PSA: Please do not host a Christian seder

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't Christian (raised Catholic, both now agnostic) but our kid goes to a Jewish preschool and they've been talking about Passover all week. So we're going to do a little Passover seder at home tomorrow so we can all learn a little more about it.

It's not a "Christian Seder" and we aren't inserting Jesus into it at all. More just a way to learn about the tradition and for our kid to apply some of what she learned at school in a respectful way. She knows we are not Jewish, but that her school is Jewish and that some of the people there (including her teachers and the rabbi who comes to visit on Fridays for a small shabbat celebration they do) are.

Anyway, not asking for permission, just noting that there are reasons non-Jewish people might celebrate passover in a way that isn't automatically disrespectful. But yes, I can see how trying to claim the seder as a Christian tradition is disrespectful.

Why not see if you can go to one of her classmate’s homes? I understand COVID makes that difficult, but after the pandemic ends that would be a better way of learning about it, than trying to do something you’re not familiar with.

PP here. We have lots of Jewish friends and during non-Covid times we absolutely would attend a celebration at a friend's home, or within the school community, if invited. But because of Covid that's obviously not an option this year and my kid is asking about it because of what she has heard and learned at school. I've never attended a seder but have attended shabbat many times in friend's homes (both reform and even occasionally conservative) and have been to many Jewish weddings and attended related services. So I'm not coming at it from a totally ignorant perspective.

And I'm not talking about doing the prayers or anything. I'm talking about reading a children's book about passover, discussing some of the traditions and why it is an important holy day for Jewish people (while reiterating that we are not Jewish and we are not play acting at being Jewish) and then discussing it. While also making a meal with some traditional Passover food since that will help it feel more real for her.

The point of my post is to say that it's okay for people to be curious about and express an interest in Judaism. It's not automatically anti-semitic or proprietary. I get how these "Christian Seders" are proprietary and can be insulting. And of course it's best to learn from someone who is actually a member of the religion but that's not always possible. Not just because of Covid. I have family who live in parts of the country where there are no synagogues and they may not meet any Jewish people. I think they should be allowed to read a book about Judaism with their kids and talk about these traditions in an open way, both to satisfy curiosity but also to help teach that there are many kinds of people in the world and it's important to be respectful and understanding. Education is a really important part of tolerance.

I think some of the posts in this thread may make people feel that just learning about Judaism is bad unless you are Jewish or are learning directly from a Jewish person (which puts a lot of pressure on Jewish folks, especially in communities where they may be one of only a few!). Instead, maybe recommend books or resources that you think are good ways for a non-Jewish person to learn and become more educated about it. There are ways to encourage tolerance and learning without condoning people aping your sacred traditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The privilege on display here is sad, but unsurprising.

Newsflash: You can go do whatever you want in your own home and in your own house of worship, too!

Newsflash: it’s not ok to appropriate people’s cultures or religions.

Christianity was founded by Jews, and as adapted and merged them with other cultures. The Hebrew Scriptures are the foundation for the New Testament and are an important part of the Bible.

So Judaism is Christianity Jr. to you. You realize that Jews don’t see it that way? For the umpteenth time, nobody owns Exodus, but Passover is a Jewish rite.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my church, we have a Passover gathering. It is not a Seder.

There is a reading from the book of Exodus, followed by a brief prayer, followed by a simple meal of soup and bread that is available to the entire community, including those in need of a meal.

That's it. It's not a Seder. It is a recognition of Passover and of God's mercy and protection.

That is part of my religious observance as a Christian. I will observe my religious traditions as I see fit.

ok, call it an Exodus meal.

I don't have to call it anything to please you. Neither does my pastor or my church community. We are having Passover Supper. Literally all are welcome. It's gonna be what it's gonna be, and if you don't like it, you don't have to attend.

yeah well - with that attitude, don’t then be surprised when actual Jewish people are upset at you. You can choose to be offensive, but you can’t escape the consequences.

