Jewish Reactions To Christmas And Self-Hating Jews Comparing It With Hanukkah

[Joe Gutfeld]

In the airport in Seattle, a Rabbi complained that the airport didn't have a menorah display for Hanukkah.  The airport did have a display of Christmas trees all over.  The management of the airport didn't put up any menorahs but did take down all Christmas displays because it didn't want to upset anyone by having both holidays displayed throughout their airport.  It's a joke with all this political correctness in this country.  What do you think?  Please post your opinions.

[genteelgentile]

I am kind of disappointed that the Rabbi even brought this up.  I just think that this will become another reason to get angry at Jews.  The fact that the airport even had Christmas trees up in the first place is almost a surprise.  It makes me angry that at this time of year this kind of stuff becomes an issue.  Every December...

[azrom]

He is getting threats now



SEATTLE (Reuters) - A local rabbi is receiving hate mail and angry phone calls after Seattle airport officials took down its Christmas trees in response to his request to include a giant Menorah in the airport's holiday decorations, his lawyer said on Monday.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport removed its Christmas trees on Saturday after Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky threatened to sue the Port of Seattle, which operates the airport, if it did not include a menorah into its holiday decorations.

The rabbi works on behalf of Chabad-Lubavitch, a branch of Hasidic Judaism and an Orthodox Jewish movement.

The removal of the trees sparked a public outcry over what some say was political correctness run amok and part of a trend to adopt a secular tone toward Christmas.



Harvey Grad, the rabbi's attorney, said it was never Bogomilsky's intention to have the trees removed and the rabbi was "saddened" by the port's decision to remove all holiday decorations instead of including the Menorah for Hanukkah.

"We are not part of the war on Christmas," said Grad. "All we asked for was inclusion and now we're getting hate mail and angry messages."

The Chabad of Greater Seattle asked the airport to put the trees back and will not pursue any legal action even if the airport does not include the menorah into this year's holiday decorations.

In a statement, the Port of Seattle said it removed the trees to avoid litigation with a religious group, which wanted to install the menorah and hold a lighting ceremony.

"The airport is not a traditional public forum and it would not be appropriate for such a ceremony, so we made the decision to remove the trees to allow the airport staff to focus on the busy travel season," the Port said on its Web site.


http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid=2006-12-12T011757Z_01_N11256250_RTRUKOC_0_US-CHRISTMAS-RABBI.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

[azrom]

the trees are getting put back now.



SEATAC, Wash. (AP) - Christmas trees are going back up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Pat Davis, president of the Port of Seattle commission, which directs airport operations, said late Monday that maintenance staff would restore the 14 plastic holiday trees, festooned with red ribbons and bows, that were removed over the weekend because of a rabbi's complaint that holiday decor did not include a menorah.

Airport managers believed that if they allowed the addition of an 8-foot-tall menorah to the display, as Seattle Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky had requested, they would also have to display symbols of other religions and cultures, which was not something airport workers had time for during the busiest travel season of the year, Airport Director Mark Reis said earlier Monday.

Port officials received word Monday afternoon that Bogomilsky's organization would not file a lawsuit at this time over the placement of a menorah, Davis said in a statement.

Given that, the holiday trees will be replaced as quickly as possible," he said.

Davis added that the rabbi "never asked us to remove the trees; it was the port's decision based on what we knew at the time."

There were no immediate plans to display a menorah, airport spokesman Bob Parker said, saying restoration of the trees was expected to take place overnight Monday.


http://apnews.myway.com/article/20061212/D8LV9I1G0.html

[MarZutra]

In the airport in Seattle, a Rabbi complained that the airport didn't have a menorah display for Hanukkah.  The airport did have a display of Christmas trees all over.  The management of the airport didn't put up any menorahs but did take down all Christmas displays because it didn't want to upset anyone by having both holidays displayed throughout their airport.  It's a joke with all this political correctness in this country.  What do you think?  Please post your opinions.

Personally, I think it is revolting for the rabbi to even suggest such.  America is a Christian country which should be run and educated by righteous Christians.  The Christmas stuff is something that the Christians should have, if they so desire, hanging from every area they wish to bring back morality and G-d to America.  The Rabbi did a silly thing which worked if he was a Reform socialist Judenrot "Rabbi" by getting the Christmas stuff taken down or even the reverse would be true for all other farsical faiths to splash their holy days instead or along side Christian's.  Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Humanists and all the cults therein and that Shvartzism holiday too...  The Rabbi should be back in Israel working on the Israeli government to show more pride in Judaism instead of the Christian American Government....

