Post-Chrismukkah Blues.
We returned home last night after a long weekend with the Indiana in-laws. Babes in Goyland. It was 8 degrees below zero with a foot of white stuff on the ground when we arrived. Minna had her first true snow experience and now knows the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat after an afternoon of driveway sledding.
On Christmas Eve, we all went to St Peter's Church (United Church of Christ - UCC denomination). Indeed, as advertised in those "controversial" UCC TV commercials that have been airing this month, there were actually gay men and women sitting together in the next row.
The candles flickered throughout the room as the candlelighting ceremony commenced and the choir sang. The compassionate words of the pastor were inspiring and yet not so different from those of the rabbi at the Chanukah service we attended a few weeks earlier in Bozeman. The nostalgic Christmas carols and lovely holiday tunes were seductive... and I found myself following the lyrics in the prayer book and mouthing the words .... that is until a "Christ" lyric snuck up on me... at which point my mouth froze - Jeeeee - a flash of embarrassed self-consciousness and guilty betrayal to my own Jewishness... the panicy alienation of an outsider being caught crashing a party I wasn't invited to... and really had no interest in attending... I swear to Gad...
The feeling passed quickly as I intellectualized the situation... I morphed back to the outside observer, and remembered why I was there in first place ... I looked to see Michelle, who knew all the lyrics by heart, even though she rarely goes to church anymore, at my side. Minna was in her Mother's arms squirming to get down. My brother-in-law Randy was to my left, and my sister-in-law Emily, to my right. I relaxed and allowed myself to inhale deeply the beauty of this Christmas Eve moment.
Christmas Day was spent the way hundreds of millions of others spent the day.. watching the kids opening and playing with their new toys and eating 17 varieties of casserole.
The next day, the devastation of the Indian Ocean tsunami washed over Indianapolis too, knocking Christmas and Chrismukkah and everything else that had seemed so important clear out of the hot-topic conversation box.
Returning home to Montana and my trusty iBook, I checked the latest Chrismukkah related news. Time Magazine included Chrismukkah in it's "Year in Buzzword's" list. The Washington Times wrote a strange editorial... misquoting me and mangling our intentions to neatly fit their agenda (Aren't they the Moonie owned paper?). This past month, Chrismukah somehow become a lightening rod, one of several, in the political/theological/cultural war being agressively prosectuted by the ever more emboldened religious and political right.
Now that our season has past, our 15 minutes timed out, how do we, or should we, respond to this worrisome trend? We began Chrismukkah with modest intentions - a line of light hearted, self-depricating greeting cards in the spirit of our marriage and mixed-faith daughter... at best, we hoped that over the years, we'd be able to put away Minna's college tuition. But since mid-November, something much bigger happened... entirely disproportionate to the physical smallness of those 12 cards. Has it now become our moral responsibility to stand up and defend what we believe in.... to participate in a cultural battle that we unintentionally played a role in sparking... at the risk of it taking over a good chunk of our lives?
64 Comments:
I don't know about moonies, but I'm pretty sure that the WP is as far left as you can go without bumping into a Kennedy.
I stumbled upon your site and I love the message. A little mixing is a good thing; less separation from each other. I laughed aloud about how you came up to the Jesus Christ line in the song and did not know what to do. Been there, done that.
I suppose the best we can is to ignore the zealotry of those who feel the need to force their beliefs down everyone else's throats, with their "my way or to hell" approach to religion. Sadly, this has become all to common an occurrence in this country.
Anyway, you have a good message of inclusion and sharing that I like a lot.
I have just read one posting of yours, so I might not have all of the facts...but, it sounds like your family is split between being Jews and being Christains. I know a lot of people in the world are, but it seems very odd to me. Do your children believe that Jesus was the messiah, or are they still waiting for one? Do they know why they celebrate Hanukkah? Do they know why they celebrate christmas? Will they ever grow up and become confused because of seemingly contradictory ideas and just become atheist's? I really don't want this to seem that I am telling you that you're raising your children wrong, not at all, I have just always been confused about people who were "1/2 and 1/2".
I have to say, religious-holiday fusion is A-OK in my book. I personally enjoy the concept of melding all of the winter holidays together, such as the ever-popular ChristmaHannuKwanzaakah. . . . Unless Ramadan falls in December, in which case, it becomes ChristmaRamaHannuKwanzaakadan (try saying that 5 times really fast). Now if I can only find a way to add the Winter Solstice and Festivus into the mix, I'll be set.
