I know this post is really late in the season, but I've been taking a lot of my posts from what I've said on The Frum Skeptics Group and putting them here. This was from a post I had written back in November.
I had heard once that the more religious a Jew is the less one gives the holiday of Chanuka much importance. Now, that does make some sense as Chanuka is not a Biblical holiday like Pesach or Yom Kippur is and so it is considered a lesser holiday from a religious pointof view.
I give the holiday more importance than Biblical holidays that mean almost nothing to me. Shavuot? What's the big deal there? I'm not afarmer. But Chanuka is the holiday commemorating the Jewish fightfor independence against those who would try wiping out everything Jewish. A true underdog story of those who would fight for what is right against a mightier foe - and succeed.
It is the story of the fight against assimilation. Which is why Ithink it is sadly ironic that it has become the one truly assimilated holiday in America. Chanuka should not have ever become the Christmas for Jews.
Chanuka means alot to me. It has strong historical significance and a strong message which is still relevant today.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
"I had heard once that the more religious a Jew is the less one gives the holiday of Chanuka much importance."
I'd like to make sure of what this fellow said. Was he saying that Moishe invests himself and his family less into the holiday than does Steve and his family, or was he saying that Moishe invests himself and his family less into the holiday than he does the other holidays, whereas Steve invests himself and his family more into the holiday than he does the other holidays.
Please CC me. Thanks.
Alex,
I think it was an statement in relation to the holiday of Chanukah and to the importance religious people give to it. That Steve cares more about Chanukah than Moishe does. It wasn't about other holidays.
Post a Comment