Posted on 12/09/2006 7:45:53 PM PST by XR7
SEA-TAC Airport - All of the Christmas trees inside the terminal at Sea-Tac have been removed in response to a complaint by a rabbi.A local rabbi wanted to install an 8-foot menorah and have a public lighting ceremony. He threatened to sue if the menorah wasn’t put up, and gave a two-day deadline to remove the trees.
Sea-Tac public affairs manager Terri-Ann Betancourt said the trees that adorn the Sea-Tac upper and lower levels may not properly represent all cultures.
She said that since this is their busiest time of year and they don't have time to add a fair representation of all cultures, her department decided to take down all of the decorations, review their policies, and decide if they need to make a change for next year.
"You know, our focus is on customer service, getting our passengers through the airport, and we thought if we could take the trees down and avoid litigation because we don't want to littigate with this individual, we want to reach some kind of solution," Betancourt said. "But that is going to take some thoughtful discussion and we would like to have time to have that thoughtful discussion."
Until then, no Christmas decor at Sea-Tac.
The same decorations have been put up for at least 10 years, she added.
Trouble with that is....Christmas is a SEASON...month to 6 weeks long.....HANNUKAH IS ONLY 8 DAYS. dO YOU THINK THE MENORRAH SHOULD BE UP FOR 6 WEEKS???
For years, it was The Bon Marche.
I have many fond memories, having worked there for quite a while. Federated Stores (owners of Macys) bought them out and finally decided to change the name to Macys.
Kinda sad because it did have a certain northwest charm to it when it was the Bon.
As far as I know public Menorahs are only up 8 days
It's usually atheists who attack Christmas, not Jews. You can support Israel or not, either way the Muslims are over running Europe and threatening the Christian West you speak of. Feed them the Jews of Israel, it will only whet their appetite
I will only support the Christian West if THERE IS a Christian West left.
If this rabbi has his way, we will end up a big blob of amorphous nothing.
If the traditions and values that I grew up with and cherish are stripped from me and my country, then it will be every man for himself. And I will not be in any hurry to run over and defend Israel.
And I bet a great many Americans feel the same.
You are ridiculous. Worry about Muslims, not Jews. Goodbye
Well,I would never go to Israel and complain because they will not put up a Christmas tree. What is going on in this country. Christians are the majority WTF?
He is more than likely a Pro-Palestinian American Liberal.
You could gget Jerry Parks to find out ......... oh, he's not with us any more.
SEATAC, Wash. - All nine Christmas trees have been removed from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport instead of adding a giant Jewish menorah to the holiday display as a rabbi had requested.
Maintenance workers boxed up the trees during the graveyard shift early Saturday, when airport bosses believed few people would notice.
"We decided to take the trees down because we didn't want to be exclusive," said airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt. "We're trying to be thoughtful and respectful, and will review policies after the first of the year."
Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, who made his request weeks ago, said he was appalled by the decision. He had hired a lawyer and threatened to sue if the Port of Seattle didn't add the menorah next to the trees, which had been festooned with red ribbons and bows.
"Everyone should have their spirit of the holiday. For many people the trees are the spirit of the holidays, and adding a menorah adds light to the season," said Bogomilsky, who works in Seattle at the regional headquarters for Chabad Lubavitch, a Jewish education foundation.
After consulting with lawyers, port staff believed that adding the menorah would have required adding symbols for other religions and cultures in the Northwest. The holidays are the busiest season at the airport, Betancourt said, and staff didn't have time to play cultural anthropologists.
Hanukkah begins this Friday at sundown.
"They've darkened the hall instead of turning the lights up," said Bogomilsky's lawyer, Harvey Grad. "There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch."
BTTT
Merry Christmas Is NOT Offensive (Rabbi Daniel Lapin Urges Respect For Christian Holiday Alert)
I don't think I've ever seen or heard of a rabbi making such a request. Christmas trees are everywhere, in stores and malls, and I have known Jewish people who have them in their homes.
Why didn't they just put up the eight foot manorah? Maybe all these holidays are too close together.
BTW..since when are decorated trees "religious" symbols?
Didn't the USSC rule that trees are secular symbols when displayed alone and not with other obvious religious displays?
How do you tell the difference???
Doubtful. He's Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, and I understand that he's a bit peeved that the airport didn't cave to his demands but removed the trees instead.
KVI in Seattle has the Kirby Wilbur show on now, and the focus is the incident.
At 8 this morning Pacific time, the Rabbi will be on.
Sentiment is very, very heavily against what happened.
I've been trying to find a live streaming website that has KVI, but haven't yet. For those who might want to listen, it's 570AM.
I don't like the lawsuit aspect, but from the article you posted the Rabbi is absolutely correct and the airport is wrong. Displays can't be limited to Christianity only.
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