points:
1. public schools shouldn't really be involved in teaching religion anyway, in the United States of America
2. I am happy she is a proud Jew and did this in the face of everyone opposing her
3. I'm not sure this was a great idea, when it is just one kid ruining it for everyone else, as it is going to engender a lot of anger at Judaism. Meaning, if there were a whole bunch of Jews, then maybe. But one kid ruining it for everyone? can't be all that great an idea...
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Interesting points. Perhaps it would be productive to differentiate between actual Xmas celebration and non-religious secular traditions that have been adopted like the Santa figure, the tree, and presents. In Israel, the 'Russians' are coming to grips with commemorating Novi God or not. Novi God is explicitly a secular holiday.
ReplyDeleteThink it was not a smart idea at all. Afterall, this country was created by Xtians and we are a minority and the smart and proper thing for her and any other Jewish student would be, of course, not to go on the trip. Thought all along, that Jewish students who attended public schools just opted out at such times. Yeshiva education, of course, is what every Jewish child should receive! Guess, assimilated Jews feel so at home that they think they can dictate terms in the galut, which can backfire.
ReplyDeleteAs a 'modern orthodox Jew who sent his kids to public school for most of their school careers (with my boys wearing kippot at all times) I think that you are entirely wrong in your take on the situation.
ReplyDelete1. A Santa trip is not teaching religion.
2. This is not an expression of Jewish pride--it's selfish, intolerant, immature narcissism. I would never have sent my kids on such a trip--I would simply take them out of school early, with no problems. If she cared about 'inclusion in the global community' as she stated on camera, she could have simply requested a small Channukah program also. If she has so much 'Jewish Pride' that she didn't want the taint of other religions, she should have sent the child to yeshiva. I bet she neither keeps Shabbat nor Kashrut.
3. It definitely causes resentment, and deservedly so. After all, she talks of a 'global community'. So Christmas isn't our holiday, does she also refrain from saying 'Happy Birthday' to others when it isn't HER birthday also?