The influence of Christmas on Hannukah and so much else

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:47 pm by Svend White

The influence of Christmas on Hannukah and so much else 2013-05-07T18:47:32-05:00 Svend White

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Came across some intriguing observations and historical analogies in the Jewish Virtual Library concerning Hannukah and, indirectly, the multi-cultural Borg that is Christmas for many of us non-Christians in the American Melting Pot.

Chanukah is probably one of the best known Jewish holidays, not because of any great religious significance, but because of its proximity to Christmas. Many non-Jews (and even many assimilated Jews!) think of this holiday as the Jewish Christmas, adopting many of the Christmas customs, such as elaborate gift-giving and decoration. It is bitterly ironic that this holiday, which has its roots in a revolution against assimilation and suppression of Jewish religion, has become the most assimilated, secular holiday on our calendar.

The story of Chanukah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Judea, but allowed the people under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. Under this relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated, adopting much of Hellenistic culture, including the language, customs, dress, etc., in much the same way that Jews in America today blend into the secular American society.

It reminded me of a post (The Grinch: A Misunderstood Mujahid) from exactly a year ago wherein I laid out the arguments of my younger years against Muslims and other non-Christians yielding an inch to the infectious old Christmas Spirit.

My objection was cultural and political. I saw it as a cultural Trojan Horse, a sneaky way for the Christian majority to impose its values on non-Christian minorities. Its ubiquitousness and the lack of attention given to other religions’ holidays (except for the perfunctory nod to Hanukkah) offended my sense of multicultural equality.

Religious exchanges are great, but so long as they really are exchanges–it must be two-way street, not something imposed on minorities. During my childhood in Boston, nobody ever wished me "Eid mubarak" or gave a hoot about my religious background, so I resented having Christmas rammed down my throat (and really gave my Jewish friends grief over their "Hanukkah bushes") . To my eyes, it was yet another way to promote assimilation and I was no fan of assimilation (and still am not, for that matter).

As a result, I always found myself rooting for the Grinch during the TV special every year and came to view him, like Ebenezer Scrooge, as a tragic hero, a misunderstood mujahid for religious freedom and multicultural equality.

Times change, though. While I’m sure there continue to be places in America where isolated Muslims feel their sense of identity and autonomy to be similarly threatened by the forces of assimilation and secularization, Santa no longer casts such a menacing shadow, I think. Today, we have Islamic mosques, dating services, butchers, clothing boutiques, supermarkets, conferences, book publishers, children’s cartoons, etc. etc. , so the holiday season isn’t necessarily a zero-sum game anymore.

Perhaps it’s time for me lift my age-old ban on giving Christmas presents. And without solemnly declaring for the benefit of my family, as did my father when he broke down in 1980 and bought my Danish grandparents julegaver (Christmas presents) during a childhood visit to Denmark, that said gifts were "in honor of Hazrat Isaa as a prophet". (Corny, but true. These are the sorts of ideological boundaries religious and cultural minorities must establish to survive as they make concessions to the majority culture.)

Still, while times change with some things plus ça change, plus c’est la meme chose. I must draw the line on the shrub, however beloved it may be even to myself. A platoon of Green Berets
couldn’t get a Christmas tree into my house. As beautiful and inspiring a symbol as it is, it’s not part of my religious or cultural tradition. For non-Christian communities, I’d argue the Tannenbaum remains a gesture more betokening of beleagured capitulation to a steamrollering monoculture than freely given ecumenical spirit. (Meanwhile, some far-right Christians decry any attempt by corporations to balance Christian and non-Christians sensibilities during the Holiday Season as a "War on Christmas". In fact, even referring to the "Holiday Season" is oppressive and offensive in their eyes, even though Hannukah always falls in the vicinity of Christmas, which means that we’re always talking about more than one religion’s holidays.)

Looking over that previous post, I see that I also made the same quip about sheesha. I appear to have a one-track mind.

I also just realized how much I miss playing backgammon with friends over mint tea and fakhfakhina ("mixed fruit") flavored sheesha in cheesy Middle Eastern-themed dives in DC. Even if we had such establishments out here in Cracker Barrel country, such pastimes are difficult (and presumably illegal) with a baby in tow.

Multiculturalism

Muslims in the Melting Pot

Previous Post

December 24, 2006

Ho ho ho

Next Post

December 26, 2006 Nation-states and bickering in the Blogosphere

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category American Politics Animals in Islam Anti-Semitism Christian Jihadism Christianity Culture & the Arts Current Affairs Denmark Dogs in Islam Family life Film Gender Great MP3s Hate in America Imam W.D. Mohammed Interfaith Dialogue International Affairs Islam and the Left Islamic Thought Islamophobia Jihad Judaism Legos Link of the Day Marriage Misc Modernity/Post-Modernity Mormonism Multiculturalism Music Muslims in the Melting Pot Must-Listen Podcasts Non-Muslims and Islam Pakistan Pictures Pigs in Islam Polygamy Pork Progressive Muslims Race Relations Really Important Stuff Religion Required Reading Robert Spencer Scandinavia Science Science Fiction Sex in Islam So-called Globalization South Asia Star Trek Strange but True Studying Arabic Stupid Muslim Tricks Sufism/Tasawwuf Television The "Miami 7" hoopla The Corporate Media The Danish cartoons The GWOT The Jihad against Islam The Middle East Vikings! Wahhabism/Salafism Washington and the Middle East Web/Tech Women in Islam

Select a Month March 2014 February 2014 November 2013 September 2013 July 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 September 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the primary inheritance method in biblical times?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Oldest daughter Firstborn son Youngest child Equal division