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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here. I'm really amazed at how much dialogue this has sparked. And I do appreciate everyone's thoughts, so thanks to all who weighed in!

I think the assimilation issue is maybe not so unique to Jews anymore, the way it was 100 years ago, but it's been woven into our cultural heritage in a very profound way. So for anyone who was raised in a relatively traditional Jewish family (like I was) it can feel very strange to be consciously deciding which traditions to pass on and which to phase out. For example, the faux kosher way I was raised made zero sense to me as a kid (no bacon at home! no milk with dinner! but outside the house, do whatever you want) so that one was out the second I left the natal nest. As I've gotten older the connections to my extended family have become even more important to me, which is why we celebrate holidays together, and for me this fills the space that a shul might otherwise fill (the "community" piece). But I can't see my way clear to having a Christmas tree in my house, or even an advent calendar for that matter (decision: made!). [/quote]

OP  - while I am a Conservative/Masorti Jew, one of the things I like about Reform is its insistence on making conscious personal decisions on all questions (of course other Jews inevitably make deliberate choices too, but its not as much a question of choice as a principle)

While I may have been harsh in the above posts, I congratulate you on thinking these things through to determine how to apply your own values.  I hope you have a very happy hanukkah, and I also hope you and your child can enjoy the general holiday season, on your own terms. [/quote]

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