DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 7

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
248-354-6060
thejewishnews.com

had Christmas. I don’t think I 
realized, at that time, how min-
iscule the Jewish population was 
compared to Christianity in the 
bigger world. 
By the time I reached col-
lege age, I was more aware 
of the unbelievable power of 
Christmas. My wife (then girl-
friend) was placed in a dorm 
room with two girls from the 
west side of the state. Her room-
mates were intrigued and curi-
ous to meet an actual Jewish per-
son, and the cultural exchange 
led to some good discussions. 
Another roommate invited her 
to midnight mass one Christmas, 
and I was included. The mass 
was spiritual and beautiful, but 
we knew it was “their thing.
” It 
felt like a field trip, definitely an 
“away game.
”

JEWISH IDENTITY 
DURING THE HOLIDAYS
After we got married, we moved 
to Cincinnati for my residency 
training. We moved into a decid-
edly non-Jewish community. We 
had our first child and began to 
develop our holiday family tra-
ditions. 
 I recall huge Christmas trees 
in the homes of our neigh-
bors. We were invited over for 
cookies and to help deck their 
halls. Feeling a bit like strang-
ers in a strange land, we had 
more of a need to emphasize 
our Jewishness, and we invited 
them to taste latkes and to light 
Chanukah candles. But I began 
to feel a greater sense of how our 
Jewishness was perceived as oth-
erness (by us as well as by them). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Many of our neighbors were 
really shocked to learn that we 
didn’t celebrate Christmas. 
 My wife and I had always 
enjoyed singing and we knew a 
lot of Christmas carols, and we 
didn’t feel at all hesitant about 
singing them with our neighbors. 
We may even have gone caroling 
door to door. I’m not sure if I 
sang about “Christ the Lord,
” but 
I certainly didn’t mind singing 

about Santa and Rudolph! 
When we returned to 
Michigan, we soon had our 
three children, which seemed to 
further intensify the importance 
of expressing our Jewish identity 
at the holiday season. We lived 
in a Jewish neighborhood but 
had an even greater awareness 
of the power of Christmas to the 
greater world. We updated holi-
day traditions, including family 
Chanukah parties and enjoyed 
singing songs from “Dreidel 
Dreidel” to “Ma Otzur.
” A night-
ly favorites was “In the Window,
” 
which talked about the glow of 
the menorah shining out, which 
I now see may have been our 
version of the Christmas lights 
shining in front of the homes of 
our non-Jewish neighbors. 
I recall taking our kids to see 
the Christmas lights displays in 
other neighborhoods. Again, it 
felt like a field trip to a winter 
wonderland. I don’t recall a lot of 
“Christmas envy” from our kids. 
We also became aware of the 
wonderful sense of giving and 
generosity that accompanies the 
commercial blitz of the holiday 
season. This is the time of year 
when many folks make big con-
tributions to the Salvation Army 
and Yad Ezra and participate in 
clothing drives and soup kitch-
ens. It really seems to bring out 
the best in people.

HOLIDAY MUSIC
For many years, we have enjoyed 
the Pop Series at the Detroit 

Symphony, which includes a 
Christmas concert, whoops, I 
mean a “Home for the Holidays” 
concert. We love listening to 
the beautiful music, secular and 
religious, including gorgeous 
harmonies from the high school 
choirs. They would always toss 
in a cute version of a happy song 
in a minor key “for our Jewish 
friends,
” but we all knew that 
Christmas was really what it was 
all about. And we really enjoyed 
it! Even though our muted 
clothes were lost in a sea of red 
and green, we joyfully sang 
along.
The explosion of various types 
of media and the increasing 
commercialization of Christmas 
has seemed to further encourage 
my uncertain feelings at the holi-
day season. I think this coincides 
with a growing sense of concern 
about the separation of church 
and state. The seeming harmless-
ness of singing Christmas carols 
gradually seems to feel a part of 
a slippery slope toward a more 
overtly Christian nation. But we 
still love to sing those beautiful 
songs along with our Chanukah 
medleys. 
In fact, my wife and I have a 
tradition of singing songs of the 
season in the car with two of 
our dearest Jewish friends. We 
remember all the harmonies 
to “The First Noel” and the car 
provides nice acoustics, as well as 
a warm respite from the outside 
world. 
But, there still is that linger-

ing question that we all have 
to answer. How much do we 
assimilate with the prevailing 
American (Christmas) culture 
and how much do we choose 
to maintain and be true to our 
Jewish culture?
Is Christmas joy really a threat 
to anyone? Is it OK to take your 
kids to see Santa and Christmas 
lights? And is it appropriate for 
us to sing beautiful songs that 
celebrate … well “you know 
who, not the lord”? 
My song parody expresses 
another way to think about the 
same questions. (Sung to the 
tune of “The Most Wonderful 
Time of the Year”)

It’s the most Chanukah time of 
the year 
With the latkes we’re frying 
and presents we’re buying
And loved ones are near
It’s the most Chanukah time of 
the year
(but) it’s the least secular sea-
son of all.
With your neighbors’ lights 
glowing and folks mistle-toeing
“you know who’s” at the mall.
It’s the least secular season of 
all.

With the carols they’re singing 
and Christmas bells ringing
A Jew can feel kind of ignored
What’s a mere game of dreidel 
compared to a cradle
Containing “the son of the 
lord?”

But it’s a most wonderful time 
of the year
Neighbors helping each other, 
like brother to brother
And full of good cheer
Yes, it’s a most wonderful time
Christmas joy isn’t a crime
It’s a most wonderful time of 
the year.

Happy Chanukah to all and to 
all eight good nights. 

Dr. Jeff London is a retired child psychia-

trist from Farmington Hills.