Ron and Michelle,
Keep the fires burning. You are part of a larger movement of people around the world trying to make sense of our inherited traditions, some of which are inclusive of others (YEAH!), some of which are exclusive of others (BOOOOOOOOO!), some of which are universal (YEAH!) and some of which are triumphalistic and exclusive (BOOOO!).
Take 10,000 deep breaths, and start planning for next Chrismukkah, and keep things light and happy and slowly, over a period of time, the world will come to accept what you are doing. Give it ten years, 15 years, make it your life's work (30 days a year) and you will be rewarded by the public response. Eventually.
These things take time.
Don't stop. Never give up. You will be joined by others. This is a movement that cannot be stopped, but many will try to discourage you. They are wrong. They are closed-minded. They cannot see the big picture.
There is a big picture, a much bigger picture. Most Jews and most Christians are still stuck in their inherited harnesses, almost like brainwashing, and it will take many many more years for most people to see the light. The real light.
What do I know?
I am inviting all bloggers of note that I frquent to leave their comments on this post:
http://sajshirazi.blogspot.com/2004/12/why-do-we-blog.html
Thanks.
Christmukkah rocks did any body besides me see the o.c. last night Dec 30th?? They were celebrating and having a Chrismukkah party. Lizzy i think mad yamaclauses!!
I'm so glad I came upon your blog. While I'm not of the Jewish faith, growing up Christian and now considering myself "spiritual", I think it a very wonderful thing that you and your family combine the holiday's. This will give your children an opportunity to grow and learn about both religions and decide for themselves which they choose to be. Tolerance is sorely lacking in this day and age. Bravo to you.
I just stumbled upon this blog on blogger.com and i think it's a great idea. I always wondered what it would be like to celebrate bothe christmas and channakuh(sp?) I grew up only celebrating christmas though we are not "Christian" ... I have a very spiritual family and my own particular set of beliefs. I follow more of a Buddhist way of life, but the "air of the season" still resonates with me and therefor you know why I love the message of your website!
hi
I hear you...don't stop. Sometimes the weight of the battle is consuming...I'm trying to not fight the battle but just live in my non-legalistic truth...personally I need you guys...I'm the Christian and my hubby is a cultural, non-practicing Jew in a largely non-Jewish area so I need that reminder that we are not alone...so as a reminder to you..you are not alone...
I just stumbled onto your blog. I'm Catholic, and I celebrate Christmas, but I think the idea of Chrismukkah is a great one. I'm truly appalled by the some of the comments that the more close-minded people have been leaving you. You're raising your child with religion, tradition, and family. That's what's important. Happy New Year!
I like your twist on the December Dilemma. There are so many interfaith families who each have to figure out how to develop their own traditions to respect and enjoy diverse heritage. Some struggle more with it than others.
My dh and I have attended many interfaith group discussions and walked away saying how lucky we are to have minimal conflict about "Chrismukkah" while so many others seem so uncomfortable.
I developed a web page: TraditionsRenewed to try to explore and emphasize the Jewish traditions that got lost in my own family's reforming. And some that come from completely foreign segments of the Jewish community. There is so much more than Hanukkah. I would love you to share more of how you deal with Chrismukkah.
One of the best "solutions" I heard was to make a really big deal of Sukkah and Simcha Torah for the Jewish Holidays and then when December rolls to Chrismukkah the need to make a big deal shifts more easily to Christmas rather than a need to make Hanukkah a major "thing".
Our family uses Hanukkah as a time to give charity rather than get presents. I know that will be a tough change for some, but it worked pretty well for our family.
Just some thoughts
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That's the Christmas meaning!!!!!!!! have a nice new year!!!!!!!!!
If there is any justice in the world your children will grow up and completely reject this sham you have created.
I also stumbled upon this site via blogger and I would just like to state that this is an absolutely brilliant idea! I was raised Episcopalian but my beliefs don't co-inside with the Christian faith at all, so I'm attempting to convert to Judaism. My family isn't quite sure what to do about this, and I think that they might be more comfortable with an idea like Chrismukkah floating around.
And despite what other people might think, you *can* have it both ways. I'm sure that your kids will love these traditions and, in fact, raise their own children (should they have them) with the knowledge of their heritage. Don't worry about what other people think. There's too much good in the world to let close-mindedness devour it.
And despite what other people might think, you *can* have it both ways.No, you really cannot do that. It is an impossibility like being partially pregnant. You cannot be Jewish and believe in jesus.
Pick a religion and go with it. It is wrong and irresponsible to give children this type of indecisive guidance.
I think each religion can be practiced with respect for one another without saying that its one "universal" religion that people are scared of.