Yup. I feel like this whole “we’ll do what we want” attitude smacks of such privilege.

Clearly these people have never had to worry that their traditions might be assimilated and lost. They don’t understand.

Anything that is "lost" is likely because you belong to a religion that very strictly bars outsiders from entry. Ever thought of that?

Me doing what I do in my church does not have anything to do with what you do in your household or in your place of worship. Maybe if someone from your community finds their way to my church and is interested and engaged, it is literally because the motto of my particular house of worship is "All are welcome, and all means all."

Really? Church is a welcoming place? Tell that to my best friend who is having a hard time finding a place to baptize his baby daughter because he is a man married to another man.

dp Sorry pp but, do you force yourself into an organization where your ideals and theirs don't mix? I don't think that if the church believes that gay marriage is against their beliefs they should be forced to accept them. What if a homophonic wanted to join a gay pride parade? Would you expect the gays to accept them? Of course not.

This is not what I believe but, there are churches for everyone. Your friend hasn't found the right one.

I mean I believe in accepting everyone but I don't believe in forcing a church to baptize a child. It isn't needed.

So how does this translate to, "All are welcome, and all means all"? Please do explain it to me. All are clearly not welcome. Even if my friend just wanted to attend with his spouse and child, baptism aside, he would NOT be welcome. I don't believe for a second that PP's church would be a welcoming place for an openly gay couple and a child born using science.

I've never heard of a "homophobic" person or literally anyone being turned away from a pride parade so that's just a silly comparison.

Point is you are welcome if you follow their rules. You know you don't have to join a church that doesn't welcome you?

Not all Christian denominations are the same, morons. We have gay marriage ceremonies in mine.

And you refer to people who don't understand your church as "morons"?

In this day and age, when talking to people who clearly have Internet access? Yep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't Christian (raised Catholic, both now agnostic) but our kid goes to a Jewish preschool and they've been talking about Passover all week. So we're going to do a little Passover seder at home tomorrow so we can all learn a little more about it.

It's not a "Christian Seder" and we aren't inserting Jesus into it at all. More just a way to learn about the tradition and for our kid to apply some of what she learned at school in a respectful way. She knows we are not Jewish, but that her school is Jewish and that some of the people there (including her teachers and the rabbi who comes to visit on Fridays for a small shabbat celebration they do) are.

Anyway, not asking for permission, just noting that there are reasons non-Jewish people might celebrate passover in a way that isn't automatically disrespectful. But yes, I can see how trying to claim the seder as a Christian tradition is disrespectful.

Why not see if you can go to one of her classmate’s homes? I understand COVID makes that difficult, but after the pandemic ends that would be a better way of learning about it, than trying to do something you’re not familiar with.

Even without a pandemic, it takes chutzpah to ask if your Christian family can attend someone’s Seder. Lots of people wouldn’t mind, but some would.

I am the original PP and I just want to point out (since this is a Religion forum) that we are NOT Christian. We do not believe Jesus is the son of God and are not even sure we believe in God. We were raised Catholic but are agnostic and generally believe in secular humanism with a dash of "there's not really a way for anyone to know for sure what the truth is, but there are lots of ways to approach the unknowable and to build community and reinforce ethics and we are respectful of all of those traditions as long as they are non-violent.

Just wanted to make that clear because I resent the idea that I am Christian just because I'm not Jewish and was raised Catholic. Being born into a faith system doesn't mean you have to hold it forever, and I left the Catholic Church over a loss of faith as well as serious issues with the Church itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. And Jews should not celebrate Christmas, either.

the analogy is really that Jews should not light advent candles. Christmas is mostly secular; passover seders are home-based religious rituals.

Yup! A Christmas tree and Santa have nothing to do with the birth of Jesus.

The F? Santa is based on st Nicholas. The holiday celebrates the birth of Christ. IT’S NOT A SECULAR HOLIDAY, stop trying to appropriate it as one.

is the Christmas tree sacred too? What about Rudolph?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't care what people decide to celebrate. The world would be better if all of you didn't as well.

