The Arizona post., 1957-01-04

cherished America of ours would the facilities of this
vast radio network be made available to a rabbi to
discourse freely upon a holiday and holy day sacred
to so many millions of adherents of a faith other
than my own.
But what is so strange some will ask, about
rabbi dscoursing on Christmas-for has not Christ
mas become universal holiday observed by all?
Have not its specifically Christian characteristics and
teachings receded into the background while its more
general observance, as time of lghthearted gift
giving and joval, sometimes hilarious partying
has taken over?
HAS NOT SANTA CLAUS suppanted Chrst's
mass as the occasion for all this hectic activity which
marks these preChristmas days? Have not the shops
and stores taken even greater Importance than
the churches and cathedras the focus of attention
at Chrstmasde? Do not the voices of the radio and
television pitchmen drown out the still small voices
of the erstwhile more deeply moving Christmas
carols?
Are not the decorations on the streets outside
assuming an Importance and role of even greater
significance than the message within the heart of
peace earth to men of good will?
AT LEAST so it seems to one who watches from
the sidenes-and virtually no one in America is on
the sdenes during this bustling season. except the
rabbs Yes like the rest of their fellow Americans,
many of my brother Jews are likewise captlvated by
the general atmosphere OIL IIlS SEASON., dIe 1dI
from the sidenes They are in the midst of the jost
ing, swarmng throngs, doing their Christmas shop
ping, too.
Of course, they rationalze and seek to justify
their apparent acceptance of this specifically Chris
tan festival on the ground that "eVerybOdys doing
it, that is to say everybody is emphasizing these uni
versa and superficial and Christian facets of the
Christmas holiday-so why not Jews likewise?
WHICH LEADS me to the very first thing which
l. as rabbi would like to say about Christmas. If
I were a Christian minister instead OF Jewish
teacher there is nothing that I would lament SO
much and bitterly resent this wholesale transtor-
nation by myriads of Christians, by some Jews, and
many nbeevers in either Judaism or Christianity
of what was in origin and what should be, in its
deepest meaning, a solemn and sacred day set apart
to recall the birth of Him whom |, ii were Chris
tian would call my Savior, this transformation and
degradation of such a holy day into so heather
holiday devoid of it's profounder spiritual significance
and more exalted moral challenge.
UNLESS CHRISTMAS be truly Christs mass
with all the tmeless and timely meaning of that
term, then it should not bear that name in vain.
And that is why it is not any disparagement but an
attempt to exalt Christmas far beyond its present
materialistc level when I assert that as a rabbi
maintain in the first place, that Christmas is or
most assuredly should be, holy day for Christians
only-and not for Jews.
But why not for Jews you may ask, and right
here is an excellent time, indeed for me as rabbi
to say something about Jewish point of view with
regard to the exalted hero of the Christmas story,
Jesus the Jewish teacher called Lord and Savior by
all true Christians And in approaching this rather
delicate theme of our Jewish attitude to Jesus,
suppose I might find the most appropriate beginning
in that question which is most frequently asked of
rabbi concerning the Jews and Jesus
'WHY DID THE JEWS reject Jesus?" This is
in truth, the first and almost nvariabe inquiry ad
dressed by Christians to Jews To almost every Chris
tan it does seem strange and inexplicable in fact