THE JEWS AND THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 273, 24 December 1909, Page 4

THE JEWS AND THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

So many Jews now observe Christmas Day .to the extent of exchanging gifts that the remarks of Rabbi Emit (J. Hirscli, of Chicago, on what the Jew celebrates at the Christmas season have a peculiar interest". He points out the fact that Hanukah, the Jewjfh feast of lights, occurring on the twenty-fifth day of the midwinter month of the Jewish calendar, has a character of rejoicing tha,t makes it akiji to the Christian holiday. It commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians the re-dedication of the Temple, but its observance has come to take the form, in the main, of a children's festival, as Christmas does, and Dr. Hirsch says that the custom of decorating Christmas trees with candles was borrowed from the Jewish usage in the celebration of Hanukah.

While asserting that "the Christmas sentiment of 'goodwill to men' is certainly an echo of the convictions and aspirations which the Jewish festival ot light emphasises," and believing that sooner or later the two festivals will be celebrated on the same day, Dv. Tlirsch calls attention to the slvnneful fatft that even now, in some parts ol 'Europe—particularly in Russia—Christinas is a day on which fanatical mobs are prone to' attack their Jewish neighbors. "The Jew cannot rejoice," lie says, "nor sing of goodwill when he knows that the day of his joy hari been and is the day of his helpless toothers' trembling and anxiety and agony. Tn this country the Jew rejoices that the Christmas sentiment is speedily and beautifully progressing toward realisation in action. And when he sees the light leap into glory in his neighbors' homes lie breathes forth a. fervent, prayer for their happiness. He gladly contributes his part to the happiness ,of his friends, and such as share with him the hospitality of his domestic hearth, but are not of his religious fraternity. For himself and his own, how- ! ever, as yet he preferß to wait."