Says someone who likes does not belong to a persecuted religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to picture this -- so you're Christian, having a "seder" and you talk about how you were once slaves in Egypt? And at the end you say, "Next year in Jerusalem?"

Doesn't this feel like cosplay to you?

I get your point, but in many cases it's even worse because they are actually removing the content from the Haggadah and inserting the stories of Jesus from the New Testament. As a Christian, I really can't wrap my head around other Christians who don't approach this with the golden rule. If I imagine being in a country where I was a religious minority, and people from the religious majority wanted to use a sacred Christian holiday but take away all the religious content from my faith and insert their own religious texts, I would find that very disrespectful.

Precisely. It’s easy to say it doesn’t matter if you’re part of the majority. Very different if you’re not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't Christian (raised Catholic, both now agnostic) but our kid goes to a Jewish preschool and they've been talking about Passover all week. So we're going to do a little Passover seder at home tomorrow so we can all learn a little more about it.

It's not a "Christian Seder" and we aren't inserting Jesus into it at all. More just a way to learn about the tradition and for our kid to apply some of what she learned at school in a respectful way. She knows we are not Jewish, but that her school is Jewish and that some of the people there (including her teachers and the rabbi who comes to visit on Fridays for a small shabbat celebration they do) are.

Anyway, not asking for permission, just noting that there are reasons non-Jewish people might celebrate passover in a way that isn't automatically disrespectful. But yes, I can see how trying to claim the seder as a Christian tradition is disrespectful.

Why not see if you can go to one of her classmate’s homes? I understand COVID makes that difficult, but after the pandemic ends that would be a better way of learning about it, than trying to do something you’re not familiar with.

PP here. We have lots of Jewish friends and during non-Covid times we absolutely would attend a celebration at a friend's home, or within the school community, if invited. But because of Covid that's obviously not an option this year and my kid is asking about it because of what she has heard and learned at school. I've never attended a seder but have attended shabbat many times in friend's homes (both reform and even occasionally conservative) and have been to many Jewish weddings and attended related services. So I'm not coming at it from a totally ignorant perspective.

And I'm not talking about doing the prayers or anything. I'm talking about reading a children's book about passover, discussing some of the traditions and why it is an important holy day for Jewish people (while reiterating that we are not Jewish and we are not play acting at being Jewish) and then discussing it. While also making a meal with some traditional Passover food since that will help it feel more real for her.

The point of my post is to say that it's okay for people to be curious about and express an interest in Judaism. It's not automatically anti-semitic or proprietary. I get how these "Christian Seders" are proprietary and can be insulting. And of course it's best to learn from someone who is actually a member of the religion but that's not always possible. Not just because of Covid. I have family who live in parts of the country where there are no synagogues and they may not meet any Jewish people. I think they should be allowed to read a book about Judaism with their kids and talk about these traditions in an open way, both to satisfy curiosity but also to help teach that there are many kinds of people in the world and it's important to be respectful and understanding. Education is a really important part of tolerance.

I think some of the posts in this thread may make people feel that just learning about Judaism is bad unless you are Jewish or are learning directly from a Jewish person (which puts a lot of pressure on Jewish folks, especially in communities where they may be one of only a few!). Instead, maybe recommend books or resources that you think are good ways for a non-Jewish person to learn and become more educated about it. There are ways to encourage tolerance and learning without condoning people aping your sacred traditions.

nobody ever said you couldn’t read a book about Judaism with your kids. come on.

if you legitimately want to learn about Judaism how about listening to what people are actually saying here to understand why a “Christian seder” may be offensive to some Jews.

[Anonymous]

Reading a book about Judaism is not what anyone is talking about here as cultural appropriation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't Christian (raised Catholic, both now agnostic) but our kid goes to a Jewish preschool and they've been talking about Passover all week. So we're going to do a little Passover seder at home tomorrow so we can all learn a little more about it.