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I just began a blog of my own. I just posted an entry called Christmas Stollen. I just added a postscript to it that the biggest thrill, next to actually making my grandmother's famous recipe for the first time, was having my daughter take my Christmas Stollen and put it next to the Challah during their Shabat dinnerin Brooklyn. I just picked your blog out of all the ones listed and I thought, "this is a coincidence." Thanks for your thoughts. I'll keep reading.
Your views and intentions are wonderful. Enough of this protesting against eachothers religions around the holidays and all the "You can't do this without doing that, so don't do anything" (I suppose that's a simplified way of saying it?) silliness. More people need to be like you guys and just... get together, and enjoy what time they have.
Me? I'm not religious at all, but that doesn't mean I don't notice those out there who truly mean well by their selected faiths. That's excellent for them that they find something in their lives that gives them hope/meaning/direction.
You're doing great. Rock on!
Bueno macho espero que me pongas un post en el blog que acabo de crear,yo no se si entenderás lo que te estoy escribiendo, yo te he encontrado al azar.
http://queridodiariodospuntos.blogspot.com/
As a non-Jewish (brought up vaguely Christian) mother married to the Jewish father of our 2 daughters, we are also trying to give our children a sense of both their cultural / religious heritages.
My 3.5 y old daughter's friend asked her a few weeks ago whether she was Hannukah or Christmas. I waited with baited breath to hear her reply which was 'I'm half Christmas and half Hannukah actually'. Good answer! She's not confused at all - kids are pretty smart as long as you take time to explain things to them fully.
My parenting philosophy is to equip my children with the most choices and options in their lives, rather than indoctrinating with a single point of view. They also know a little about other religions and cultures which they can build on as they grow up - they are both under 4 at the moment. When they get old enough to make an informed decision, they can decide which, if any, religion to adopt. Until then, it's up to us to keep broadening their horizons.
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Hi,
I listen to Air America Radio, and was wondering what Randi Rhodes was talking about with the Christian Right attacking the secularization of Christmas, and the blending of holiday customs. I'm thrilled that very few cards say that horribly impersonal "Seasons Greetings" anymore. I have no problem saying "Merry Christmas to my Christian friends and associates Christmas week. Happy Holiday's works well for the general 6 week period from Thanksgiving to January 6th. I think Chrismukkah shows classic Jewish humor in dealing with the reality of Multiculturalism. I think many Christians forget that Jewishness is a culture as much as a religion.
I'm a Jewish mother of two married to a Japanese man. We celebrate Chanukkah with our friends and family. Every year for Chanukkah dinner, my friend Paula brings her electric wok, and we have "dueling woks". We found an electric wok or frying pan set at 450 degrees make the perfect latkes. This year we made two recipies; the traditional ones with potatoes, onions, matzoh meal, eggs, salt and pepper, the other with grated yams, matzoh meal, eggs, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. We fed 16 and had no leftovers. We spent New Years eating traditional Japanese foods, and watching the Japanese New Years specials on TV.
As a Jew, who majored in Religion at Chaminade University, a Catholic College, I can appreciate Jesus as a prophet and teacher. All religions teach the importance of family, God, community, and charity. It does appear that a certain segment of the Christian faith is trying to gain political power through dividing Americans as a people. The current situation reminds me of the Christian Democrat movement in Germany in the 1920's and 1930's. Remember our forefathers "Never forget" after World War II.
I am just now beginning to study the philosopher Hegel and specifically Hegelian Dialectics; Thesis> Antithesis> Synthsis. I'm enclosing a couple of urls, in case anyone is interested:
http://nord.twu.net/acl/dialectic.html
http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/bb970219.htm
I believe we are heading toward a new synthesis, and it is up to each of us to work toward a positive outcome. Teaching your children to understand the values of all religions and cultures will help them in our changing world. Because the people in power want us to be a divided people, it's up to each of us to push back;
Take care of your health, including normalizing weight to reduce your health care costs into the future. Remember that when you fly, the pilot always reminds you to "breathe into the oxegyn mask before assisting other passengers"
Spend time with your family and show your children how to help, and take care of their own needs as much as possible, so they grow up understanding their true value as human beings. Model the behavior you'd like them to have.
Become involved in your Community, Local Politics, Schools, Church, Synagogue. and get to know your neighbors. It will make your neighborhood safer, improve your quality of life, and more people will listen to your thoughts. Encourage those you know to do the same and become politically active on a steady basis, not just at election cycles.
