Jewish students in DCPS

[Anonymous]

We are at a JKLM. There are other Jewish students, less than a quarter, but more than enough, with overlap with our synagogue. No major events scheduled on major holidays and they understand the need for absences, which are excused with no problem. Also, holiday concert in December represents a diverse array of cultures and religions, which I very much appreciate. We did recently hear a rumor of some anti-semitic name calling against one child, but are not sure of the validity and are looking into it.

I understand OP's question, growing up as one of a handful of Jewish kids in my grade where I experienced some ugly actions at school. (This was not in DC, but in the Northeast). My kids are having a very different, and better, experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious what others on this thread think about the large number of DCPS schools selling Christmas trees as fundraisers?

Why don't you ask how they feel about the girl scout troop at the school selling cookies when there are people that can't eat sugar or gluten. PS- many of my Jewish friends also have trees.

[Anonymous]

Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

some fundraisers will include Hanukkah candles too, but I get your point. A Hanukkah bush and oberserving Yom Kippur were not compatible activities among the Jewish families I knew growing up. Now as a parent most of my Jewish peers have some mixed practicing households so I see more cultural overlap than I did as a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious what others on this thread think about the large number of DCPS schools selling Christmas trees as fundraisers?

Christmas is a secular holiday because it was designated a federal holiday. So, selling Christmas trees (along with santa decor on city grounds, etc) isn't a Christian thing, as far as acts by state actors go.

[Anonymous]

I'm liking the idea of eight candles on a hannukah bush and a big one at the top. Right up there with my Christmas dreidel in terms of cross-cultural creations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

All your time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

All your time?

Not PP, but this is one fundraiser that I just chose not to volunteer at. That's all. We do volunteer work on Xmas day, and I would work on Xmas eve to cover for my Christian colleagues back when I was in a work setting where that was needed, but I don't volunteer at the Christmas tree sale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Catholic dad here too: Lent Fridays and meat for the kids make me totally sympathize as well.

I feel like it’d be easy to have a panel to check in with on this. And a lot of it is public information. Taking a little care would be enough. Maybe even like a checklist would be enough. Check religious calendars for days off, for student dietary restrictions, when to place testing . . . Not sure what else but it feels like we should be beyond amateur hour here.

And Easter Holidays are a mess. Apparently Emancipation Day is more important that the death and resurrection of a certain person beloved by 2 billion people.

I don't have a dog in this fight because we aren't religious. But PP, you $uck. Emancipation Day is way more important as a historical event, especially in DC, and with DC's population, than the day after Easter. You can take off Good Friday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm liking the idea of eight candles on a hannukah bush and a big one at the top. Right up there with my Christmas dreidel in terms of cross-cultural creations.

Is Hannukah related to the burning bush of Moses?
The one where he had to take his shoes off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

All your time?

Not PP, but this is one fundraiser that I just chose not to volunteer at. That's all. We do volunteer work on Xmas day, and I would work on Xmas eve to cover for my Christian colleagues back when I was in a work setting where that was needed, but I don't volunteer at the Christmas tree sale.

Exactly. We happen to volunteer at it because it's fun and I have no issue with helping my Christian neighbors celebrate (just like they are happy to come to a seder or wish us la shana tovah), but if I did I would just choose a different activity. It's not like there is a shortage. No reason to get worked up about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

I get it. I will say however that I’m conservative Christian and Christmas trees have no religious meaning whatsoever. It’s representative of a secular/mainstream celebration of a religious holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

I get it. I will say however that I’m conservative Christian and Christmas trees have no religious meaning whatsoever. It’s representative of a secular/mainstream celebration of a religious holiday.

It's not even that. It's a pagan custom appropriated by the Christians. Despite all the "reason for the season" crap it hasn't even been celebrated in this country very long. In colonial times celebrating Christmas could land you in jail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

some fundraisers will include Hanukkah candles too, but I get your point. A Hanukkah bush and oberserving Yom Kippur were not compatible activities among the Jewish families I knew growing up. Now as a parent most of my Jewish peers have some mixed practicing households so I see more cultural overlap than I did as a kid.

Growing up I knew people who had a Hanukkah bush and celebrated Yom Kippur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calling BS on Jewish friends raising kids as practicing Jews with trees. Mixed households, sure. Culturally Jewish but not practicing households, Maybe. But none of these are people pulling kids out of schools for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, etc. I hate tree fundraisers because I spend all my time explaining why I am not buying a tree and how I won't volunteer for a religious based activity at a public school.

So if you won't volunteer how do you know you spend all of your time explaining?

I've worked the tree sale at my local school over a dozen times and no one has ever noticed whether I bought a tree, and certainly I would never have had to explain if I didn't.