It's not a "Christian Seder" and we aren't inserting Jesus into it at all. More just a way to learn about the tradition and for our kid to apply some of what she learned at school in a respectful way. She knows we are not Jewish, but that her school is Jewish and that some of the people there (including her teachers and the rabbi who comes to visit on Fridays for a small shabbat celebration they do) are.

Anyway, not asking for permission, just noting that there are reasons non-Jewish people might celebrate passover in a way that isn't automatically disrespectful. But yes, I can see how trying to claim the seder as a Christian tradition is disrespectful.

Why not see if you can go to one of her classmate’s homes? I understand COVID makes that difficult, but after the pandemic ends that would be a better way of learning about it, than trying to do something you’re not familiar with.

PP here. We have lots of Jewish friends and during non-Covid times we absolutely would attend a celebration at a friend's home, or within the school community, if invited. But because of Covid that's obviously not an option this year and my kid is asking about it because of what she has heard and learned at school. I've never attended a seder but have attended shabbat many times in friend's homes (both reform and even occasionally conservative) and have been to many Jewish weddings and attended related services. So I'm not coming at it from a totally ignorant perspective.

And I'm not talking about doing the prayers or anything. I'm talking about reading a children's book about passover, discussing some of the traditions and why it is an important holy day for Jewish people (while reiterating that we are not Jewish and we are not play acting at being Jewish) and then discussing it. While also making a meal with some traditional Passover food since that will help it feel more real for her.

The point of my post is to say that it's okay for people to be curious about and express an interest in Judaism. It's not automatically anti-semitic or proprietary. I get how these "Christian Seders" are proprietary and can be insulting. And of course it's best to learn from someone who is actually a member of the religion but that's not always possible. Not just because of Covid. I have family who live in parts of the country where there are no synagogues and they may not meet any Jewish people. I think they should be allowed to read a book about Judaism with their kids and talk about these traditions in an open way, both to satisfy curiosity but also to help teach that there are many kinds of people in the world and it's important to be respectful and understanding. Education is a really important part of tolerance.

I think some of the posts in this thread may make people feel that just learning about Judaism is bad unless you are Jewish or are learning directly from a Jewish person (which puts a lot of pressure on Jewish folks, especially in communities where they may be one of only a few!). Instead, maybe recommend books or resources that you think are good ways for a non-Jewish person to learn and become more educated about it. There are ways to encourage tolerance and learning without condoning people aping your sacred traditions.

nobody ever said you couldn’t read a book about Judaism with your kids. come on.

if you legitimately want to learn about Judaism how about listening to what people are actually saying here to understand why a “Christian seder” may be offensive to some Jews.

Why don’t you show her the respect of reading what she wrote. Her initial message specifically states she is NOT having a Christian seder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't Christian (raised Catholic, both now agnostic) but our kid goes to a Jewish preschool and they've been talking about Passover all week. So we're going to do a little Passover seder at home tomorrow so we can all learn a little more about it.

It's not a "Christian Seder" and we aren't inserting Jesus into it at all. More just a way to learn about the tradition and for our kid to apply some of what she learned at school in a respectful way. She knows we are not Jewish, but that her school is Jewish and that some of the people there (including her teachers and the rabbi who comes to visit on Fridays for a small shabbat celebration they do) are.

Anyway, not asking for permission, just noting that there are reasons non-Jewish people might celebrate passover in a way that isn't automatically disrespectful. But yes, I can see how trying to claim the seder as a Christian tradition is disrespectful.

Why not see if you can go to one of her classmate’s homes? I understand COVID makes that difficult, but after the pandemic ends that would be a better way of learning about it, than trying to do something you’re not familiar with.

PP here. We have lots of Jewish friends and during non-Covid times we absolutely would attend a celebration at a friend's home, or within the school community, if invited. But because of Covid that's obviously not an option this year and my kid is asking about it because of what she has heard and learned at school. I've never attended a seder but have attended shabbat many times in friend's homes (both reform and even occasionally conservative) and have been to many Jewish weddings and attended related services. So I'm not coming at it from a totally ignorant perspective.

