age.

[Anonymous]

What were you expecting sending him to a Jewish preschool?

But unless you want to explore conversion (doesn’t sound like it) I think it would be weird to celebrate Jewish holidays without any connection to the religion.

My husband was raised Jewish so we celebrate Hanukkah and Rosh Hashanah, break-the-fast, and Passover at my inlaws but we don’t belong to a Temple or anything like that. My kids will not be bar/bat mitzvah’d.

[Anonymous]

It's really not okay to celebrate in your own home as non-Jews who don't understand. However, I am Jewish and happily host non-Jews for holidays (in non-Covid times) in my home so maybe you can try to do it that way. DD recently asked me if next year we can have her entire class over for Hanukah. (yes!)

[Anonymous]

I am not Jewish but my spouse is and we celebrate the holidays with DD. DH is not very religious but likes preserving cultural traditions. Even so, you cannot really separate religion from the holidays. Honestly, even celebrating with my family I feel a little awkward singing prayers I do not fully understand or believe in. I think it would be very, very strange to just start celebrating religious holidays for a religion that is not yours. It's not a game, you know?

[Anonymous]

I'm glad you asked this. My 5 yo has asked for a Menorah (we're of no faith, but the grandparents claim Catholic) so I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate to get one just to teach her... she is learning a lot from her charter school, which I really like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not Jewish but my spouse is and we celebrate the holidays with DD. DH is not very religious but likes preserving cultural traditions. Even so, you cannot really separate religion from the holidays. Honestly, even celebrating with my family I feel a little awkward singing prayers I do not fully understand or believe in. I think it would be very, very strange to just start celebrating religious holidays for a religion that is not yours. It's not a game, you know?

Especially when Jews have been enslaved, murdered, and persecuted for our religion throughout history and today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why did you send him to a Jewish preschool if you weren’t bringing him up as a Jew?

Because it’s the best preschool in our area. He’s about 20-30% non-Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not Jewish but my spouse is and we celebrate the holidays with DD. DH is not very religious but likes preserving cultural traditions. Even so, you cannot really separate religion from the holidays. Honestly, even celebrating with my family I feel a little awkward singing prayers I do not fully understand or believe in. I think it would be very, very strange to just start celebrating religious holidays for a religion that is not yours. It's not a game, you know?

Especially when Jews have been enslaved, murdered, and persecuted for our religion throughout history and today.

Once again, my CHILD wants to celebrate. I have no desire. We aren’t religious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did you send him to a Jewish preschool if you weren’t bringing him up as a Jew?

Because it’s the best preschool in our area. He’s about 20-30% non-Jewish.

*his school.

They’re reform and not all students are Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not Jewish but my spouse is and we celebrate the holidays with DD. DH is not very religious but likes preserving cultural traditions. Even so, you cannot really separate religion from the holidays. Honestly, even celebrating with my family I feel a little awkward singing prayers I do not fully understand or believe in. I think it would be very, very strange to just start celebrating religious holidays for a religion that is not yours. It's not a game, you know?

If your DH is culturally Jewish your children are not and you are appropriating a culture.