When do messianic jews celebrate christmas

Besides, tons of Jews are already celebrating Christmas anyway. Rabbi Jen E. Y told me that even though she would never suggest that Jews renounce Hanukkah in favor of Christmas, she understands why some Jews could feel left out of what can seem like a national holiday.

Christmas has become so much more about consumerism than Jesus-worship that some stores are open all day on Christmas Day to accommodate the throngs of shoppers.

And think of the children. On Hanukkah, kids get presents from their parents in a slow, judicious 8-day drip. On Christmas, kids get their presents delivered all at once by a psychic, cookie-loving, reindeer-riding celebrity! They grew up in homes that observed the Jewish holidays rather than Christmas and Easter.

And, after coming to faith in Yeshua, some Messianic Jews do not feel the need to begin celebrating it. The Jewish holiday of Chanukah falls near Christmas each year. Chanukah holds rich symbolism that can be seen to point to Yeshua, the Light of the World. Mixed-family Messianic Jews likely continue that tradition into their marriages and with their own children. The Church, in C. As a result, the Jewish community views Christmas and Easter as holidays of a different religion that are not for Jewish people.

Woden had a long, white beard and rode a horse through the heavens one evening each Autumn. When Nicholas merged with Woden, he shed his Mediterranean appearance, grew a beard, mounted a flying horse, rescheduled his flight for December, and donned heavy winter clothing.

In a bid for pagan adherents in Northern Europe, the Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas cult and taught that he did and they should distribute gifts on December 25 th instead of December 6 th. The satire refers several times to the white bearded, flying-horse riding Saint Nicholas using his Dutch name, Santa Claus.

Before Nast, Saint Nicholas had been pictured as everything from a stern looking bishop to a gnome-like figure in a frock. Nast also gave Santa a home at the North Pole, his workshop filled with elves, and his list of the good and bad children of the world. All Santa was missing was his red outfit.

Sundblom modeled his Santa on his friend Lou Prentice, chosen for his cheerful, chubby face. Objections to the custom. In Eretz Yisrael the custom was never accepted to observe Nittel Nacht.

Similarly, Sephardic countries never accepted this custom. The obvious reason that Jews in Sephardic countries did not accept this custom is that there was almost no Christian presence in those countries. In Muslim environments there was no need to pay special attention to the origins of Christianity. Neither of these groups was concerned with Nittel Nacht. For that reason, even those of Chasidic and Ashkenazic background who arrived in Eretz Yisrael accepted the prevalent custom in Eretz Yisrael not to observe Nittel Nacht.

He explained that the custom not to learn is based on fear of the Christians, which, thankfully, is not a major concern nowadays. Sefer Orchot Rabeinu reports that the Steipler Gaon would learn on Nittel Nacht, but did so by heart so as not to upset those who have the custom not to learn. Orchot Rabeinu reports further that the Steipler once asked not to be informed when Nittel Nacht is so that he would not have to waste time from his learning.

Many Jews have observed Nittel Nacht by refraining from Torah study on the evening of Nittel for centuries. The exact night on which people observe Nittel varies based on custom. A full understanding of the various customs requires a strong background in the workings and history of the solar calendar.

Such an understanding, while certainly an interesting topic, is well beyond the scope of this essay. The custom of Nittel is one of the more perplexing customs the Jewish people have developed, and provides an interesting area of religious, sociological, and historical study.

We have merely touched the surface with brief explanations for the custom, and a record of communities that have not accepted the custom. The reader is encouraged to study this matter further and gain insight into this most fascinating and counterintuitive custom. Added by: Aaron Philmus. It is also the location of our Charles L. This community provides a clear illustration of the deep divide between Hanukkah and Christmas.

One of our favorite family activities during this time of the year is to drive around the religious Jewish neighborhoods and also the many Italian and Irish Catholic neighborhoods in Brooklyn. In the latter neighborhoods, there are rows of homes stretching for miles with the most ornate Christmas decorations you have ever seen!

And in the Jewish neighborhoods, there are similar rows of homes with beautiful Hanukkah menorahs glowing in their front windows. It is very rare to see a home decorated for Christmas and a home decorated for Hanukkah next door to each other. The neighborhood of the Feinberg Center is one where all you see from home to home are menorahs.