And I'm not talking about doing the prayers or anything. I'm talking about reading a children's book about passover, discussing some of the traditions and why it is an important holy day for Jewish people (while reiterating that we are not Jewish and we are not play acting at being Jewish) and then discussing it. While also making a meal with some traditional Passover food since that will help it feel more real for her.

The point of my post is to say that it's okay for people to be curious about and express an interest in Judaism. It's not automatically anti-semitic or proprietary. I get how these "Christian Seders" are proprietary and can be insulting. And of course it's best to learn from someone who is actually a member of the religion but that's not always possible. Not just because of Covid. I have family who live in parts of the country where there are no synagogues and they may not meet any Jewish people. I think they should be allowed to read a book about Judaism with their kids and talk about these traditions in an open way, both to satisfy curiosity but also to help teach that there are many kinds of people in the world and it's important to be respectful and understanding. Education is a really important part of tolerance.

I think some of the posts in this thread may make people feel that just learning about Judaism is bad unless you are Jewish or are learning directly from a Jewish person (which puts a lot of pressure on Jewish folks, especially in communities where they may be one of only a few!). Instead, maybe recommend books or resources that you think are good ways for a non-Jewish person to learn and become more educated about it. There are ways to encourage tolerance and learning without condoning people aping your sacred traditions.

nobody ever said you couldn’t read a book about Judaism with your kids. come on.

if you legitimately want to learn about Judaism how about listening to what people are actually saying here to understand why a “Christian seder” may be offensive to some Jews.

Why don’t you show her the respect of reading what she wrote. Her initial message specifically states she is NOT having a Christian seder.

she’s a non-Jew doing “a little Passover seder at home.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't Christian (raised Catholic, both now agnostic) but our kid goes to a Jewish preschool and they've been talking about Passover all week. So we're going to do a little Passover seder at home tomorrow so we can all learn a little more about it.

It's not a "Christian Seder" and we aren't inserting Jesus into it at all. More just a way to learn about the tradition and for our kid to apply some of what she learned at school in a respectful way. She knows we are not Jewish, but that her school is Jewish and that some of the people there (including her teachers and the rabbi who comes to visit on Fridays for a small shabbat celebration they do) are.

Anyway, not asking for permission, just noting that there are reasons non-Jewish people might celebrate passover in a way that isn't automatically disrespectful. But yes, I can see how trying to claim the seder as a Christian tradition is disrespectful.

Why not see if you can go to one of her classmate’s homes? I understand COVID makes that difficult, but after the pandemic ends that would be a better way of learning about it, than trying to do something you’re not familiar with.

PP here. We have lots of Jewish friends and during non-Covid times we absolutely would attend a celebration at a friend's home, or within the school community, if invited. But because of Covid that's obviously not an option this year and my kid is asking about it because of what she has heard and learned at school. I've never attended a seder but have attended shabbat many times in friend's homes (both reform and even occasionally conservative) and have been to many Jewish weddings and attended related services. So I'm not coming at it from a totally ignorant perspective.

And I'm not talking about doing the prayers or anything. I'm talking about reading a children's book about passover, discussing some of the traditions and why it is an important holy day for Jewish people (while reiterating that we are not Jewish and we are not play acting at being Jewish) and then discussing it. While also making a meal with some traditional Passover food since that will help it feel more real for her.

The point of my post is to say that it's okay for people to be curious about and express an interest in Judaism. It's not automatically anti-semitic or proprietary. I get how these "Christian Seders" are proprietary and can be insulting. And of course it's best to learn from someone who is actually a member of the religion but that's not always possible. Not just because of Covid. I have family who live in parts of the country where there are no synagogues and they may not meet any Jewish people. I think they should be allowed to read a book about Judaism with their kids and talk about these traditions in an open way, both to satisfy curiosity but also to help teach that there are many kinds of people in the world and it's important to be respectful and understanding. Education is a really important part of tolerance.

