DS attends Jewish preschool. Wants to celebrate Jewish holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Surely you foresaw this would be a problem, OP.

I guess I should have known better. I guess we’ll withdrawal him from the school he’s gone through for 3 years that gladly accepted him knowing we weren’t religious because we don’t practice Judaism.

Of course you shouldn't withdraw him because some posters on a forum are telling you that you're doing something wrong.

Buy some books about Jewish holidays. Read with him, learn about them, make it fun. Sing some Jewish songs. I wouldn't light candles, but you can certainly play the dreidel on Chanukkah. You wouldn't celebrate the Jewish new year, but you could eat some apples and honey together. I am sure that would satisfy his curiosity. Keep explaining to him that you believe X, but his friends at preschool believe Y.

- Jewish woman married to a non-Jewish man, with kids in a Jewish preschool.

(and when I say Jewish songs, I mean like the dreidel song - not prayers)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Putting up a tree and giving gifts has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus. It’s a cross between Saturnalia and the Feast of Yule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

I participate in the celebration because it's very important to my Christian husband. Don't you ever do something because it's important to someone you love? Is it really so confusing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Putting up a tree and giving gifts has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus. It’s a cross between Saturnalia and the Feast of Yule.

Seriously. Is Santa there to celebrate the birth of Jesus too?

[Anonymous]

If you are concerned, you probably should not send him to a religious school OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Putting up a tree and giving gifts has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus. It’s a cross between Saturnalia and the Feast of Yule.

Are you pagan? Otherwise you're celebrating and appropriating a pagan holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

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

If he's singing prayers, he's more than culturally Jewish.

He is Jewish his wife and children are not and should not be celebrating unless they all convert.

If my husband wants to continue family traditions with his daughter, I’m not going to tell him not to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Putting up a tree and giving gifts has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus. It’s a cross between Saturnalia and the Feast of Yule.

Seriously. Is Santa there to celebrate the birth of Jesus too?

Just like the Easter Bunny is there to acknowledge the crucifixion and resurrection.

[Anonymous]

I’m quite sure you can find a secular preschool within your 30-mike radius.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m quite sure you can find a secular preschool within your 30-mike radius.

There’s no need for OP to send her kid to a secular preschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

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

If he's singing prayers, he's more than culturally Jewish.

He is Jewish his wife and children are not and should not be celebrating unless they all convert.

If my husband wants to continue family traditions with his daughter, I’m not going to tell him not to.

Ignore the above poster. He/she is telling you Judaism is unequivocally passed down matrilineally, which is not something Reform Jews or even most Conservative Jews endorse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Putting up a tree and giving gifts has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus. It’s a cross between Saturnalia and the Feast of Yule.

Seriously. Is Santa there to celebrate the birth of Jesus too?

Just like the Easter Bunny is there to acknowledge the crucifixion and resurrection.

You realize that many Christians don't incorporate santa Claus and the Easter bunny into their celebrations right?
It's just bizarre to me you want to celebrate a holiday you don't believe in.

[Anonymous]

I joined the kosher dining hall in college as a non Jew and celebrated many Jewish holidays (people knew I wasn't Jewish.) I think it's hard during COVID but when things get better - if he has friends who might include him in their holidays that might be appropriate. There is lots of Jewish programming online via zoom so perhaps connecting with some of that would be fun in the meantime.

As for the poster with the Jewish husband - if he is Reform than his children are considered Jewish by that movement and it is totally appropriate to pass down the traditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

That's because they are not "celebrating the birth of baby Jesus," but celebrating the secular holiday of Christmas that has sprung up and grown in popularity over the past several generations, which they will continue to do no matter how much you scream and yell and stomp your feet.

P.S. I'm not celebrating other people's holidays.

P.P.S. You're one of those people who posts melodramatic Facebook statuses about "Keep the CHRIST in CHRISTmas" and who gets mad when store clerks, whose employers ask them to be inclusive since they serve customers of all faiths, wish you a "Happy Holidays," aren't you? It's very Boomer of you.