Jewish Christmas. Is it a Thing?
As stores promote Christmas earlier every year, the Jewish community has more time to ponder “December dilemma” questions. How should Jews approach Christmas? Can Jews celebrate Christmas? Is there such as thing as Jewish Christmas? Or Jewish Christmas trees? Or should we embrace our own Jewish Christmas traditions such as eating Chinese food on Christmas Day?
Moment asked experts, clergy and community members their ideas and opinions on celebrating Jewish Christmas.
Can Christmas Be Kosher?
Is it OK for Jews to have Christmas trees?
Every year, Jews face the “December dilemma”—what to do on Christmas? In his book A Kosher Christmas, Rabbi Joshua Eli Plaut writes about the evolution of Jewish Christmas traditions in the United States, from the late 1800s to our days. The book is full of historical references to private and public lives, furnished with curiosities and fun facts—did you know that Theodor Herzl decorated his house in Vienna with a Christmas tree?
Ask the Rabbis:
Should Jewish Children Sing Christmas Carols?
American Jews have a complicated and evolving relationship with Christmas. And just as the gentiles are increasingly participating in Jewish customs (ex. Chinese food and the movies) so too are Jews increasingly engaging with Christmas traditions. One of these is the singing of Christmas carols. Back in 2005, we explored this in an edition of our famed “Ask the Rabbis” column.
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