A question for the jews

[Judge Smails]

I don't mean for this to turn into a "War on Christmas" thread and I'm a pretty liberal guy but something's been irking me so I thought I'd get it off my chest.

When I was in grade school anyone who wanted to could bring in Christmas decorations which we could put around the class. Also, I remember each classroom had its own Christmas tree. Now, I don't remember any Jesus related stuff, but trees and lights and Santa Clauses were OK. We would also exchange Secret Santa gifts and the Jewish kids would participate.

Fast forward to today and I live in a town with a sizable Jewish community and anything Christmas related is a no-no in my kid's school. No tree, no lights, no Santa and my kids tell me that they'll get in trouble if they say "Merry Christmas" to anyone (they're only allowed to say "Happy Holidays"). My wife tells me that there was an issue at my son's holiday party today because a parent brought in a cake that said "Merry Christmas".

But OK I can accept all that. Times change and we all have to be more open to others' feelings. All that would be OK except for the fact that my daughter came home with a dradle (that she said her teacher handed out to all the kids) and singing the Dradle Song that she said they sang in class. It got me thinking "Can you imagine what would have happened if I had showed up and handed out little nativity sets to all the kids?"

So, what's up my jewish brothers and sisters? Are you just trying to get back at us for making you listen to Christmas carols and eat Chinese food every December 25th? My kids have nothing to do with that. If they're going to play with dradles in class then let them have a Christmas tree they can sit under while they play. Can't we all just get along?

[boosterp]

Can't we all just get along?

No shit! We are going from ultra PC into a new horizon filled with other groups interests put before the "majority."

[TooLowBrow]

you live in a sizable jewish community and youre surprised that your kid brings home a dreidel?
suck it up and follow the majority, like the jewish kids you grew up with did.
or move.

[scottinnj]

I guess that took care of that.

[TripleSkeet]

Honestly, Im betting the Jews in the community dont even give a fuck if they do Santa Christmas related shit in schools. Just like its always the PC whites that go after white guys for racist humor when blacks dont give a fuck, Im betting its PC christians who are the ones banning Santa as they are afraid of offending the jews.

God as a parent of a 1 year old and with another coming I am frightened to to think about how much I am gonna flip out if I have to deal with shit like this in my kids school. Im the type of jerk off that would make my kid go to school with santa claus, reindeer and christmas tree stickers all over his books and schoolbag just because they said not to.

I still just dont understand when people started getting offended by EVERYTHING. When did we stop using common sense???

[Judge Smails]

you live in a sizable jewish community and youre surprised that your kid brings home a dreidel?
suck it up and follow the majority, like the jewish kids you grew up with did.
or move.

OK, first of all, I never said that jews were the majority. If aything it's closer to a 50-50 split with a good amount of Asians and Indians mixed in also. And, I said that I understand that things probably needed to change from how they were when I was a kid. And, I don't have a problem with my kids being exposed to other cultures or religions and couldn't care less that they're playing with dreidels. But if that's OK why does everyone get up in arms about anything Christmas related?

[PapaBear]

I had a Hindu woman from India wish me a Merry Christmas the other day. She was nice.

[scottinnj]

I had a Hindu woman from India wish me a Merry Christmas the other day. She was nice.

Was she hot?

[PapaBear]

Was she hot?
Actually, she was. But she seamed way too sweet to think that way. I think she pulled some Hindu mojo peace mind trick on me.

[NickyL0885]

aren't the jews are responsible for everything? Mel Gibson says so.

[ToiletCrusher]

No shit! We are going from ultra PC into a new horizon filled with other groups interests put before the "majority."

Who exactly is the "majority"? That sounds separatist.

[Yosammity]

Being PC means you need to be sensitive to those groups that we're told to be sensitive to.

Also... There's a heirarchy: We need to be more sensitive to some groups than others.

