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Throughout the history ofChristianity,Jewish peoples have been historically religious minorities in countries that were majority or even officially Christian. Over time, a unique relationship evolved between the Jews and the major Christian holiday ofChristmas, including the creation of separate traditions and the intersection ofHanukkah and Christmas, among other convergences. Some practices perpetuate out of a feeling ofotherness, while others are merely lighthearted activities that are accessible when shops are closed around Christmastime.
Judaism and Christianity have historically interacted and intersected while remaining both theologically and emotionally distinct.[1] Many Jews have historically been the religious minority in majority-Christian countries, and have experiencedantisemitism based in Christian beliefs.[2] Historically, some Jewish groups have developed sentiments, traditions, and works of art and literature in opposition to Christianity; however, unlike Christian antisemitism, this Jewish anti-Christianity has generally been subtle and intended for the purpose of preserving the Jewish culture and way of life in the face of pressure toassimilate into the Christian religion.[3]
One example of this phenomenon isToledot Yeshu (Hebrew:ספר תולדות ישו,romanized: Sefer Toledot Yeshu,lit. 'The Book of the Generations/History/Life of Jesus'), a popular text amongmedieval andearly modern Jews which attacks theChristian mythology of Christ throughparody.[3] While it was not accepted within mainstreamRabbinic Judaism, the text was considered an important historical source by Jewish scribes and scholars.[4]
According toMarc B. Shapiro, the wordChristmas does not appear inrabbinic literature, in adherence to theHalakhic prohibition of mentioning the name of anidolatrous holiday if that name represents the idol in question as divine or sovereign.[5] Inmedieval Jewish texts, the holiday is referred to asNittel,[6] derived from theMedieval LatinNatale Dominus which is also the etymological source of the French name for ChristmasNoël.[7]
Nittel Nacht is a term used in historical Jewish literature forChristmas Eve.[8] On this night, segments of theAshkenazi Jewish community and specificallyHasidic Jews historically abstained from the study of Torah.[5] This practice, which began in theearly modern period, was accompanied by various other traditions on the same night includingsexual abstinence, consumption ofgarlic, and social gatherings.[8] However, the practice was not accepted by theyeshivas ofLithuania, which maintained that Torah study should continue on Christmas Eve.[9]
A widespread Christmas tradition among Jewish Americans consists of eatingChinese cuisine. The practice began as far back as the 19th century; the proximity of Jewish and Chinese American communities inManhattan'sLower East Side helped start the tradition.[10] The earliest documented instance of Jewish people dining in Chinese restaurants dates to 1899, when the American Jewish Journal criticized Jews for eating in Chinese restaurants in violation of rabbinicalkosher regulations.[11]
Today, the tradition has spread from New York to Jewish people across America.[12] OneChinatown restaurant inChicago reported in 2004 that their number of reservations more than tripled from thirty on a normal night to nearly a hundred on Christmas—half of them Jewish. Another quipped that the year before, "I think we had the entire Jewish community here", with their 350-seat restaurant being completely booked on December 25.[12]
The tradition has been the subject of many comedic routines, including "Borscht Belt" comedians such asJackie Mason andBuddy Hackett.[13] DuringSupreme Court confirmation hearings for Elena Kagan, South Carolina SenatorLindsey Graham asked the judge during a rather tense exchange where she was on Christmas Day. Kagan replied, "You know, like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant," causing the room to break into laughter.The Atlantic credited the televised exchange as the moment where the tradition transformed "fromkitsch into codified custom".[10]
Many reasons for the tradition have been offered, including the fact that Chinese restaurants generally remain open on Christmas Day and that Chinese food rarely mixes meat and dairy, the latter of which is prohibited under kosher law. More broadly, the tradition symbolizes to many Jewish people a rejection of historical Christmas observances and a feeling of commonality with other minority cultures who do not participate in those observances, and this tradition unites them in their "otherness" concerning the holiday.[10][14]
