Town Says 'No' to Nativity Scene, 'Yes' to Menorah

Fox

[missyme]

PALM BEACH, Fla. — A federal judge has given the town of Palm Beach (search), Fla., until 5 p.m. Thursday to come up with a good reason why Christ in a manger should not be displayed next to a menorah on public property.

Town officials are saying "no" to putting up a Nativity scene next to a Jewish menorah (search) in a popular park on public property.

A few years ago, a rabbi in Palm Beach fought the same town leadership to put a menorah on public property. But after lawyers got involved, the town relented.

This year, two women wanted a Christ in a manger display next to the menorah but the town refused, saying the Nativity scene could only be placed in a lesser-trafficked park.

The women filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination and arguing that the Supreme Court (search) allows a balance of the two. For the past two years, for example, menorahs have been placed next to the more politically correct "secular holiday trees."

One of the plaintiffs told Fox News she asked to speak before the town council to make her case but was refused.

"They've discriminated against us," said Maureen Donnell. "They allow the menorahs but they have absolutely no interest in these Nativity scenes."

What Donnell and her co-plaintiff want is for the the menorah and the Nativity scene to be displayed next to each other.

But Palm Beach town attorney John Randolph said case law shows that when a menorah is placed next to a secular symbol -- such as a "secular holiday tree" -- it isn't considered a religious symbol.

[verity]

I knew it. I knew it.

[Ann Archy]

What sign is more Jewish than a Menorah?? It's really no wonder that anti-Semitism is on the rise, and this is the reason.

[jwalsh07]

The same case is going on in Cranston, Ri. The Mayor invited all religious institutions to put up a display for the Christmas season. A local rabbi put up a Menorah about a week ago. Then two days ago a Catholic fellow put up a nativity scene. And the ACLU came running out of the bushes to sue the Mayor for removal of the Nativity scene.

The sad part was I heard the Rabbi interviewed and he claimed that the Menorah was not a Jewish religious symbol and thus rightly was not included in the ACLU's filing.

Left me shaking my head.

[missyme]

Most of the Jewish Residents in Palm Beach are pretty secular and it's no wonder they have no idea that the Mennorah is of religious significance. I bet if you asked them the story of Hannukkah they would not even know.

[highlander_UW]

If they allow menorahs and nativity scenes on public property, what will the Muslims want as their contribution?

Dioramas of the WTC exploding?

Or perhaps at statue of Muhammad "thighing" Ayesha at the age of 6. I've actually seen Muslims claim Muhammad had superior control of his "member". Sickness.

[Clint Williams]

Scotty, beam me up. There is no intelligent life in Palm Beach.

[truthandjustice1]

"The same case is going on in Cranston, Ri."

Cranston, lovely Cranston. Gateway to Warwick. Not surprising considering that this is the land of dumb and dumber. Corruption made complete with the addition of the ACLU and the secular jews.

[HennepinPrisoner]

I am starting to rethink my criticisms of Pat Buchanan more and more when I read stories like this.

[cherry]

At the risk of offending some freepers, I believe that Jews in America , at least some Jews, have little reguard for Christians, and do not stand up for Christians, even as most Christians bend over backwards to include Jews in everything....

"Judeo-Christian" :....the diversity people want us to believe that its all for one and one for all, which is what I want to believe, but time and again, many Jews just do not defend Christians...

I am guessing, but I think the ACLU is made up of many Jewish people, and we all know the ACLU never met a Christian symbol it liked.....

[Ground0]

The "elders" of Palm Beach should have such a sense of humor.

Problem? We don't have no stinkin' problem.

[Siamese Princess]

At the risk of offending some freepers, I believe that Jews in America , at least some Jews, have little reguard for Christians, and do not stand up for Christians, even as most Christians bend over backwards to include Jews in everything....

Unfortunately, you are correct. If anything, you understate the problem.

[StonyBurk]

"cretch": mispelt by those who use dictionaries as "creche"
a model of the Christ child in a manger. As spelt by an old white guy "cretch":probably due to my brain damaged memory
of legal summaries once read Re:cases involving the
attmpts by some to recreate Soviet Communism in America.
Thanks for the catch

[HiTech RedNeck]

and he claimed that the Menorah was not a Jewish religious symbol

i think some maccabees would be pretty peeved at the good rabbi

[Guvmint_Cheese]

As a Jew, I find this totally f---d up. Talking about missing the point of the First Amendment! For those wondering what the term "Chutzpah" means, this is a prime example of it. Totally meshooginah...

I keep telling my parents that if they retire to Florida, I'll never visit them. Yet another reason why...

[Guillermo]

Christian symbols are illegal in the Public Square, unless of course, they're soaking in a bottle of urine, or smeared with animal feces.

[missyme]

I think the Jewish people that are anti-christian is do to fear.
I know many Jews that embrace Christ as there saviour and they are astrosized by some Jewish communities. I guess to some jews they beleive Jesus is anti-jewish.

[missyme]

hmmm. you are wrong...As yous ay alot of people have "Nerve" and are "Crazy"

Living in California all my life with the exception of moving to Sweat Box Florida for awhile, the jewish community in Florida is pretty secular, they want jewish symbols they do not even know the significance of?

They believe there is such a thing as a "Holiday Tree" they do not know how to fill out a fricking ballot and they suffer from Dimentia, the younger communities Christians and Jews realize the importance of both faiths and honor both!

[veronica]

This is SO idiotic. I am Jewish, and if I were in Palm Beach, I would be protesting this. This is just nuts.

[veronica]

I am starting to rethink my criticisms of Pat Buchanan more and more when I read stories like this.

And to think Pat got so many votes in Fla. in 2000. ;)

[veronica]

At the risk of offending some freepers, I believe that Jews in America , at least some Jews, have little reguard for Christians, and do not stand up for Christians, even as most Christians bend over backwards to include Jews in everything....

I personally have never encountered Jews with "little regard for Christians." You know when I was kid, one of the things we would always do as a family was pile in the car around Christmas time, and my dad would drive all around so we could see the Christmas decorations on the houses and in parks, etc. Obviously they did not have the religious meaning to us, but they were pretty and we admired them. We respected the tradition they symbolized.

"Judeo-Christian" :....the diversity people want us to believe that its all for one and one for all, which is what I want to believe, but time and again, many Jews just do not defend Christians...

We are a Judeo-Christian nation.

I am guessing, but I think the ACLU is made up of many Jewish people, and we all know the ACLU never met a Christian symbol it liked.....

Some, but not all. Bob Barr, ex-Congressman, is part of the ACLU now.

Jews who have a problem with Christian symbols and holidays are misguided IMO. They don't by any means represent me or the Conservative Jews I know.