Members (former and current) of Temple Beth Sholom in Topeka alerted one another, and me, of a column by Adrienne Greene about the difference between Christmas and Chanukah. I posted the link below. It’s pretty horrible. HER COLUMN is below my response.
Rabbi Moti Rieber, current rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom, created an op-ed that specifically and thoroughly covered the issues raised (and inaccuracies contained) in her column.
I wrote this letter to the editor on December 12, and it appeared in the paper, I believe, today. I decided not to address everything in the article as a former rabbi of the community. I focused on her supposed intentions and the resulting tone. Comments to the Capital Journal from community members have led the paper to stop carrying Greene’s column.
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HERE IS MY LETTER
Pastor's Greene got much wrong about Hanukkah
By Rabbi Larry Karol
Pastor Adrienne Greene states on her website that, “I am a CEO in a global organization that assists people in finding their spiritual alignment. ... I am a Christian, not a religious person. ... I put no limits on the Holy Spirit: His miracles. His signs. His wonders.”
It is obvious that Pastor Greene’s idea of spiritual alignment is following her specific approach to Christianity.
The “Holy Spirit” concept originates in Judaism, denoting an enduring divine presence.. The Hebrew word for spirit, “ruach,” is a feminine noun.
One might expect that someone promoting spirituality and unlimited holiness would positively approach the beliefs and practices of many faiths.
Pastor Greene’s Dec. 12 column in the Topeka Capital-Journal on the differences between Christmas and Hanukkah offered a condescending and negative view of Jews and Judaism.
She revealed such an attitude with the phrase, “sadly, our Jewish brothers and sisters ...,” when speaking about the observances of a joyous Jewish holiday.
Her claim about the branches on “commercial menorahs” numbering nine instead of seven is inaccurate. It misses the point that a helper candle in the middle branch of a Hanukkiah, a Hanukkah menorah, is used to light other candles, which increase on each successive night from one to eight, marking the eight days of the holiday.
Members and rabbis of Topeka’s Temple Beth Sholom have tirelessly worked to promote interfaith understanding over the years.
Nothing, especially words from a columnist from outside the community, should ever undo those efforts towards education and partnership.
Rabbi Larry Karol, Las Cruces, N.M. (formerly of Topeka)
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HERE WAS THE ARTICLE TO WHICH I RESPONDED.
Ask Pastor Adrienne: Christmas or Hanukkah: What's the difference?
Adrienne GreeneMore Content Now
Pastor Adrienne Greene
Dear Pastor,
My Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah while we're celebrating Christmas each year. What's the difference?
A: The difference is vast: Hanukkah is a lesser Jewish holiday regarding Jerusalem's Jewish Temple rededication, and Christmas is the high-holiday of the Christian Church which marks the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. Hanukkah festivities spread over eight consecutive days; Christmas is one glorious day.
Sadly, our Jewish brothers and sisters, whose religious root system we share, are not believers in Christ as the Son of God. They honor his Jewish heritage and acknowledge his prophetic gifting ... considering him a remarkable Rabbi and teacher ... but stop short of calling him "savior." Thankfully not all Jews today maintain the ancient separation. Many have received Christ's free gift of salvation as Christians do. These special people are labeled "Messianic Jews."
The moment in history when Jews diverted their religious beliefs from those of the Christ-followers was well documented by the disciple Matthew. Here is the discussion that ensued among the Jewish leaders when it was reported to them that the tomb of Christ was found empty: "And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, 'You are to say, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him while we were asleep.' And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and keep you out of trouble.' And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews and is to this day" (Matthew 28:12-15, NASB).
Lies were instantly circulated by the Rabbis and their hired rumor-mills that Jesus did not rise from the dead as he prophesied, but instead, his corpse was stolen and never recovered. Great pains were then taken by the Jewish rulers, I'm sure, to prevent their temple congregants from spotting Christ as he traveled among the living for forty days after his resurrection (Acts 1:3).
Christmas is about the light of the world (Jesus). Hanukkah is about light. Specifically, it is about the Jewish lampstand whose blueprint, design and operation were dictated by God to Moses, beginning in Exodus chapter 25. We call this special lamp the "menorah," made up of three unified branches on each side of a taller, central candle. Today, the commercial menorahs sold in stores include nine candlesticks due to strict religious laws that prohibit the seven-armed lampstand from being seen or burned outside the confines of a synagogue.
In addition to Hanukkah marking the rededication of the Jerusalem temple around the second century B.C., the holiday also commemorates a miracle that took place, according to the Talmud: Rome had unlawfully turned Jerusalem's holy place into a pagan temple, so the Maccabees (Jewish warriors) fought and won back their sacred building. But during the siege, there was lamp oil enough to sustain the menorah for only one day - but it lasted for eight. Hanukkah feasts and gift-giving now commence and sustain for eight candle-lit days in homage to the miracle.
I love the fact that Hanukkah and Christmas coincide each year; that Jews and Gentiles worship in parallel. We do, after all, share the most important part of both festivities: The Jewish heritage of Jesus Christ.
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