Merry whatever

We're fed up with the pointless genre of "December dilemma" complaints. Yet despite the impulse to ignore the entire thing, here are a few points worth stating:

American Jews have every right to be tired of Christmas without being accused of being disrespectful to Christianity. It is, after all, the one time of year when religious minorities in our nation often feel like strangers in their own land.

The American pop-culture version of Christmas, as practiced by most of the 90 percent of our fellow citizens who observe it (and a significant number of non-Christians who also celebrate it) is not intended to annoy or convert Jews. It is about them, not us.

Saying "Happy Holidays" is no more than a seasonal way of saying "Have a nice day." If some businesses adopt the slogan, maybe it is because they think it is good for business. What's more American than that?

Separation of religion and state notwithstanding, there is no constitutional right to avoid Christmas. Like it or not, the celebration of Christmas is one aspect of Christianity that has been "established" by the federal government. The same courts that outlawed sectarian prayer in the public schools have told us Christmas trees or Santa Claus are considered secular holiday symbols and not religious ones, like creches.

The fact that the U.S. government and many others want to say "Merry Christmas" is no more an insult to non-Christians than the annual Chanukah message sent out in the name of the president is to the more than 98 percent of Americans who aren't Jewish.

This may not be a "Christian nation" as a matter of law, but culturally, it is. Asking neighbors or store owners to shut off their colored lights, put away their reindeer or even their manger scenes to avoid damaging our sensitive psyches is offensive.

Ironically, those Jews who worry most about Christmas are often are among those who are the least involved with their own Jewish identity. Jews who are grounded in their faith and knowledge, and proud of their heritage, cannot be threatened by the practice of another religion, no matter how ubiquitous it may be.

I long for the day when the majority of American Jews are secure enough in their identity that we will no longer see December as a dilemma.

--Jonathan S. Tobin, Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia

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