DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 7
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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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.