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I guess I should say that what DOES make me feel sad are all the menorahs I see all over the place. They are where they are as a symbol of ignorance. Chanukkah has been over for two weeks now. It is a very minor Jewish holiday. No one is supposed to take any time off from their work because of it. There are no Chanukkah services at ANY synagogue. (There may be special made up events for children, and there are some Chanukkah insertions into the regular services during the eight days.)

ML/NJ

Hanukkah (which means ‘to dedicate’), known as the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights.

There is a mention of Hannukah in the Gospel of John...

“Then came the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.” (John 10:22-23, NKJV)

This reference comes right after Jesus’ parable of the good shepherd (referring to Himself) and how He was willing to lay His life down for the sheep (those who repent and obey God).

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of Jerusalem’s temple in 164 B.C.

Chanukkah is a pretty significant holiday, although not in the way that it is celebrated in America today.

Chanukkah commemorates two miracles: the fact that the Temple in Jerusalem was re-dedicated and the pure oil that was expected to burn for just one day burned for eight, long enough for more pure oil to be created; and the fact that the Jews won the right to continue to practice their faith despite laws imposed by the conquering Greeks that prohibited circumcision and other important aspects of Judaism.

It is kind of ironic that the holiday that commemorates lack of Jewish assimilation and the freedom to worship G-d as deemed appropriate under Jewish doctrine has become a milquetoast version of Christmas with a menorah instead of a tree for many Jews. I think Christians should celebrate Christmas as they see fit, with songs of faith rather than sleighbells in the snow, and Jews should celebrate Chanukkah as a commemoration of Jews’ right to worship as they believe they are commanded to do.