During the Holiday season, I teach my children about Jesus who said "We will be judged by how we treat the least among us." This year I bought 265 pounds of dried beans and rice for distribution for the poor. I had heard that requests by families for food had gone up by 30%. I also teach my children about the original Saint Nicholas who brought food to the poor, and when he had spare time, carved a toy for all the children in the family to share. My biggest problem with Christmas is that I feel Jesus would be much more pleased if people took better care of the poor all year round, rather than have an orgy of consumption for a month in his name. I know for sure that Mother Wright lit up like a Chismukkah Tree when I started unloading that food for her to distribute.
In my regard, there are only two kinds of Christians regardless of denomination. If you are a Christian, you are either a "living witness to the power of Christ" as shown by how you live every day. or you are a religion addict.
The Tsunami had a powerful impact on all of us, and I hope to see more people adopting a more charitable attitude toward others as a matter of course. I was so affected by the story that wasn't being told, that I started a blog, which is how I found your wonderful blog. If you don't mind, I like to list the url so others can know an important Tsunami story not being told that needs world attention.
http://net-traveler.blogspot.com/2005/01/silenced-tsunami-story-in-burma.html
Keep up the good work. I'll bookmark your website, and send it around to some other blended families. God Bless You! Jasmine
Hello, and Happy belated Chrismukkah!
I saw a hysterical film that we took out from Blockbuster; it was originally made for Comedy Central. It is called the Hebrew Hammer, it is smart and silly funny. Given the more serious nature of this year's holiday season with the global disaster, if you need to chill out and forget reality for a while, I recommend this to you. The Hebrew Hammer is like a Jewish Shaft, they call him the coolest Heb this side of Tel Aviv, and it is really adorable (in the adult sense of the word; it ain't a Charlie Brown Christmas). I realize humour is subjective and I am sorry if in the end you do not think the plot amusing, but it has continued to make me laugh long after we returned it (without having to pay a late fee!) The plot, to sum it up, is that Hammer is engaged to get Channukah back, because Santa has hijacked the holiday by passing out bootleg tapes of It's a Wonderful Life to Jewish children in an effort to convert them to Christmas. If you see it, let me know what you thought. I really depend on my funny bone in these times....
Peace out, Happy everything! Who knows, you may even have to alter the event to Chrismukwanz someday....
Val
People seem to be getting entirely too worked up about this.
I don't get the impression that you are using this to make a religious statement -- but rather as a fun and clever way of handling the secular and mass media aspects of the december dilemma.
One cannot actually be both christian and jewish, but, again, I don't think that is really what you are promoting.
I was really taken aback by the person who thought they deserved praise for never saying anything derogatory about jews or "even muslims." I was really struck by that "even" as though it were EVEN harder to be a good christian (the poster's self-description not mine) when it came to not denegrating muslims than the every-day hardship of not saying bad things about jews. Interesting how people reveal themseleves when they don't mean to.
At any rate, keep up the little business, don't let those network geeks steal your thunder, and I hope you make a bundle on the whole thing so you can buy lots of presents and give lots to charity all year long.
Happy whatever to you and yours!
I was raised Christian (Catholic) and it took me years to finally realize that being spiritual had little to do with religion. What finally did dawn on me were the important things that truly matter in the world: Family, respect, love, sympathy for those less fortunate, understanding, commitment, caring, tolerance for those we don't agree with and unity. Theses human qualities are not specific to any particular religion.
I think the idea of Chrismukkah is great! what a better way to celebrate the season than to bring two great religions of the world together so that a family can be together. I also recently realized that being religious doesnt make you spiritual, and christmas is a glorious hog pog of other religions and cultural beliefs melded around the idea of Jesus birth. In order to say anything about your celebrated holiday, one must put down one religion or the other in favor of the remaining religion. No one has the right to do that. I praise your boldness and your ingenuity! Continue on, you are what makes that time of year great!
This is the most intelligent blog I've ever read. I'm a (nominally) catholic woman married to a jewish man & we're raising our 4 sons as jews (we've had 2 bar mitzvahs already, attended by all our christian & jewish family/friends). We celebrate christmas because it's part of my heritage and we believe in peace on earth and goodwill towards men (and women). I tell my kids they can admire Jesus because of his message but I really have no idea if he was the messiah. (After 12 years of catholic school...oh what would the nuns think!!) I especially like KSJeffrey's comments and I'm right with him, even though I'm a red cork bobbing in a blue sea.
I LOVE your blog! My husband (Jewish) and I (not Jewish) celebrated our first Chrismukkah this year. We just didn't know the PC name for it. We can't wait to give out Chrismukkah gifts to our families next year. Thanks!