TheMatzo Ball is an annual party held on Christmas Eve in many major cities throughout the United States and Canada, directed toward Jewish singles in their 20s and 30s. The event was created to give Jews something to do on a night when they might otherwise be lonely or not have anything to do. Attendees may go to enjoy the dancing, find a short- or long-term partner, meet new people, hang out with friends, or because they would otherwise be lonely on Christmas Eve. There are several similar competing events, such as "The Ball" and "Schmooz-a-Palooza."[15][16][17]
The termChrismukkah, aportmanteau ofChristmas andHanukkah, was coined in a December 2003 episode ofThe O.C. to refer to a combination of Christmas and Hanukkah. The term became popular, andWarner Bros. began selling relatedmerchandise, butCatholic League and theNew York Board of Rabbis released a joint statement condemning the idea as a "multicultural mess" which they stated was insulting to both Christians and Jews.[18]
A similar term inGerman,Weihnukka, is a portmanteau ofWeihnachten andChanukka.[19] InFrench,Hannoël combinesHanoucca withNoël.[20]
Blending between the Christmas and Hanukkah traditions has resulted in various traditions and items specific to Chrismukkah or to the interaction between Hanukkah and Christmas. Christmas trees are sometimes decorated with symbols representing Judaism or Hanukkah; such a tree may be dubbed a "Chrismukkah tree" or "Hanukkah bush".[21]
Many popularChristmas songs, especially in the United States, were written by Jewish composers, including "White Christmas", "The Christmas Song", "Let It Snow", "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year", and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". These songs focus on the secular aspects of Christmas rather than the religious aspects, portraying Christmas as an American holiday.[22][23] One writer observed that "the entire sound track of this holiday, with remarkably few exceptions" was written by Jews.[24]
During theAmerican Civil War, the men ofKeyam Dishmaya viewed theMaccabees of the Hanukkah story as a model for resistance toJewish assimilation and increasing description of Christmas as "universal" across the United States.[25] In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Christmas decorations and gift exchanges became increasingly popular in the United States, and rabbis were frustrated by many American Jews' incorporation of the same practices into their celebration of Hanukkah.[26]German Christmas traditions were adopted by many German Jews in the 19th century; a number of whom emigrated toCincinnati, where the developing Jewish press expressed concern about this Jewish adoption of Christian customs. RabbisIsaac Mayer Wise andMax Lilienthal responded by creating Hanukkah celebrations designed to appeal to Jewish children, incorporating singing, speeches, and other celebratory activities.[27]Solomon H. Sonneschein, another rabbi, proposed that celebration of Hanukkah be moved to December 25 to coincide with Christmas.[28]
Hanukkah was adopted by theZionist movement because of its depiction of Jewish strength, masculinity, and political victory. In 1896, when RabbiMoritz Güdemann visitedTheodor Herzl and his family in Austria and saw that they were celebrating Christmas,[26] Güdemann convinced Herzl to remove the Christmas tree and celebrate Hanukkah instead. Herzl went on to write "The Menorah", an essay which argued that Jewish rejection of Christmas and celebration of Hanukkah was a core component of Jewish self-respect.[29]
In the early 20th century, the holiday provided an opportunity for American Jews and especially American Jewish women to "resolve the ambiguity of being an American Jew" and engage in Jewish practice during a season dominated by Christianity.[30]
TheJewish holiday ofHanukkah, traditionally a minor one, is considered important in the modern United States because it occurs during theChristmas and holiday season; manyAmerican Jews view it as a Jewish counterpart to Christmas.[31] Data suggest that Hanukkah's close temporal proximity to Christmas is what drives its modern popularity in the United States, and that American Jews may use Hanukkah to provide an alternative to Christmas for their children.[32] Some Jews andrabbis have objected to the increasing importance of the minor holiday, with theWomen's League for Conservative Judaism arguing in 1990 that "any child who has built asukkah will not feel deprived of trimming a [Christmas] tree" and that increased emphasis on Hanukkah was therefore not necessary.[33]
The 2022 National Jewish Identity Survey, conducted by theInstitute for Jewish Policy Research, found that 28% ofBritish Jews had aChristmas tree at home, with younger Jews more likely to have them than older Jews. 58% ofnon-practising Jews reported having a Christmas tree while just 1% ofOrthodox Jews did.[34]
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