Phil Tewel
ACT
NOW!
and
Save $300 per adult.
Jewel Kosher
Catering
Proudly Presents
WORLD WIDE KOSHER CATERING
Ask
Yourselves
The 5th Question!
Why Pay More For
Passover?
Take Advantage Of
Our 9th Year
Anniversary
Special.
In Chanukah's Aftermath
prising merchants are quick to
exploit, hence the colorful
n many years, Chanukah
shop window displays.
and Christmas are close
The local branch of a well- _
to overlapping. This
known toy chain has adver-
year, Dec..25 occurs
tised: "Whoever purchases
almost three weeks after the
Christmas toys to a value of
last of the eight candles has
250 shekels or more will
gone out. As a result, obser-
obtain delivery of the mer-
vance of the yuletide is all the
CARL
chandise to his home by Santa
more conspicuous.
ALP ERT
Claus on Christmas Eve."
In Tel Aviv and other cities
Spe cial
In addition, some young sabras
in Israel, many stores display
Comm entaly
(native Israelis), revolutionary by
Santa Claus images in their
nature, seize upon Christmas as
show windows, together with
an opportunity to demonstrate their
plastic Christmas trees and a wide
opposition to what they regard as reli-
assortment of tinsel tree decorations. In
gious domination here. For them, Santa
Christian Arab towns, and in the Wadi
Salib neighborhood of Haifa, streets are Claus serves as a symbol of their protest.
Bethlehem, where it all began, was
illuminated with gay Christmas lights.
long the center of Christian celebration,
Why shouldn't Christmas be observed
but no longer is to the same extent.
in this country? After all, this is where
For one thing, Muslim domination
it all started, isn't it?
of the town has resulted in a constant
The explanation for what may
and systematic emigration of the
appear to many as an odd phenome-
Christian Arabs. Ten years ago, there
non in the Jewish state lies in the
were about 40,000 Christians resident
identity of those who mark the holi-
there. Today, there are fewer than
day. For one thing, there are some
10,000, constituting a small percentage
300,000 foreign workers here, many
of the population. Further, the security
with their families. Traditionally,
situation and the prevalence of terror-
Christmas is their major holiday; even
ism have discouraged all but a relative-
though far from home, they insist on
ly small number of tourist pilgrims.
observing it, with all its trimmings.
Hotels in Israel that do cater to the
One area in Tel Aviv, around the
Christian pilgrims seek to provide
new bus station, is so thickly populat:-
them with a holiday atmosphere, but
ed by foreign workers of the Christian
have come into conflict with the rab-
faith that the windows of home after
binate. The compromise reached is
home twinkle with appropriate color-
that Christmas trees may be set up in
ful decorations.
hotels, but only in private rooms and
Further, it is now common knowl-
not in the public lobby.
edge that tens of thousands, some say
There are legitimate interests of
hundreds of thousands, of the Russian
Christians who live here; each year,
immigrants are not Jewish. But even
the Jewish National Fund, trimming
the Jews among them are frequently
its forests, makes young trees available
among the celebrants. For them, the
last week of December, culminating in without charge to members of the
diplomatic corps, United Nations
New Year's Eve, is a national public
staff,, the foreign press and local
holiday widely observed as a part of
Russian culture. For them, it has noth- monasteries. In addition, a local entre-
preneur, Eli Gulbary, has imported
ing to do with religion. Observed one:
from the U.S. and now cultivates what
!Tor us this is not a Christian or holy
he calls an Arizona pine, perhaps more
day. It has nothing to do with the
like the traditional fir tree. Last year,
birth of Jesus on Dec. 25. The impor-
he told us, he sold a thousand trees.
tant thing is the birth of a new year; it
This year, he expects to sell 5,000. The
is a completely atheistic holiday for us
cost ranges from 150 to 300 shekels
— a time for family celebrations."
each, depending on the size.
Just as many Americans here mark
Like the Russian immigrants, native
Thanksgiving Day, the Russians regard
Israelis regard New Year's Eve as a
this season as part of the lifestyle to
legitimate holiday. It is known here as
which they were accustomed before
Sylvester, a name once used in some
they came to Israel. These two groups
central European countries to memori-
constitute a large market that enter-
alize a fourth century saint. We under-
stand that the name has long since
is
a
U.S.
native
who
made
Carl Alpert
aliyah in 1952. He is former head of the been abandoned in Europe, but it is
still in common usage here, and
Zionist Organization of America's edu-
Sylvester parties are fairly common in
cation department. His e-mail address is
many Jewish circles.
alpert@techunix.technion.ac.il
Haifi
I
Our prices Go Up
To $1999
per person After
January 31, 2003
FOR PASSOVER
2003
IN PALM SPRINGS,
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ENTIRE HOTEL IS
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Reserve Before anuary 3 2003 and Save Big!
1699 0
00 *
per person
(based on double occupancy)
0*
5 - 15
(as 3rd or 4th person in room)
* Plus tax and gratuities
?our 10-Day/9-Niht Packa g e Includes:
• 3 Glatt Kosher Meals • Lavish Tea Rooms . Daily • Cholov YisroeVShmurah/Matzoh
• Complete Children's Program • Top Name Entertainment • Separate Swimming Available
• Aerobics, Exercise Classes • Full Service Spa & Tennis • World Famous Hot Spa Available
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Call 1-800-525-0035 or (248) 661-4050
Under the Strictest Orthodox Rabinnical Supervision!
Attention physicians, dentists and attorneys...(CME, CDE & CLE credits available}
"qr
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*Based on GM discount with approved credit. Amount due at inception $3,000 plus Oldsmobile owner loyalty, includes
1st mo., acquisition free and transfer plates. 36 mo., 30,000 mile total $.20 per mile over.
o n t ro pe K
At The Tel 12 Mall,
Southfield, MI 48034
1-888-306-5188
CALLTOOP,i FOR P, SUBSCRIPTION
TV
❑
248.539.3001
12/20
2002
27