LONG LIVE CHRISMUKKAH! You can't falter now!
May the Chrismukkah torch be carried for genrerations to come.
i read the passage...and it somewhat confused me. jewish people believe in jesus, dont they? so why cant you sing jesus in a song? anyways, the only thing that really bothered me is a comment that someone left.
"I suppose the best we can is to ignore the zealotry of those who feel the need to force their beliefs down everyone else's throats, with their "my way or to hell" approach to religion. Sadly, this has become all to common an occurrence in this country."
i respect your religion, or maybe lack of religion but it sadens me to see that people think this way. its not "my way or to hell", but it is Jesus's way or to hell. We arent selfish stubourn people who just want it our way [we being Christians]. it says so in the bible that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. "i am the way the truth and the light, there is no way to enter my kingdom but through me" He spoke it himself. im not trying to force my religion onto you, but at the same time i just wanted to let you know that we as christians dont tell you these things to have it our way. we tell you to have it Jesus's way.
<3
Keep walking your own path.
I and my family celebrate Christmas, but unlike many others it is not as a religious festival.
The last people that I listen to are the ones who can only resort to scripture and text to support their beliefs. They do not "know". They are repeating the catechisms that they have been required to learn and parrot. They are ciphers without meaning.
The first I listen to are those who can rationalise their beliefs in their own terms. They are the people who know their own hearts. They are the people who understand their beliefs.
May your journey be long and fruitful.
Happy Chrismukkah to you as well.
i do have meaning. my meaning is to help lead others to christ. and what better way to do so than to share his word? i believe in Jesus and i serve him, not because i was told to, but because i choose to. ive studied up on other religions and they all seem bogus to me. christianity is the only one that makes sense and the only one that truly benefits me in the end. im not just some mind warped follower. im an individual and i think for myself. and i am not afraid to say
Merry Christmas
Yes, this is a holiday that character Seth Cohen on The O.C. celebrated this season and last season.
Heather,
Heather,
Heather,
Jews don't believe in Jesus. Otherwise, we would be Christians. Unless you are half and half which is totally ok with me. Please don't call Judaism bogus. I am working on my bat mitzvah, and it's fine with me.
so umm ... didnt seth cohen make up chrismukkah all by his hot self or are you just takin all his glory from him ?!??
mixing the holidays is great. makes things work better. for alot of people they've lost their religious meaning anyway.
proponentofreason.blogspot.com
As a christian I am completely and totally offended by this dumb moneymaking scheme. For your Jewish information, Christmas and Hannukah having nothing to do with each other. Not A Thing.
We celebrate Christmas because we are rejoicing in the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ. It is NOT a seasonal holiday and just because other people may want to participate in the festivities of the season, if you do not celebrate the birth of Jesus, you truly should not try to find a way to make Christmas a meaningless seasonal time. Celebrate Hannukah which is something you believe in. Spin the dreidel get some chocolate and leave Christmas alone.
It is truly truly offensive to Christians that one of the most important RELIGIOUS holidays is being hijacked by people of other faiths. You have your own beliefs and holidays. I think you might find it offensive if Christians did the same with Rosh Hashana so we could take twelve days off of work and called it RoshHaHaHa.
If your wife is a Christian, she seriously needs to look at her beliefs if she endorses this ubelievable offensive garbage. Christmas is not a parody.
What a load of crap this is. I think you might realize how truly offensive this is to believers in Jesus Christ if Christians started appropriating the highest holy days in Judaism for fun and profit. We all have kids we need to send to college.
The sacrament of the Eucharist is not like eating a Matzoh and Christmas is not Hannukah.
Religious tolerance is just that: Tolerance. Please have the decency to be tolerant of those of us who celebrate the birth of Jesus, in Christmas. Christians are not trying to take over the world. We would, however, like to be able to rejoice in our religious celebrations just as everyone else does.
Absolutely, Christmas may seem to non-believers to be about a tree and lights and gifts but it is not. And if you knew that you would not seek to bundle it with Hannukah. I am not a member of the religious right, just a Catholic kid who seeks religious tolerance. I find this whole concept you're packaging to be offensive. Just as I find it offensive to hear Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond making Christmas record after Christmas record.
If you believe that this is appropriate I think you should start another blog where you take a Jewish high holy day and make it secular for cosumption by all. I've got it: start a comic book called the Yom Kippurkids and Minna's college fund will be chock full.
