Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, please don't take my question as inflammatory. It was a hot issue in my town growing up, and I'd never be able to.ask this in person.

What is your opinion on a town putting up a nativity scene on a public green? Does your.opinion change at all if the town allowed a display of something relaated to Chanukah? What is your opinion on Christmas songs being played in stores, etc? As a kid, did you ever feel left out this time of year? Between Santa, commercials, etc., I've always wondered if Jewish kids got annoyed over this.

Definitely always felt left out during holiday season. My family would not allow anything Xmas related even though my siblings and I begged for a Chanukah bush with blue and white lights. We didnt get gifts for xmas, bake xmas cookies, or look at dec 24-25 as any different from a normal day - except that we knew everything would be closed. As an adult, I, glad that they did. Now with a child, I will do the same thing. Our Xmas day routine is Chinese food for dinner and a movie, probably always will be.

I don't mind Xmas songs played in stores. I get that there are way more people shopping for Xmas presents than chanukahu presents or any other holiday. I find them somewhat annoying, but really don't mind. When those songs come on the radio, I change the station or turn it off.

I think that a nativity scene is fine on public property as long as the same property also addresses other holidays (Chanukah and kwanza come to mind). Even the White House has a menorah. Does that answer all if your questions?

Have you noticed that Jews are the only people who distance themselves that far from Christmas (and Jehovas Witness)? I mean my Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist friends all join in. I take time to enjoy their holidays too, but to many Jews it seems like an "us and them" fight. I am not even religious and for the last 20 years have not had a tree, but I get into any fun holiday regardless of the religion. Now, more and more Jews are distancing themselves from Halloween? Can you all lighten up? Can you invite some non Jews to FUN Jewish holidays? i.e., not Passover. Every religion has fun holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, please don't take my question as inflammatory. It was a hot issue in my town growing up, and I'd never be able to.ask this in person.

What is your opinion on a town putting up a nativity scene on a public green? Does your.opinion change at all if the town allowed a display of something relaated to Chanukah? What is your opinion on Christmas songs being played in stores, etc? As a kid, did you ever feel left out this time of year? Between Santa, commercials, etc., I've always wondered if Jewish kids got annoyed over this.

Definitely always felt left out during holiday season. My family would not allow anything Xmas related even though my siblings and I begged for a Chanukah bush with blue and white lights. We didnt get gifts for xmas, bake xmas cookies, or look at dec 24-25 as any different from a normal day - except that we knew everything would be closed. As an adult, I, glad that they did. Now with a child, I will do the same thing. Our Xmas day routine is Chinese food for dinner and a movie, probably always will be.

I don't mind Xmas songs played in stores. I get that there are way more people shopping for Xmas presents than chanukahu presents or any other holiday. I find them somewhat annoying, but really don't mind. When those songs come on the radio, I change the station or turn it off.

I think that a nativity scene is fine on public property as long as the same property also addresses other holidays (Chanukah and kwanza come to mind). Even the White House has a menorah. Does that answer all if your questions?

Have you noticed that Jews are the only people who distance themselves that far from Christmas (and Jehovas Witness)? I mean my Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist friends all join in. I take time to enjoy their holidays too, but to many Jews it seems like an "us and them" fight. I am not even religious and for the last 20 years have not had a tree, but I get into any fun holiday regardless of the religion. Now, more and more Jews are distancing themselves from Halloween? Can you all lighten up? Can you invite some non Jews to FUN Jewish holidays? i.e., not Passover. Every religion has fun holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am friends with tons of Jews but I could never ask this question. Do you think you are special/chosen and the rest of us are not?

I grew up Catholic but don't practice and never identified as being special or saved in some way.

Just wondering-- thanks

To be honest, I do. I didn't have that clarity growing up when I was in Saturday or Sunday school and in Hebrew school. As ive matured, I view religion a bit differently. I don't walk around entitled.

Does chosen mean better?

Are there non-chosen people who you consider to be close personal friends?

Do you have any feelings towards people who are not chosen, good, bad, indifferent, or indifferent w/contempt?

Are chosen and non-chosen people equal in your eyes?

Chosen does not equal better. I have many close personal friends who are not Jewish. No feelings of contempt. People are equal. We just have different stories of how we got here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, please don't take my question as inflammatory. It was a hot issue in my town growing up, and I'd never be able to.ask this in person.

