I think John’s was more in depth than usual for Chanukah – definitely a different slant, but yeah – I don’t think we read as many superficial articles about Christmas re: what it is etc. Usually I think of them as being about charity and good deeds. So you are right I think – the coverage is different. Not sure what I think about that – re: good, bad, right etc.

I love the lights – I used to drive my kids around the Shaker homes to get them to fall asleep when they were little and it was really just so I could look at the lights.

During the GOTV week of the Obama campaign, my wife and I were assigned to work out of one of the so-called ‘neighborhood staging locations’ in Toledo. That location was a grand melting pot of culture, race and religion. Blacks, whites, Latinos and Asians worked together as did Jews, Muslims, agnostics and Christians.

It is amazing to note the results when we all have a common goal in sight and look beyond race, ethnicity and religion.

The schools I attended did not get much into commercialism, not a lot of decorations and singing as I recall. We had theology curriculum and also a science curriculum. What concerns me is what replaces the theology when it does not exist? It was not bible study, a matter not much beyond the ten commandments and heaven and hell. Identifying the wrong doing and repenting not in class, that was done in confession with a priest.

The commonality within is that of the guilt, not sure which is more of a ball and chain I think Judaism has less as catholic go so far as proclaiming that sex is only for procreation. Monty Pythons the life of Brian has a scene…sums it up as “every sperm is scared every sperm has cause”.

My mother asked me if I decorate my home…I said no I decorate a few homes in Gates Mills and Hunting Valley, this is the first year I did not. She liked that, she says do they pay you well, I said very. So when other say it is such a pain I would agree but it can be fun particularly if they pay you!

Not sure when I got the honorary Jews label put on me? I moved to Cleveland Heights in my early twenties, my boss was Jewish and my house mate she was as well. I got yelled at for saying matzo taste just like a saltine cracker. Then yelled at my housemate that thought a rosary bead can be used as jewelry. Then nearly fainted as she went up for communion at my brother wedding. I said she cannot and she took that as a challenge.

When people say you need to take others faith more seriously, I say I just got to the point where I am able not to take mine so seriously, so do not expect too much.

I stopped it all for while, zero participation and then my mother said, all that matters to her is that I am there and nothing else.

I used to think as very young man we need a new religion and then after studying them, I thought they seem worse. I think tradition is good, my mother once said we are not Christian we are Catholics. She also once said we are not Roman Catholic we are Irish Catholic. The apple does not fall far from the tree, but some role down the hill and across the valley and grow to the largest of trees.

So maybe the songs didn’t bring all of us into one fold, our society did. But the songs went a long way towards making me feel better about this time of year.

Now if we could extend this to the Muslim faith we’d be getting somewhere.

I agree that John’s article was excellent. I wish the PD had featured it more promimently. But there is still a discrepancy between how each holiday is celebrated in the msm. At least I feel that way, do you guys too?

The school district here seems to go in the opposite direction of what you’re describing. EVery year there is a disclaimer on the program about how they work to include music that represents multiple traditions and so there are definitely and distinctive Christmas songs and Chanukah songs. I just wished they’d play a DIFFERENT Chanuka song lol.

I’m actually trying to find a Handel’s Messiah performance to go to with my oldest because I think it’s so gorgeous and my husband, mother and I all sang it at one time or another in our choral lives.

I know you know I didn’t ask to have any of them removed- I know how hard a call it can be to do that so I appreciate it.

The other thing is, John really did write a really good article – totally about the holiday and the mainstream. The quotes were all great – esp. the Rabbi’s – but I’m biased since he’s my rabbi.

Have a good holiday yourself and thanks again.

I asked that question along time ago of a friend, she was my first real Jewish friend, and still is, still a friend and always will be. She said I have no idea, and was hurt by me asking.

In general persecution and discrimination is based on generalizations. The response is insecurity, that being the natural reaction is unsettling to be the object of persecution. The ideal response is to be better or rise above it, the pursuit of excellence. The challenge to be better met. Then rising above and attaining more brings back the security and addresses the persecution succinctly. Learning also to be different and that it is ok builds character.

Logic reason and conviction, people sometimes promote stereotypes actually from both sides, calling one that and then even playing into it. You are so that, I am so that.

Haha behavior modification is sooo difficult.

You are you and you happen to be, the individual that is also….

You would have to dedicate your live to answer the question, over two thousand years of comprehensive review…think about it, America is great idea and what it represents try not to screw it up. People can discriminate, they always will, try not to and for gods sake do not persecute. It’s not black and white it’s a gradient, it is rarely ever that defined, it’s always a bit grey.

I have many people around me I like, heck I enjoy most people, it’s very foolish to take an aspect of what a person is and then make that the reason for resentment. Even the use of the term has manifested into ignorant interpretations. An anti-Semite was a person that left what was Semite. But getting people to under stand that is like telling them that irregardless literally means the opposite of regardless, which already mean you do not care.

You either are Semite or you are not, if you are against an entire group of people then you are overtly judgmental over people that you do not know, are they all the same? That’s why I have trouble with ism and ists, group think can be volatile.

I am not a sheep, I often say where did they all go? Did I scare them off?

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John Kroll
News Impact Editor
The Plain Dealer
cleveland.com