COMMENTARY: What Christians should know about the Jewish holidays

c. 1999 Religion News Service (Dale Hanson Bourke is publisher of Religion News Service.) UNDATED _ Christian holidays are easy. Long before the church calendar signals a time of preparation, the local retailers have hung banners, sent fliers and run ads aimed at making you feel guilty for not thinking a full season ahead. By […]

c. 1999 Religion News Service

(Dale Hanson Bourke is publisher of Religion News Service.)

UNDATED _ Christian holidays are easy.


Long before the church calendar signals a time of preparation, the local retailers have hung banners, sent fliers and run ads aimed at making you feel guilty for not thinking a full season ahead. By the time the actual holiday arrives, we are all sick of it.

But Jewish holidays sneak up on you. At least they sneak up on Gentiles like me. I turn the page of my calendar and there they are, unexpected.

That’s when I realize I’ve planned events or meetings or trips without regard to the implications for any Jewish participants. I don’t mean to be insensitive, but I sure feel clueless sometimes.

Most of my Jewish friends and colleagues are understanding about such conflicts. I suppose they have had a lifetime to get used to them.

But I try to use these times as an opportunity to learn. And in honor of the upcoming Jewish high holy days, I offer some of what I continue to learn from my Jewish friends.

1. Jewish holidays fall on different days each year because they are based on a lunar calendar. Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur usually fall between mid-September and mid-October. This year the holidays fall on the early side.

2. Jewish holidays do not have similar significance to Christian holidays. Because Hanukkah often falls near Christmas, many people assume it is the Jewish equivalent of the biggest Christian holiday. In fact, Hanukkah is a less significant Jewish holiday and is a celebration of religious freedom.

3. Jewish holidays are more sacred than secular. Even though most Christian holidays are celebrated in a secular way by those who are not religious, holidays like Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are a time when even less religious Jews attend synagogue services and abstain from conducting business or going to school.

For Orthodox, Conservative and Reconstructionist Jews, Rosh Hashana _ this year beginning at sundown Sept. 10 _ is observed for two days. Reform Jews celebrate for one day, from sundown to sundown.


4. Retailers don’t give Jewish holidays the same attention as Christian holidays, partially because they affect fewer people, but also because the sentiments are less easily translated into consumerism. Rosh Hashana commemorates the creation of the world and signals the beginning of 10 days of reflection and self-examination.

Yom Kippur is the”day of atonement”when Jews fast and pray for grace from God in light of their transgressions. This is a solemn time, with the most upbeat sentiment being”Shana tovah,”which means,”Have an easy fast.”Not exactly Hallmark material.

5. Gentiles can learn about and from Jewish holidays. They aren’t all that complicated, and learning about Jewish holidays helps Christians appreciate the roots of their own faith.

Several excellent books discuss the holidays of different faiths.”Religions of America”by Leo Rosten is a classic.”How to Be a Perfect Stranger”by Arthur Magida and”The Other Religions in Your Neighborhood”by Terry Muck are both very readable.

But another excellent way to learn about Jewish holidays is to sit down with a Jewish friend or acquaintance and ask. When I did that I received not only an education but a delightful reminiscence by a friend who had as many funny stories about family holidays as I did.

And after hearing my friend talk about the significance of Rosh Hashana, I’ve decided to make it a personal time of reflection and assessment. It seems to me Christians could use a little more of that as well.


DEA END BOURKE

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