Intermountain Jewish news., 1925-12-10
CHANNUKAH VERSUS CHRISTMAS

This title not intended to the thought that there
inherent competition between Christmas
refers to the dilemma Jewish children the Yue
tide approaches
The atmosphere about surcharged with outer and
inner manifestations of preparation for Christmas
pactced in the public schools Our Jewish business find
themselves under the necessity of displaying
orave Christmas in the effort to catch the business the
Our children asked required part
representative of Christmas
and its significance.
Upon the mpressonabe child the effect is tre-
mendous There denying the of nonJewsh
world creating magnificent settings for the annual staging
its Christmas observance children find delight
therein and succumb to their blame children
tor being natural, and being children?
What the nonJew does to make his Christmas impressive
challenge to the Jewone which the Jew must meet kind
before which he bow his shame his own ndif-
ference to his beautiful festivals
Each about the time when Christmas approaches Chan
nukah-makes its entrance upon the calendar.
Regardless of the the year Channukah
might the historic background of the hoday inspiring
story OF and human faith oudong the story the Exodus
se-shoud command leading place the calendar of Jewish
occasions By coming it does at the time when the world
around giving its undivided celebration
Christmas Channukah-propery magnificent
opportunity to gladden. the hearts of Jewish children de-
which would leave them envy
boy and girl associates
We have been failing mseraby advantage this o-
porunity and the basis of that failure the
of what Channukah the average Jew
who reads this:
you the story of the Hasmones so that you could
tell tonight to the children and thrill them with its enhancing
nteres If not the fault certainly does not lie in the history
of their great struggle for Jewish independence for there
nothing in American history compare with the Maccabean story
example of magnificent and of seless loyalty
Can recite children the story Hannah and her
Seven Sons Alongside of that touching tale the story of Barbara
Fritche pales into cooressness.
Can you tell children when the Maccabee
first applied what it stands for and how earned?
Have you related them the story Kochba that
other stirring tale of heroism the spirit of which makes fit
story for the Channukah season?
Have you given child the opportunity read Chan
nukah story by Perez Sholem Aleichim?
These only preliminary to what the Jewish
dressing the Channukah week beautiful
which readily takes Every night every light back
of it beautiful appealing symbolism.
Let parents climb out of the of their ignorance let
them what Channukah means them convey
knowledge that will enter only the minds but the
hearts their children children hungry for that which will fill
niche in their hearts filled for their nonJewish
friends by the Christmas at this of the year the
Channukah gifts around freely Create for them atmosphere
of joyousness.
all let there hover the just and militant pride of the
Jew in that magnificent achievement of his history for which
Channukah stands
Happy Channukah cordially and sincerely wish you.