Tag Archives: Hanukkah

December Dilemma v. Thinking Broadly about Religion in Schools

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As I write this, K-12 schools are wrapping up classes or may have already finished them for winter breaks. In elementary schools, no doubt, many teachers have felt compelled to mention Christmas and Hanukkah in some way.

Look at the photo above, though. First-grade teacher Debbie Fagg at the Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet Elementary School in Wichita, KS, is teaching about Hanukkah in early November as part of a multi-week unit on three monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. She brought … Continue reading →

Grocery Bag Heals Old Wounds about Holiday Greetings

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A Boston-area grocery store made this Jew very happy today. And yet, I couldn’t help but wonder. How did non-Jews react when they received grocery bags with that picture of that menorah and the candles all aglow with orange flames? They don’t celebrate Hanukkah. Would it make them feel left out like I did many times in my childhood? I seriously doubt it. My hunch is that the bag will give non-Jews a tiny glimpse at Hanukkah.
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It’s that Happy Whatever Time of Year

By | | Jewish muse
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How do you deal with being a religious minority during the Christmas holiday season? My son, by example, is teaching me how to enjoy both the lights of Hanukkah, and the lights dotting the landscape all around town to celebrate the pending arrival of Christmas. Continue reading →

A Jewish Mom’s Dilemma: Does Hanukkah Have to Compete with Christmas?

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Summary: I’m not the first Jewish parent to face this conundrum. How do I make sure that my young son’s fascination with the Christmas spectacle doesn’t diminish his enthusiasm for his family’s religion? In a Dec. 18, 2011 column for The Boston Globe Magazine, I write about dealing with this dilemma and attempting to keep Hanukkah, a minor Jewish holiday, in its proper perspective.

Reaction: The article drew more than a dozen reader letters and prompted discussion as well on the Globe’s website. … Continue reading →

Make Hanukkah a Literary Fest: My ‘Jewish’ Book List for 2011

By | | Jewish muse
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Looking for books to give Jewish friends and relatives as gifts? Linda K. Wertheimer, a voracious reader and writer, offers nine suggestions, one for each night of Hanukkah and that ninth candle, the shamash. Continue reading →

Jewish Toddler’s Santa Encounter at Hanukkah: Is this parental faux pas?

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>Our almost 3-year-old son met Santa Claus for the first time last week during Hanukkah. He loves live music so we took him to a local holiday pops concert as a Hanukkah present. Santa showed up to lead Jingle Bells and other holiday – well, Christmas – tunes. It looked and sounded like Christmas everywhere we went.

Egads. Have we committed a Hanukkah faux pas with our child? I don’t think so. It presents challenges, but it’s okay for a Jewish child to brush elbows with Santa Claus, a figure important in the lives of many of our friends. It’s not a holiday Jews celebrate, but Christmas is a big presence in America. Still, it is a challenge to figure out the best way to explain Christmas trappings to a child just starting to develop a Jewish identity. Continue reading →

Do we compete with Christmas too much at Hanukkah?

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Summary: Should we downplay gifts at Hanukkah? Four rabbis from the Boston-area weigh in on Hanukkah and the role gifts should or should not play in my November 2010 article for The Jewish Advocate.

To read the article, published in The Jewish Advocate, click here

Happy Hanumas? Ditch Season’s Greetings

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Happy Hanumas? Happy Chrismakah? Merry Hanukah? The winter holidays are fast approaching. It’s time for non-celebrants of Christmas to ready ourselves for the onslaught of seasonal niceties from store clerks and acquaintances. No one, of course, will blend a greeting that pays tribute to Jewish and Christian holidays. Most will tell me, “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy Holidays.” No one will likely utter Happy Hanukkah.

Am I bitter about this? No, I’m a mature adult. I live in a country dominated by Christianity. Christmas is the one holiday that leads to a … Continue reading →

No gifts: We tried a Hanukkah idea at a birthday party

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If you check out today’s Globe magazine, you will see my article about the no-gifts policy we tried at our son’s second birthday party this year. There’s a story behind the story. Urging our guests not to bring gifts to Simon’s birthday party was an extension of something we tried at Hanukkah. We gave our son a dreidel each night, and nothing else. My husband and I gave each other nothing.

Our plan in the years to come is to continue to make Hanukkah a gift-less holiday. This is a … Continue reading →