Thanks for the "so called" inclusion. You know what, you are not included in celebrating Christmas if you don't believe you're celebrating the birth of Jesus. And you're not included by your own choice. Calling it a generic name so you can have the fun part of Christmas is more than offensive.
i wasnt calling judaism bogus, i said it "seems" bogus to me. as in none of it makes sense. dont go putting words in my mouth. and i agree 100% with the ananymous two spaces above.
Wow, that was weird. I was down at the end of the comment section and clicking a way like crazy so I could leave a comment about the wonderfulness of this whole Chrimukkah idea when it dawned on me that maybe the comment box was up at the top. Sometimes we just have to turn things up side down.
Anyway, to add my two cents, last year (2003) was our first Chrismukkah, and no we aren't religious, we just like the idea of combining cultures and celebrating our love for each other by giving each other a gift a day right up until xmas. We also love the humor of the presentation of the idea on the O.C.
It's called CHRISTmas not Xmas for the obviously reason that those of us who celebrate this religious holiday are doing so in the name of Christ, not X. The celebration is the birth of CHRIST not Malcolm X. Obviously you're not religious. That's fine with me but it is not fine with me that you choose to appropriate Christmas as a seasonal thing. If you were religious, you would know better. I am not "religious" either. I don't go to church but I do believe in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Which is why I celebrate his birth.
And I'm sorry, the reason for the season must not be lost because non-religious people just feel like exchanging gifts. CHRISTmas and it's celebration is in it's name and it's meaning celebrated by Christians, not by people who feel like dragging a tree into thier house.
Since you're not religious you probably don't know why we exchange gifts. Three kings followed a star to Bethlehem to bring gifts to the light of the world, the son of God, who would bring salvation to the world. They brought specifically gold, frankencense and myrhh. Hence, the giving of gifts.
It's CHRISTmas...see the word in there...CHRIST. That's the key for all the people out there who aren't religious and want to exchange gifts. If you don't believe that Jesus Christ is your saviour you have no reason to be celebrating. Find something you BELIEVE IN to celebrate and try not to offend those of us who are Christians by attempting to make the birth of Jesus Christ a secular holiday.
Nice blog! Cool layout, Visit Mine :D!
hi saw you recommended on 'blog', just got here by accident, except there are no accidents. About your rabbi in Bozeman, have you been to Rabbi Gershon Winklers' rosh hashanah services in Montana, i think a congregation there has him there once a year. found him self-advertised in our north-east Jewish Journal. 1994, the year my son 1/2 'chris' and 1/2 'mukkah',
began college in Boulder, co...so i went to Gershons' retreat on his land in Cuba.... New Mexico. If you want a Rabbi who teaches like Mel Brooks, but you feel you're in a Seinfeld sitcom, he's the guy! son of a rabbi, of a rabbi, orthodox, speaks native Danish, english, yiddish, hebrew and aramaic, studied with master 'maggids' in Israel, with a little bit of Slivovitz to top it off. Go to Walkingstick.org.
When you sit with him in the trees you could be 2,000 years ago with Christ in the Wilderness. My parents, having been brought up a conservative Jew want to know why "I DID THIS"! 'did what?': I say, learned compassion, ? forgiveness, ? loving-kindness ? in five minutes. But there is more to learn, so I'm studying, and listening hard. I've found some good teachers...yogis, hindus, rabbis, priests and Jesus... the answer to my parents question "WHY"....He was a jew, a rabbi, a great teacher,a spiritual master, living in a Religious bureaucracy.
And what if he comes back today...or has he already returned many times? who have we killed?
Think on these things....and thanks for Chrismukkah...we're getting close(r).
are you on radio here? east coast, boston or new york city..I graduated Indiana U. graduate school june 1967,
i remember Nashville, when. and Bloomington was the center of the universe, alan ginsberg and ravi shankar slid through and the Moral Majority was singing their hearts out while we were marching against the Viet Nam War. oh well now you know how old i am .
No one ever said you have to give up Your Faith.
What you are comfortable with should be good enough for you, and I commend you on your example of open mindedness. Being together in something very large is a very hard step to take.
I would say you have done Gods work.
You do realize that ur title is off of The O.C.! Correct me if im wrong, but if u heard it off the show should'nt you say something like off of the O.C.?
Hey I just stumbled upon your blog by accident as well, and being a teenage girl of the Messianic persuasion myself I find your blog a brilliant and inspirational testiment to all of us trying to find a middle-ground in that sometimes-annoying Christmas/Hannukah season. To Anonymous, who truly offended ME, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, yes. But why? Because there was a Roman holiday to celebrate the rebirth of the Sun God on the 25th of December that the Christians tried to diffuse by putting a Christian holiday on the same day. Lord knows it worked. I think your self-rightousness isn't making anyone see your point of view any better and perhaps if you weren't being rude it wouldn't be so hard to try and see your side of your argument. But seeing how it is, I find you just straight-up offensive and nothing more, including informed.