[GreatAmericanZero]

wow..judge snails must live in a really rich neighborhood

[west milly Tom]

This is Social Progressisim run amok. Other people's customs don't offend me, people should just grow up. What message are we sending children when we separate them from other cultures?

[Kublakhan61]

Perhaps the school is bothered by the fact that CHRISTMAS has very little to do with the christian religion and more to do with Santa than jesus - this might explain Happy Holidays over Merry Christmas...? You should find out if your kid is allowed to bring in advent calendars or baby jesus figurines?

This is a major social difference between Hanukkah and Christmas - commercialization.

Have you considered that the school might not have a problem with christians but with consumers getting their own holiday?

MAYBE the school is making an effort to educate the children to truth in the holidays, that they are a time to revere your christian god not santa and you're mucking it up for the kids by making it about santa again? You know, "be like a Jews, they respect tradition - they don't sell out their religion to the man"...?

[ToiletCrusher]

This is a major social difference between Hanukkah and Christmas - commercialization.



My Nike Hanukkah running shoes would argue with that.

[Kublakhan61]

My Nike Hanukkah running shoes would argue with that.

hahaha no way!

[~Katja~]

Perhaps the school is bothered by the fact that CHRISTMAS has very little to do with the christian religion and more to do with Santa than jesus - this might explain Happy Holidays over Merry Christmas...? You should find out if your kid is allowed to bring in advent calendars or baby jesus figurines?

This is a major social difference between Hanukkah and Christmas - commercialization.

Have you considered that the school might not have a problem with christians but with consumers getting their own holiday?

MAYBE the school is making an effort to educate the children to truth in the holidays, that they are a time to revere your christian god not santa and you're mucking it up for the kids by making it about santa again? You know, "be like a Jews, they respect tradition - they don't sell out their religion to the man"...?


But Christmas Trees and giving presents never had anything to do with Jesus Christ and the religious aspect of that holiday. I grew up non religious and we had these all along. granted we did not have a jewish population, but we had russian students in school and we all would learn about their holiday traditions and how differently these wonderful days when family gets real close and celebrates together are being observed by other people of our community.
It was never an issue to embrace different traditions and teach every kid about it, I sure hope that my son gets to experience this here as well and does not have to hide what his family traditions are.
I mean look at the issue on hand here, a lady brings a cake that says Merry Christmas and all mayhem breaks lose while another hands out dreidels.
It is ridiculous and hypocritical.

[NickyL0885]

I will never say Happy Holidays. When I worked at Sears, I would tell every customer Merry Christmas around this time of year. I wonder if the reason Jews hate Christmas is b/c it is not celebrated as much. At least commercialy. Every store has Christmas Savings Deals. Trees everywhere, ornaments etc And for Channuka(sp?), you get a plastic little menorah at the edge of a counter that is treated like an unwanted child. If both holidays were equally celebrated on tv and by retailers, would there be any complaining.

[underdog]

I had a Hindu woman from India wish me a Merry Christmas the other day. She was nice.

Are you sure she was Hindu? There's millions of Christian Indians.

[lleeder]

I had a Hindu woman from India wish me a Merry Christmas the other day. She was nice.

Are you sure she was Hindu? There's millions of Christian Indians.

Maybe she was neither.


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[Kublakhan61]

But Christmas Trees and giving presents never had anything to do with Jesus Christ and the religious aspect of that holiday.

I mean look at the issue on hand here, a lady brings a cake that says Merry Christmas and all mayhem breaks lose while another hands out dreidels.
It is ridiculous and hypocritical.

I think you're misunderstanding my point. Christmas trees never had anything to do with Jesus Christ - exactly my point. I'm wondering if they are accepting of Christian tradition but opposed to commercial christmas. The teacher passed out dreidels - could you pass out crosses or something as well, but NOT SANTAS.
If the lady had brought in a cake with a nativity scene would that have been more acceptable?
If not, then yes - they're hypocrites.
The facts as we know them are santas christmas has been banned, no trees, no lights (for some suspect reason) - we do not know if the celebration christ has been banned, can you have an in class nativity and advent calendar?? We do not know the schools motives...