I think some of the posts in this thread may make people feel that just learning about Judaism is bad unless you are Jewish or are learning directly from a Jewish person (which puts a lot of pressure on Jewish folks, especially in communities where they may be one of only a few!). Instead, maybe recommend books or resources that you think are good ways for a non-Jewish person to learn and become more educated about it. There are ways to encourage tolerance and learning without condoning people aping your sacred traditions.

nobody ever said you couldn’t read a book about Judaism with your kids. come on.

if you legitimately want to learn about Judaism how about listening to what people are actually saying here to understand why a “Christian seder” may be offensive to some Jews.

Why don’t you show her the respect of reading what she wrote. Her initial message specifically states she is NOT having a Christian seder.

she’s a non-Jew doing “a little Passover seder at home.”

(and then acting all offended and hurt and then turning around and accusing Jews of being insular and unfriendly for daring to point out how they don’t feel right about that.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't Christian (raised Catholic, both now agnostic) but our kid goes to a Jewish preschool and they've been talking about Passover all week. So we're going to do a little Passover seder at home tomorrow so we can all learn a little more about it.

It's not a "Christian Seder" and we aren't inserting Jesus into it at all. More just a way to learn about the tradition and for our kid to apply some of what she learned at school in a respectful way. She knows we are not Jewish, but that her school is Jewish and that some of the people there (including her teachers and the rabbi who comes to visit on Fridays for a small shabbat celebration they do) are.

Anyway, not asking for permission, just noting that there are reasons non-Jewish people might celebrate passover in a way that isn't automatically disrespectful. But yes, I can see how trying to claim the seder as a Christian tradition is disrespectful.

Why not see if you can go to one of her classmate’s homes? I understand COVID makes that difficult, but after the pandemic ends that would be a better way of learning about it, than trying to do something you’re not familiar with.

PP here. We have lots of Jewish friends and during non-Covid times we absolutely would attend a celebration at a friend's home, or within the school community, if invited. But because of Covid that's obviously not an option this year and my kid is asking about it because of what she has heard and learned at school. I've never attended a seder but have attended shabbat many times in friend's homes (both reform and even occasionally conservative) and have been to many Jewish weddings and attended related services. So I'm not coming at it from a totally ignorant perspective.

And I'm not talking about doing the prayers or anything. I'm talking about reading a children's book about passover, discussing some of the traditions and why it is an important holy day for Jewish people (while reiterating that we are not Jewish and we are not play acting at being Jewish) and then discussing it. While also making a meal with some traditional Passover food since that will help it feel more real for her.

The point of my post is to say that it's okay for people to be curious about and express an interest in Judaism. It's not automatically anti-semitic or proprietary. I get how these "Christian Seders" are proprietary and can be insulting. And of course it's best to learn from someone who is actually a member of the religion but that's not always possible. Not just because of Covid. I have family who live in parts of the country where there are no synagogues and they may not meet any Jewish people. I think they should be allowed to read a book about Judaism with their kids and talk about these traditions in an open way, both to satisfy curiosity but also to help teach that there are many kinds of people in the world and it's important to be respectful and understanding. Education is a really important part of tolerance.

I think some of the posts in this thread may make people feel that just learning about Judaism is bad unless you are Jewish or are learning directly from a Jewish person (which puts a lot of pressure on Jewish folks, especially in communities where they may be one of only a few!). Instead, maybe recommend books or resources that you think are good ways for a non-Jewish person to learn and become more educated about it. There are ways to encourage tolerance and learning without condoning people aping your sacred traditions.

nobody ever said you couldn’t read a book about Judaism with your kids. come on.

if you legitimately want to learn about Judaism how about listening to what people are actually saying here to understand why a “Christian seder” may be offensive to some Jews.

Why don’t you show her the respect of reading what she wrote. Her initial message specifically states she is NOT having a Christian seder.

she’s a non-Jew doing “a little Passover seder at home.”

