As we march through the season, I am remembering all the wonderful holidays I have been blessed to be a part of. When I was Jewish, one of my favorites of course was Hanukkah. A lot of people think of it as the Jewish equivalent to Christmas and I suppose in secular circles it appears so. In reality, it is a very minor Jewish holiday and has been given more prominence by Hallmark and commercialization.
As a Jewish doctors’ wife and mother in a small community, and given my penchant for parties, I’ve organized many Hanukkah parties in my day. I’ve fried a boatload of latkes. I’ve spun a ton of dreidels. One of the hardest parts of being a Jewish mother wasn’t trying to make sure everyone had enough to eat. It was witnessing religious discrimination firsthand as it affected my daughters…the youngest especially.
It’s difficult to know what people want you to say to them this time of year. Some are so easily offended by Merry Christmas. Others are equally offended by Happy Holidays. To me, as long as you look in my direction and toss a greeting of some sort in my general direction, I’m tickled to death to think you cared enough to wish me well. I don’t care what you say. But when I send out my greetings on the wind…I’m sending out Happy Holidays. Because, at this time of year there are many holidays and I’m not going to assume you celebrate mine. I just want you to have a happy one, whatever you do. I’m not trying to deprive you or take anything away from you. I’m trying to give you a gift of myself from my heart.
It’s not about being “politically correct”. It’s all about being inclusive, loving, and gracious. I’m not a mind reader. I can’t tell what faith you are just by looking at you. I just love you because you’re human. You are my species. I respect you far beyond the rituals you celebrate. There is enough derision in the world. Let’s love our neighbors this year and greet one another with love.
❤️
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12 NIV