Ghosts, goblins, witches and black cats

How is the local Jewish community handling Halloween?

BARRY COHEN
Editor

Two-year-old Zack Bernstein, front, and his brother, 6-year-old Ross, pick pumpkins at Young's Farm in Dewey, Arizona. Zack attends Temple Kol Ami preschool.

Photo courtesy of Wendy Bernstein

To trick or treat or not to trick or treat.

Every year at this time, the Valley's Jewish community faces the difficult question of how to handle the observance or non-observance of Halloween.

Some view Halloween as pagan in origin and thus beyond the pale of Jewish observance. Others view it as part of being American, stripped of religious significance, and as an excuse to dress up, visit neighbors, receive treats and simply have a good time. Some view Halloween as somewhere in the middle, to be controlled and curtailed, but observed nonetheless.

Without a doubt, Halloween - uniquely a part of American pop culture - can be difficult to balance with our Jewish identities.

What follows are responses from local Jewish day school leaders, rabbis and parents of how they handle the issue of Halloween.

"I don't even think we discussed it last year. ... The day just comes and goes. It's not a Jewish holiday. We should celebrate our own holidays. What are we Jews for?"

Jay Schechter, headmaster
Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School

"It is a center policy nationwide not to celebrate the holiday. ... We send home a letter to parents at the start of October explaining we do not celebrate it during school hours. And we appreciate it if they do not send candy and if the children do not wear costumes."

Ilene Blau, executive director
Tri-City Jewish Community Center

"We do not encourage the children to go trick-or-treating or get candy. ... We insist that they do not bring (candy) in the next day. ... In their own family and in their own sense of comfort, we do not deny anyone the opportunity to celebrate. ... If someone outside of school hours wishes to send their children to collect trick or treats, that's their doing."

Esther Feuerberg, director
The King David School

"My job as a Jewish educator is to make sure they know the difference between the general culture and their own Jewish culture. (Halloween) is anti-ethical in terms of our culture, particularly with the 'taking' nature, and I contrast that with the holiday of Purim, which is a giving holiday (in terms of shalach manot, the giving of gifts).

"In terms of costumes and so forth, we've got our time to do that. We've got Purim. If (parents) are going to take their kids out trick-or- treating, then make sure the costumes don't glorify death ... and in the place of collecting candy, then why not collect canned goods for a food bank? If you're going to take something, then why not take something that you can do something good with."

Bonnie Morris, head of school
Pardes Jewish Day School

"We have a guideline for the teachers. Certain things we just don't discuss. I think the problem in public schools is that Halloween became part of the curriculum, so there's a need to discuss it and celebrate it, and there are the decorations. ... With us, it's a non-issue. ... We don't talk about Christmas, either. We know that it exists, of course. ... When I hear from so many public school parents who want to transfer their children to our school because they said their kid has finally had enough of feeling ostracized and different from everybody else, this is the haven they can come to."

Rabbi Harris Cooperman, principal
Phoenix Hebrew Academy

"When someone comes to our door, obviously, we'll give them candy. ... However, for a Jewish child, we feel that the origins of this holiday come from pagan origins, so it's contrary to Jewish belief for a Jewish child to go out and participate in trick-or-treat. ...

"This is a good opportunity for us to teach our children the beautiful concept of giving, rather than taking. ... Especially during this time of year, when the idea is to go out and take as much as you can get. We try to teach our children the contrary, and we try to give to everybody."

Rabbi Mendy Deitsch
Chabad of East Valley

"Halloween has no place within Jewish practice, and parents should be discouraged from having their children participate in any type of Halloween celebration. ... It would be my hope, dream, wish and prayer that Jewish parents spend more time investigating the rituals, the beautiful practices that we have within Judaism before we turn to other religions for their practices."

Rabbi Chaim Silver
Young Israel of Phoenix

"The fundamentalists are always looking for Satan or for underpinnings of things that were pagan or idol worship or the like. But the fact is that almost every single Jew I know has been going out Halloweening as a child or with their children or with their grandchildren. And never, ever, in any way, shape or form ... has anyone attached a religious significance to this event. It is a secular moment on the calendar. ...

"Do I think it should be celebrated in Jewish day schools? Absolutely not. It's a waste of time. Do I think it should be celebrated at Sunday school religious schools? Absolutely not. Do I think that Jewish kids can go out on Halloween night and get candy? Absolutely. I'm going with my grandchild and I can't wait."

Rabbi B. Charles Herring
Temple Kol Ami

"I think a lot of people don't know the source of this holiday. It's clearly Christian and pagan-related. ... There were times that Jews couldn't go out of their homes because, under the guise of the masks, Jewish property (was) ransacked and there was absolute horror. There were cases of death as well, thanks to this holiday. ...

"We have to stand up, and I don't know if American parents know what that means. I think that religious parents try to do what's right regardless of what anyone else thinks. Sometimes it comes across as if they are only into themselves, but you have to (stand up) if you don't want to succumb to the pressures. You have to stand up and you have to teach your children from a young age to stand up for what's right."

Rabbi Yossi Levertov
Chabad of Scottsdale

"We try and downplay the whole trick-or-treating thing. ... I talk to them about it being a holiday around death, which is a total antithesis to what Judaism teaches. ... We spend the evening with friends, usually, and if we go out, we go to a few houses just around the house. The main thing is that they want to be with their friends, and they want to be able to dress up."

Karen Goodman
Parent of a son in kindergarten; also parent of an 8-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter, who both attend the Pardes Jewish Day School

"We've always celebrated Halloween. ... It's a piece of Americana. It's just fun for us. The hardest thing is choosing which costume to wear and what kind of candy to pass out. ... It's a way to play with our neighbors, and I don't think of it as anything else. ....

"I think I turned out OK, and I celebrated Halloween. I can read Hebrew, and my son (Ross) goes to religious school. He loves the Torah and loves to blow the shofar. (Halloween) is a kids' thing. If we didn't do it, it may be worse for (Ross), because he'd wonder why he couldn't dress up in a costume and go around and have fun."

Wendy Bernstein, youth director,
Temple Kol Ami
Parent of 5-year-old and 2-year old sons; the latter attends Temple Kol Ami preschool

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