I'd like to thank the believing Christians who've acknowledged that what you(Ron) are trying to do is diminish the meaning of Christmas. As a tollerant as well as traditional Jew who knows a thing or two about Judaism as well as Christianity, I'd like to make two things clear: 1.If you believe that Jesus was the Messiah it's pure nonsense to consider yourself Jewish! 2.If you consider yourself Jewish, and have any respect for your religion(Judaism is a nationality as well as religion after all)you have no need to verbally crap on other religions!
Chtori said...
Hey I just stumbled upon your blog by accident as well, and being a teenage girl.... To Anonymous, who truly offended ME, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, yes. But why? Because there was a Roman holiday to celebrate the rebirth of the Sun God on the 25th of December that the Christians tried to diffuse by putting a Christian holiday on the same day.
I am not the same "Anonymous" who posted above, but just a few comments You are a teenage girl which in and of itself means you can't even live on your own, you can't drink, you can't do anything adults do. Why? Because you're not mature enough. Which is fully shown by your post.
Because you don't believe that Jesus Christ is the saviour of the world and many many Christians do, you're offended? You want to ask whys and hows and wheres?????
Let's start here: we celebrate December 25th as the birth of Jesus Christ, our savior. There is no why and if you had any religious tolerance you would not chalk it up to some teenage nonsense you read somewhere. There is no why. There is FAITH. That's it. You don't deserve an explantion of my faith unless you want to defend all of your practices.
Here's some whys for you: why do you need a yarmulke to remind you that something is above you? why do you need two sets of dishes, one for dairy one for meat, why do you drain the blood out of of your meat and have it certified as shoe leather by a rabbi? Why don't you eat pork or shellfish? why do you need a mikvah bath to cleanse yourself for your husband?
Why why why. Grow up.
Also, anyone who doesn't think (includig Ron's wife) that the term "Babes in Goyland" is derogatory doesn't know what it means.
So listen kid, before you get your princess panties in a jumble, grow up and learn to think for yourself. Being tolerant of other faiths' religious beliefs when they stand up for them is not offensive. A lot of what this Chrismakkuh stands for is offensive. And your so called explanation of what December 25th means is extremely offensive to believers of Jesus Christ. That's what December 25th means to YOU, not me and not millions of other people.
Agreed with anonymous above. Don't appropriate our religious holy days and we won't appropriate yours.
FYI, I am a Christian who works very closely for twently years in a company comprised largely of Orthodox Jews. We respect each others beliefs and we learn much from each other. I even get to own the company in writing for most of September during the high holy days. I tease the owner of the company every year and refuse to give it back for a day or two.
I don't question or ridicule his beliefs or his need to do these things and he doesn't question my belief in Jesus Christ. When his four year old daughter fell off a diving board and needed 12 stitches in her chin they were put in by a plastic surgeon. In order to minimize scarring, they needed to be removed on a specific day which happened to be the first day of Rosh Hashana. He asked me to take her to the plastic surgeon because he couldn't drive. I did not question the faith of his belief nor the fact that this was a four year old child. I picked her up and drove her to the plastic surgeon. I respected her religious beliefs, as I was very familiar with them. I did not play the radio in the car, I did not stop off anywhere, I took her straight home.
The point is you have a LOT of growing up to do when you're offended by a person defending their right to their religious beliefs and then implying that they are so stupid that they "bought" some crap about the rebirth of the Sun God on December 25th. You can't see past the nose on your face. That's your belief, not mine. And perhaps if you weren't so full of your teenage self you'd not be offended by having to tolerate the beliefs of other people.
Hey Chorti grow up. The pagan occult "rebirth of the Sun God"is around December 20 or 21st not the 25th. Who's uninformed and who is offensive here?
No Christian has to defend their beliefs, traditions, or customs to you who finds the "Christmas/Hanukkah season" so annoying. First of all, it's not a "Christmas/ Hanukkah season." There is Christmas which is one of highest holy days in the Christian faith and there's Hanukkah. Two separate and completely different entities.
Maybe if you weren't so hellbent on trying to pretend that they're the same thing so you can lump them together and pretend that they are yours to celebrate it wouldn't be so annoying. Leave Christmas alone. It is not yours, by your choice. Calling it Hanukkah doesn't make it Hanukkah. Calling it the rebirth of the sun king doesn't make it so.
