By Sara Cohen
‘Tis the season for feeling conflicted and confused, specifically about our identity as Americans and as Jews.
It was December 1, 2019 and I had just landed in JFK after a taxing twelve hour flight from Israel. However, despite sleep exhaustion, the first thing I noticed were the deep rich green holiday wreaths placed on all the baggage carousels. The feeling of “we’re not in Kansas (or in this case, Israel) anymore” washed over me. After spending time in a Jewish country, immersed and surrounded by familiarities, it was a strange sensation to feel like an outsider once again.
Every Jewish child growing up in America experiences the feeling of “otherness” during the holiday season. We don’t sit on Santa’s lap at the mall, we don’t partake in eggnog or gingerbread, and we believe that evergreen trees are derived from a pagan practice. For every “Merry Christmas” we receive, we think, “I don’t celebrate that,” as we say, “You too,” with a smile plastered on our faces.
No holiday lights, red, white and green, ugly Christmas sweaters, or mistletoe for us.
In recent decades Chanukah appears to have been rebranded as the “Jewish Christmas.” It is a common sight to see an imposing and illuminating evergreen tree and a small, plain menorah placed side by side.
We write “Happy Hanukkah” cards, give gifts, host Chanukah parties, participate in mystery maccabees and produce Chanukah songs as well as cheesy romantic comedies. In more extreme cases, there are those who choose to put up a “Hanukkah bush” in their homes.
It seems as though American Jews have channeled their emotions of marginalization and isolation into making Chanukah the blue and white version of Christmas.
The irony is, however, that while Chaunkah is currently branded as “the festival of lights,” in reality it is the holiday that celebrates our ancient victory against assimilation and hellenization. But “festival of lights” definitely has a better ring to it.
However, despite the many attempts to tap into the Chanukah spirit, Christmas always seems better somehow. It’s a Jewish underground secret that many of us love Christmas. From the music and lights, to the entirely predictable romantic comedies.
Is there a halachic issue for Jews to revel in the holiday spirit? Is Christmas even considered a religious holiday nowadays? Most of the time it seems as though Christmas is overall a secular, American affair, filled with theme colors and profitable sales. In fact, it is almost unheard of for a Christmas song (think: Mariah Carey) or a Christmas movie (Home Alone) to even mention God or religion.
New Year’s is also considered a religious holiday by many Christian groups, a time in which they commemorate Jesus’s circumcision. However, it is now largely recognized as a secular American holiday, with Jews engaging in New Year’s Eve festivities and many Jewish schools, including YU, are not in session.
With this in mind, can we enjoy a gingerbread cookie without feeling guilt that it should be a jelly donut instead?
Of course, this is a topic up for debate. But, after all there is nothing more Jewish than that.