My two cents....

[genteelgentile]

Some things I know about all this is that a Christmas tree actually isn't a real religious symbol and Chanukah is far from the most important holiday to Jews.  So the comparison is not exact.  Bad move, Rabbi...

[wonderfulgoy]

Putting up Menorahs will also inevitably draw more people into learning more about Judaism.  Inexorably a few more people will want to convert.  Surely truly Orthodox Jews would rather not be noticed b the gentiles than display themselves and end up with the burden of having to deal with want-to-be converts.

[MarZutra]

Some things I know about all this is that a Christmas tree actually isn't a real religious symbol and Chanukah is far from the most important holiday to Jews.  So the comparison is not exact.  Bad move, Rabbi...

My Gentile friend, you will be most interested in firstly reading Jeremiah 10 from your Bible and then read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas.  I'll not go into anymore because it is not my place to speak.  But enjoy what has been stated by the Prophet and too the history of good old St. Nick.   

[TheCoon]

I can't believe a Chabad rabbi would take these actions. As Chaim stated before, when Jews act like worms and try to force things on people like this, it creates so much anti-Semitism.

[adam613]

>I can't believe a Chabad rabbi would take these actions.

To be very honest here from reading this wasn't the Rabbi's intention to take down Christmas decoration. It was only to put up a menorah. However, the airport felt that if they put the menorah up they would have to put other symbols too and didn't have the time to do this and because of that they took the tree down not because the Rabbi asked them to. If you read the whole thread that is what is being said. It is more fair to blame the whole PC nonsense and the liberal PC police rather then this Rabbi. If it wasn't for the PC police this request wouldn't have led to taking down the Christmas tree or other decorations.   

Here are two of the reports from this thread.
>Davis  added that the rabbi "never asked us to remove the trees; it was the port's decision based on what we knew at the time."
>"We are not part of the war on Christmas," said Grad. "All we asked for was inclusion and now we're getting hate mail and angry messages."

Also just to add in some parts of  the country (NY I guess) it isn't unusual to have both Christmas and Chanukah decoration whether you agree with that or not.

Finally, Chabad does go out in area's in the United States with some Jewish population that is unaffiliated to bring them back which no other of the organized Orthodox groups do. These Shiluchim as Chabad calls them are usually in area's where they are not with their buddies much of the time and I do respect for going out to area's that others don't want to. They try to reach out to the unaffiliated in America which I respect. The situation is what it is. You could argue (although tree's can be very large too) that the Menorah is too large but overall I don't think the Rabbi meant harm here and this is consistant with what Chabad does. If it wasn't for the real PC police this Rabbi's request wouldn't have led to the Christmas trees or decorations being taken down.

[kahaneloyalist]

I think the Rabbi was correct, when unaffiliated Jews see religious Jews proud of the Torah it brings them back in ways sniveling never will. The Rabbi didnt try to have the trees taken down only add a Menorah to a place with a lot of Jews. Seattle has one of the biggest Jewish populations in the US so his actions made sense.

[TheCoon]

Promoting Judaism in this way seems silly and a waste of efforts.

I also disagree that unaffiliated Jews are brought back to Judaism by things like this.

[takebackourtemple]

   From what I read, this looks to me like there was just a big misunderstanding. The rabbi wanted to add holiday spirit and the airport has more important issues to be concerned with than how to decorate for the holidays.
   One thing I will say is that Chanuka is not Christmas and everything does not have to be tit for tat. The most important time of the year is Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur anyway.
   Perhaps the most significant thing that Chabad could do in terms of air travel would be to arrange minyanim for travellers that need it(perhaps through a forum like this one). Another thing they could experiment with is renting space at a major hub to set up a tefilen booth. I'm going to suggest these ideas to them.

[David Ben-Ariel]

Even though I am a Christian who hates the Roman Catholic Cult's pagan holidays dressed in Christian drag, that hypocritical rabbi would do well to follow Judaism to Israel and end his self-imposed exile.

CAPAI Christians Against Proselytizing Among Israel

Will God Curse Our Countries for Christmas?

Why I No Longer Celebrate Christmas

Jews Should Follow Judaism to Israel!