It has a name CHRISTmas. See the Christ in there. There's a reason. Maybe instead of studying pagan worship and the occult you should brush up on the New Testament instead and you might find that you can actually be tolerant of people who aren't like you.
wow someones popular .ive just read 1 comment saying that you must be half jewish and half christian but did you not get i "chrismukkah" from Seth Cowen from THE O.C????????cant believe that some people have still not seen it ................
Life is too short to have to fight this battle. No need to defend your beliefs, that is why they are called "yours". Love your cards and look forward to ordering next holiday season. Enjoy your 15 minutes (though it seems like it will be longer) and live each day fully.
haha, sorry to anonymous above, but i don't remember jesus, or anyone else in the new testament, mentioning anything about celebrating christmas as a "high holy day" -but maybe its in there somehow and i've just never noticed
yeah, pretty much everything going on here is really quite unimportant... i can't help but think blogs in general are lame.
to all you who seem to make getting offended your occupation, no offence.
oh and geez louize, could all you militant "christians" tone it down a little and shine some light? i mean man, we're supposed to be christ-like.
uh, ron, i think you and your wife just need to remember to keep trying to think about reality and the big picture… i know you aren’t trying to make some bold religious/social statement with this hybrid holiday thing, but still it can’t hurt to think about; what happens when we die, why try to find meaning in life, why care for others, what the crap is with all of this “spirituality” and “religion” with no basis junk that so many people are “believing” and other questions like that. look at me, i’m such a hypocrite, I say to shine the light and then I start being a jerk.
Really, I’m just a dumb kid who doesn’t know much and doesn’t like the fact that I’m leaving this post but am doing it anyway.
Haha oh man, I guess I need to get myself a blog!!
What a maroon.....
Do you need a book or someone to tell you that the birth of the son of God is the holiest most sacred day in Christianity (maybe apart from the Resurrection).
By the way, man we are shining a light by keeping our faith in Jesus Christ who said, "I am the life and the resurrection...he who believes in me will never die."
You haven't heard one word from a MILITANT christian on this blog. Everything I've read here sounds like it's coming from very moderate people who happen to believe that Jesus is the light of the world. I seriously doubt Jerry Falwell has posted here.
so why is the birth of the son of god "the holiest most sacred day in Christianity (maybe apart from the Resurrection)." ? i'm not fighting, i just don't get it.
is it because if that day hadn't happened, then he would have never been born? because if thats the case, then jesus' fifth birthday should be just as holy because if he had not made it to that, then he wouldn't have gotten old enough to be crucified. Jesus was god's son all throughout his life. being born wasn't some big triumph, god easily could handle that, it was what jesus decided to do in his life that changed the world.
i don't think christianity is about all the rules and rituals and stuff anyway.
Another "Anonymous" Here, none of the above. Jesus' fifth birthday and every one of his birthdays is holy day. In case you're not aware, He came to fulfill a prophecy: The Son of God born to virgin who would bring salvation to the world. And He did. If that's not a miracle and the day He came to this earth is not a holy day, there's never been a holy day and nothing is sacred. If that's your world, it's fine with me. But It's not mine as a Christian.
Reading this blog from start to finish, (61 posts) it seems that the people who have been posting here recently must be an organized evangelical group participating in an orchestrated blog lynching. Or else they just haven't bothered to read through the Chrismukkah web site. Are they blinded by their arogant "my ideology is the only way and if you don't believe what I believe then you're going to hell" religious zealotry, or are they simply lazy readers?
The Chrismukkah web site specifically and clearly explains what they are about... and despite the knee jerk response one may get from the Chrismukkah name, it's got nothing to do with Christ or any other organized religious figure. I take it as clever, humorous (remember humor) and satirical. It's also an idealistic call for more diversity, tolerance and sharing of what we all have in common as human beings, rather than focusing on what separates us. Especially during the holidays.
God graced us all (or most of us) with a sense of humor and compassion for one another. If you posters truly knew God, then you'd be a lot more confident that He can take care of Himself and I doesn't need your help. I imagine, if he reads this blog, that he'd be embarrased and disappointed by such arrogant, small-minded thinking.
oh! you got us. we are an organized evangelical group participating in an orchestrated blog lynching!!
dang, we had better find a new blog folks.
move out!
"I am telling you that you're raising your children wrong, not at all, I have just always been confused about people who were "1/2 and 1/2"."
Everyone has their own believies and thoughts, it's none of your business
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