Monday, December 17, 2007

Being Jewish at Christmastime

One of the hardest months of the year for Jews is December. OK, I know we have Chanukkah, but is doesn't compare in any way to Christmas. And it's even harder if your single. If you watch TV, listen to the radio or shop, and who doesn't, you're bombarded by Christmas trees, Christmas music, Christmas cards, Merry Christmas, Christmas parties, and Christmas shows. I know that Christians get kind of sick of it too, but can you imagine being Jewish and having too deal with it. Hearing Adam Sandler sing the Chanukkah song on the radio is actually something I look forward to. It's not too bad for me this year. I used to work for a Catholic hospital and so you can imagine what that was like. OK, I know this all sounds a bit bahhummugish....but there are things about this time of year that I actually like. Like the lights at night. I think I'd miss those.

In fact I did one year many moons ago when I lived in Israel and no one celebrated Christmas. In some ways it was a relief, but it was also a little wierd. I still remembering going into Netanya, the closest town to the Kibbutz I lived on and buying 2 stockings and loading them up with candy to put on the door of my boyfriend and his roommate, because they weren't Jewish. I thought it would make them feel more at home. I recall that a bunch of us even sang Christmas songs, wierd huh. And truth be told, I did sing Christmas carols at the Catholic hospital where I worked, but that was for the patients. Anyway, it's a strange time of year. What do Jews do on Christmas eve? We usually go out for Chinese and then to a movie. We call it Erev Christmas!

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