Chanukah — the trouble with presents continues from page 131

big et c continues from page B1

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Big, immodest gifts influenced by Christian ideas of
Christmas shouldn't be encouraged because they promote
the idea we are giving up on the assimilation battle the
Maccabees started, and they don't celebrate the unique-
ness of God's miracle of making one vessel of oil last for

eight days.
At this year's Festival of Lights, as teens in the Jewish
community and the American one as well,

we should think about how to walk in the
ways of Abraham when God said to him to be "a light unto

the nations."
Avi Buckman, 14, Is a freshman at the Frankel
Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield.

fi giung continues from page 111

than being, like all others, an invented folkway. It has no religious signifi-
cance outside that assigned to it by man. Further, Christmas has little to do
with Christianity. Christmas originated as a public holiday to commemo-
rate the winter solstice; missionaries carefully sculpted a Jesus-based holiday

Zach, Max and Gab at Max's Bar Mitzvah

around it to attract converts. By giving presents, we do not cause our Jewish
identity a single iota of harm or degradation.
Gift giving on Chanukah has no basis in an ancient tradition. Yet, it
need not.
By encouraging a festive spirit with presents and creating
a modern tradition, we help to celebrate the true meaning of
Chanukah —just as well as lighting a menorah.
Jordan Birnholtz, 16, is a junior at Cranbrook Kingswood in
Bloomfield Hills.

{learn a littleyiddish...

Mlle, Kennedy, Shelby and Sydney at Sydney's Olympic Games

Plotz

Definition: To burst or explode

Example: "That joke was so funny that I laughed so hard I was about to plotz."

Avi Buckman, 14, is a freshman at the Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield.

teen2teen staff • hotline: (248) 351 5144 • kcohen@the jewishnews.com

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Reporters: Gabriella Ring (Berkley Norup International School); Jake Wayne (Birmingham Derby
Middle School); Hadas Corey, Grace Klein, Jacob Rosen, Spencer Wayne (Birmingham Seaholm);

Spencer Kent, Seth Samuels (Birmingham Groves); Jamie Gorosh, Alexa Eisenberg, Sara Smoler,

Teddi Cantor, Rachel Wein (Bloomfield Hills Andover); Jordan Birnholtz, Jessica Singer (Bloomfield

Hills Cranbrook Kingswood); Hannah Cohen (Farmington Harrison); Adina Applebaum, Rachel

Sophie, Brandon and Page at Brandon's Bar Mitzvah

Brown, Avi Buckman, Raquel Cohen, Carly Cykiert, Danielle DePriest, Atara Lakritz, Rachel Margo-

lin (Frankel Jewish Academy, West Bloomfield); Scott Scher, Stephanie Steinberg (North Farming-

ton); Kale Davidoff, Bridget Labe, Allison Shipper, Shaye Winer, Ariella Yedwab (West Bloomfield);

David Lehmann, Sarah Spitzer (Yeshivat Akiva, Southfield).
Photographers: Morgan Pomish (North Farmington), Allie Gold (West Bloomfield)

Cartoonist: Josh Loney (Bloomfield Hills Andover)

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Noa, Meredith, Peter and Lee at Steven's Bar Mitzvah

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