[~Katja~]

I think you're misunderstanding my point. Christmas trees never had anything to do with Jesus Christ - exactly my point. I'm wondering if they are accepting of Christian tradition but opposed to commercial christmas. The teacher passed out dreidels - could you pass out crosses or something as well, but NOT SANTAS.
If the lady had brought in a cake with a nativity scene would that have been more acceptable?
If not, then yes - they're hypocrites.
The facts as we know them are santas christmas has been banned, no trees, no lights (for some suspect reason) - we do not know if the celebration christ has been banned, can you have an in class nativity and advent calendar?? We do not know the schools motives...

most schools banned crosses in the class room, I doubt they allow them to be handed out for Christmas.


What my big problem is that all these traditions and religious holidays are banned from schools instead of inviting them all in and enrich our kids with the knowledge of different traditions of different cultures.

[Bellyfullasnot]

wow..judge snails must live in a really rich neighborhood

Yup. Notice there's no mention of Kwanza.................................

[tanless1]

i blame it on the lawyers, the hired guns of society. id rather deal w/ a gunslinger

[Kublakhan61]

What my big problem is that all these traditions and religious holidays are banned from schools instead of inviting them all in and enrich our kids with the knowledge of different traditions of different cultures.

Then we agree again. I also think kids should be introduced to as much as possible. We shouldn't ban any religions from school.
I was really just trying to get at the heart of the controversy, and the truth. Frankly, I don't believe anything a kids says about school. They're always lying.

[foodcourtdruide]

most schools banned crosses in the class room, I doubt they allow them to be handed out for Christmas.


What my big problem is that all these traditions and religious holidays are banned from schools instead of inviting them all in and enrich our kids with the knowledge of different traditions of different cultures.

I think in a perfect world this would be the case, however I think the fear is having public, government funded institutions celebrating one religion thus making it the norm and having people who don't follow that religion be ostricized in society. I think there's a thin line the government has to walk in order to prevent non-Christian ideas from being socially accepted as "non-Normal" ideas.

[boosterp]

Who exactly is the "majority"? That sounds separatist.

I am not Christian but if you look at census data, Christians in this country are statistically the majority. Caucasian is a majority as well, yet Do you have a German-American month and so on.

My point was valid because of the shift away from Christmas to Happy Holidays, etc.

I think Kat is correct too in that kids do need to learn about other cultures, not necessarily celebrate it, but knowledge increases tolerance.

[extracheese]

Its been said already but i just saw this thread. This has nothing to do with Jews wanting less Christmas, and Christians wanting less Hanukah/Kwanza. Jews do NOT care if Christmas is celebrated as long as they can also celebrate Hanuka....and visa versa.
Its the liberal wackos and their lawyers, both Jewish and Christian alike who are causing the problem. None of my Jewish friends care at all - and in fact enjoy the spirit of the season and songs.

[mendyweiss]

http://www.jewishpost.com/images/culture/images/Rabbi-Schneerson.jpg

I'm going meshugah !!

I'm dealing with a paternity suit from Mrs. Nussbaum, and now this !!

[PapaBear]

Are you sure she was Hindu? There's millions of Christian Indians.
Though she had a wreath on her door, her house was full of Hindu artwork and stuff.

[SatCam]

as long as there's presents and a lot of food....... who gives a fuck if it's merry christmas or happy holidays???


In fact, our hanukkah celebration in elementary school was a lot more fun than the christmas one. Parents came in and made jewish food like potato pancakes. The christmas party was just cake and candy. now im stavin

[underdog]

Though she had a wreath on her door, her house was full of Hindu artwork and stuff.

Are you sure you're not confusing hindu with christian? It's pretty easy to confuse.

Hindu = god with 8 arms
Christian = god with 7 arms

Also, Vishnu is Christian.