What is your opinion on a town putting up a nativity scene on a public green? Does your.opinion change at all if the town allowed a display of something relaated to Chanukah? What is your opinion on Christmas songs being played in stores, etc? As a kid, did you ever feel left out this time of year? Between Santa, commercials, etc., I've always wondered if Jewish kids got annoyed over this.

Definitely always felt left out during holiday season. My family would not allow anything Xmas related even though my siblings and I begged for a Chanukah bush with blue and white lights. We didnt get gifts for xmas, bake xmas cookies, or look at dec 24-25 as any different from a normal day - except that we knew everything would be closed. As an adult, I, glad that they did. Now with a child, I will do the same thing. Our Xmas day routine is Chinese food for dinner and a movie, probably always will be.

I don't mind Xmas songs played in stores. I get that there are way more people shopping for Xmas presents than chanukahu presents or any other holiday. I find them somewhat annoying, but really don't mind. When those songs come on the radio, I change the station or turn it off.

I think that a nativity scene is fine on public property as long as the same property also addresses other holidays (Chanukah and kwanza come to mind). Even the White House has a menorah. Does that answer all if your questions?

Anonymous wrote:Do you find Jewish women don't generally make the effort with non Jewish women? Do you think the "connection" is more important? I ask because I introduced two Jewish couples and all they talked about, for four plus hours straight, was their synagogue, their origin, and who they knew. It was more than a little awkward.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you handle Christmas? I invited one of DD's friends to a holiday party at our house and the mom sent email tp confirm that it really was a neutral winter party without any type of Christmas activities. We're not religious at all and she didn't think that there would be anything like praying or whatever very religious people do. She was concerned whether the cookies and decorations would have a Christmas theme.

Different Jewish poster. We do not bring Christmas into our home in any way. When DD was 4 she had me read her a book about Santa at the library, but none are in our home. If we are invited to something churchy or Christmasy we go, and we are happy to bring Christmas presents to your home if you have us for Christmas dinner. However, we will not pray to Jesus. We will bow our heads quietly while you say grace and wait for you to finish before we start eating, but no Jesusing.

I would allow DD to attend your holiday party, even if some of your cookies had Santas on them. DD knows not to blow the Santa secret, on penalty of death.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am friends with tons of Jews but I could never ask this question. Do you think you are special/chosen and the rest of us are not?

I grew up Catholic but don't practice and never identified as being special or saved in some way.

Just wondering-- thanks

To be honest, I do. I didn't have that clarity growing up when I was in Saturday or Sunday school and in Hebrew school. As ive matured, I view religion a bit differently. I don't walk around entitled.

Does chosen mean better?

Are there non-chosen people who you consider to be close personal friends?

Do you have any feelings towards people who are not chosen, good, bad, indifferent, or indifferent w/contempt?

Are chosen and non-chosen people equal in your eyes?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am friends with tons of Jews but I could never ask this question. Do you think you are special/chosen and the rest of us are not?

I grew up Catholic but don't practice and never identified as being special or saved in some way.

Just wondering-- thanks

To be honest, I do. I didn't have that clarity growing up when I was in Saturday or Sunday school and in Hebrew school. As ive matured, I view religion a bit differently. I don't walk around entitled.

Anonymous wrote:How do you handle Christmas? I invited one of DD's friends to a holiday party at our house and the mom sent email tp confirm that it really was a neutral winter party without any type of Christmas activities. We're not religious at all and she didn't think that there would be anything like praying or whatever very religious people do. She was concerned whether the cookies and decorations would have a Christmas theme.

Anonymous wrote:Do you find Jewish women don't generally make the effort with non Jewish women? Do you think the "connection" is more important? I ask because I introduced two Jewish couples and all they talked about, for four plus hours straight, was their synagogue, their origin, and who they knew. It was more than a little awkward.

Anonymous wrote:Why are you defining Shiksa as a non-Jewish woman married to a Jewish man? That definition is incorrect. A Shiksa is a non-Jewish woman. It doesn't matter who she is married to. And no, it's obviously not tabboo to be female and not Jewish.

FWIW, many of the Jewish men I know who married non-Jewish women, no matter what their ethnic or religious backgrounds, married the Catholic, Chinese (or whatever), version of their Mother. It's like they went after a woman who they thought totally didn't represent how they grew up but they didn't realize that there are women like their Moms in all cultures anyway.