A Religious Jew Who Loves Christmas
By Irwin N. Graulich (12/15/05)
Last year, my article, "Why This Jew Loves Christmas" was featured on more than 100 websites worldwide. It was discussed on radio, tv and other media, resulting in over 1000 overwhelmingly positive emails from Christians, Jews, and other religious/non religious individuals throughout the world. In this beautiful holiday spirit, I have decided to make this an annual effort, updating my thoughts to celebrate the Christian gift of Christmas to the world. Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to all!--ING
If I hear the words, "Happy Holiday," just one more time, I am going to puke. Removing Christmas from Christmas in the interest of inclusiveness, tolerance and sensitivity, is a criminal act.
I am a deeply committed, religious Jew who simply loves Christmas. In fact, any Jew or non Christian who gets "offended" because 90% of Americans make such a public splash about their most important holiday is a selfish pig.
The incredible connection between American Christianity and Judaism is a deep one, resulting in the Judeo-Christian moral code upon which all of Western morality is based. It was the greatest Jewish thinker in history, Maimonides, who said that while Jews brought the Bible/Torah into the world, it is Christians who spread the idea of one moral God to much of mankind.
Let me say clearly that a crèche on a public or private lawn is a very beautiful sight. It means that people have gone to the trouble of sharing lovely visuals from their religion with all of America, expressing the beauty of their heritage and its spiritual message to humanity.
Jews, secularists, atheists, et. al. who are critical of these "public displays" obviously have not thought the issue through very clearly. If these groups do not believe in Christianity, why would they be offended? For nonbelievers, the nativity scene should be as relevant as flamingos on a lawn. So what is the big deal?
However, the Jews who keep "kvetching" (complaining) about manger scenes at city halls and Christmas carols in public school are actually "uncomfortable" with their own Jewishness. For them, Judaism, like Victoria Secret underwear, should be reserved for the home, as some sort of "private affair."
Enter one of the most well known anti Jewish Jews in America today, Mr. Abe Foxman of the ADL, who has a Christian phobia for which he needs serious therapy. Foxman represents Jews in the same way that David Duke represents Americans. Mr. Foxman's criticism of American Christianity and the Christian right shows such utter stupidity that it seems incredible for New York Magazine to run a cover story at this time on "The Superior Intelligent Jewish Brain."
Abraham Foxman is absolute proof that Jews are not smarter than the general population, but actually dumber. He looks at American Christians, who are the greatest supporters of Israel, and sees Crusaders in uniform. The Abe's of the world are living in the year 1095 in Europe. Someone should tell the ADL head that it is 2005 in the USA. Foxman has become the Jesse Jackson of Jews, doing much more harm than good for his cause.
Ungrateful Abe joins the band of despicable Christmas complainers as an example of the '60's generation of selfish narcissists who get offended by everything from the God word in school to anyone holding the ideal of heterosexual marriage. What this anti-God crowd does not realize is that the more one believes that a divine Creator monitors our behavior and judges us, the less we will need the courts and judges to do so.
Personally, I sang religious Christmas carols in my classroom at PS 164 in Brooklyn, which included the word, ready for this folks, "Jesus." Amazingly, I did not convert and am probably more Jewish today than most people who attended full time Jewish day schools. Remarkably, saying the "J" word had no affect me; and "Jesus Christ, why the hell would it?"
Attention all Christians. I would like to publicly thank all of you for the gorgeous Christmas decorations on lawns, the powerful Christmas music and spirit, the beautiful Christmas trees decorating our White House, and those incredible Christmas windows along Fifth Avenue. If not for your brilliant religious marketing skills, Chanukah would probably have gone the way of Shavuot, a more significant Jewish holiday which few Jews celebrate because there is no popular Christian holiday surrounding it.
In all probability, it is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree that has made the large Chanukah menorah near Central Park even possible. American Christians have taught Jews the valuable lesson that it is ok to be public with your religion, as long as it is not coercive or obnoxious. The secret is making it into a beautiful event that can be shared by all Americans, where you truly "light up" the lives of many individuals.
Of course the government should not favor any one specific religion. The Founders wanted a secular government, as per the Constitution, but longed for a religious society. The concept of separation of church and state, which is not even mentioned in the Constitution, has come to mean the removal of God from every area except home and place of worship. Now isn't that a stupid idea!
While American Christians have learned the importance of promoting God, it is non-Jewish Jews, who have embraced their new religions of liberalism, leftism and atheism, which are now at the forefront of the campaign to remove the "G" word from our classrooms and the public sphere. What has become important to these so-called progressives is that fifth graders learn how to place a condom on a banana.
Although America's money says "In God We Trust" and the president is sworn
in on a bible, there are some intellectuals who still wish to hold onto their sophisticated scientific belief that it was actually hydrogen and oxygen that created the world. I say, "God bless them!"
Making a religious holiday into a powerful spectacle with spirit abound is the American Christian forte. Walk along any Main Street or shopping mall during this holiday season and you will see more smiles on people's faces than at any other time. However, we can certainly go overboard with commercialism when a "Holy Day" becomes exclusively a "shopping holiday." That is the danger in removing Christ from Christmas.
There are Christians all over America who spend a tremendous amount of time and money putting up decorations for the public to enjoy. Wouldn't it be a great idea for Jews and other fellow Americans to knock on their doors and thank them; or better yet, place a bottle of wine or small gift on their doorstep with a note of appreciation. That is the spirit of America where we truly share our multiculturalism.
American Christianity is quite different from any other Christianity in history. Without it, Judaism and Israel could pretty much close its doors for business. Jews should be saying a daily blessing for American Christians, especially Evangelicals, aka the Christian Right. The Judeo-Christian partnership upon which America is founded is a critical bond for both groups.
Despite what the Foxman's of the world think, Christianity does not attempt to invalidate Judaism. In America, they strengthen one another. I ask Jews who somehow think that "only" Judaism is valid--"Do you really think that God wanted our tiny group of 14 million Jews worldwide to have a religion, while the other 5 billion people have nothing?" And I ask any Christian who does not believe in the validity of Judaism--"Do you really think that God wanted your founding mother religion, the religion of Jesus, to be wiped out?"
I believe that God wanted both religions to thrive, as it does in America. It is no wonder that Irving Berlin, a religious Jew who escaped the pogroms of Russia, wrote "White Christmas" and "Easter Parade". He wanted to express his own appreciation for American Christians who founded a country that somehow allowed every minority religion and non religion to thrive and grow.
On behalf of Jewish Jews everywhere, I want to thank our American Christian brethren for sharing your passions with us and may I wish each of you, "A Merry Christmas...and a Happy New Year. God bless all of you and your families! "
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