Many Jews Feel No Need to Share In the Christmas Spirit

Re “No, Tannenbaum” (Dec. 23): ‘Twas the day before the night before Christmas and, once again, the readers are subjected to a first-person account by a Jew trying to find meaningful participation and festivity on Christmas--a holiday, which, I believe, still celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, founder of Christianity.

The publishing of such accounts does a major disservice to the Jewish community, as well as to the community at large, by perpetuating the misguided ideas that everyone, no matter what their religion, ethnicity or culture, needs or wants to find some meaning in Christmas and that Jews generally harbor desires to participate in a holiday marking the birth of another religion’s deity.

It is disheartening to those of us Jews (and there are plenty of us) with positive self-images who find fulfillment in our year-round calendar of holidays--whether we are observant or not--and who can wish our Christian friends well at this time of year without needing or wanting to co-opt Christmas for ourselves.

RENA ORENSTEIN

Sherman Oaks

*

As a Jew, I find Margo Kaufman’s article most offensive.

Non-Jewish people do not appreciate Jews emulating a tradition that is sacred to them on Christmas, any more than Jewish people respect non-Jews in a similar situation.

People respect each other for believing in their own religions and adhering to the traditions of their beliefs.

HARRIET LEWIS

Los Angeles