And she explained exactly what it was she was doing, to which other posters responded that reading a book is not a big deal. So you are just arguing to argue at this point. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't Christian (raised Catholic, both now agnostic) but our kid goes to a Jewish preschool and they've been talking about Passover all week. So we're going to do a little Passover seder at home tomorrow so we can all learn a little more about it.

It's not a "Christian Seder" and we aren't inserting Jesus into it at all. More just a way to learn about the tradition and for our kid to apply some of what she learned at school in a respectful way. She knows we are not Jewish, but that her school is Jewish and that some of the people there (including her teachers and the rabbi who comes to visit on Fridays for a small shabbat celebration they do) are.

Anyway, not asking for permission, just noting that there are reasons non-Jewish people might celebrate passover in a way that isn't automatically disrespectful. But yes, I can see how trying to claim the seder as a Christian tradition is disrespectful.

Why not see if you can go to one of her classmate’s homes? I understand COVID makes that difficult, but after the pandemic ends that would be a better way of learning about it, than trying to do something you’re not familiar with.

PP here. We have lots of Jewish friends and during non-Covid times we absolutely would attend a celebration at a friend's home, or within the school community, if invited. But because of Covid that's obviously not an option this year and my kid is asking about it because of what she has heard and learned at school. I've never attended a seder but have attended shabbat many times in friend's homes (both reform and even occasionally conservative) and have been to many Jewish weddings and attended related services. So I'm not coming at it from a totally ignorant perspective.

And I'm not talking about doing the prayers or anything. I'm talking about reading a children's book about passover, discussing some of the traditions and why it is an important holy day for Jewish people (while reiterating that we are not Jewish and we are not play acting at being Jewish) and then discussing it. While also making a meal with some traditional Passover food since that will help it feel more real for her.

The point of my post is to say that it's okay for people to be curious about and express an interest in Judaism. It's not automatically anti-semitic or proprietary. I get how these "Christian Seders" are proprietary and can be insulting. And of course it's best to learn from someone who is actually a member of the religion but that's not always possible. Not just because of Covid. I have family who live in parts of the country where there are no synagogues and they may not meet any Jewish people. I think they should be allowed to read a book about Judaism with their kids and talk about these traditions in an open way, both to satisfy curiosity but also to help teach that there are many kinds of people in the world and it's important to be respectful and understanding. Education is a really important part of tolerance.

I think some of the posts in this thread may make people feel that just learning about Judaism is bad unless you are Jewish or are learning directly from a Jewish person (which puts a lot of pressure on Jewish folks, especially in communities where they may be one of only a few!). Instead, maybe recommend books or resources that you think are good ways for a non-Jewish person to learn and become more educated about it. There are ways to encourage tolerance and learning without condoning people aping your sacred traditions.

nobody ever said you couldn’t read a book about Judaism with your kids. come on.

if you legitimately want to learn about Judaism how about listening to what people are actually saying here to understand why a “Christian seder” may be offensive to some Jews.

Why don’t you show her the respect of reading what she wrote. Her initial message specifically states she is NOT having a Christian seder.

she’s a non-Jew doing “a little Passover seder at home.”

And she explained exactly what it was she was doing, to which other posters responded that reading a book is not a big deal. So you are just arguing to argue at this point. Got it.

I’m the poster who said reading a book is fine. It is. Having a Seder isn’t.

[Anonymous]

nobody ever said you couldn’t read a book about Judaism with your kids. come on.

if you legitimately want to learn about Judaism how about listening to what people are actually saying here to understand why a “Christian seder” may be offensive to some Jews.
Why don’t you show her the respect of reading what she wrote. Her initial message specifically states she is NOT having a Christian seder.


she’s a non-Jew doing “a little Passover seder at home.”


(and then acting all offended and hurt and then turning around and accusing Jews of being insular and unfriendly for daring to point out how they don’t feel right about that.)

Wow it must be tough to live a life where you constantly insert your own made up view into the lives of others. There is nothing in their post that is hurt or offended.