As the ever-widening popularity of Chanukah unfolds tonight just after darkness, Diane and I will join one of the world’s largest armies — rawly, a struggle for cultural/religious/life-changing supremacy.
Chanukah vs. Christmas.
Judaism vs. Christianity.
Us vs. Them.
We are bringing our 5-year-old grandson, Gabriel, to one of the largest opening-night-of-Chanukah celebrations in Los Angeles.
As I write this, “White Christmas” is playing on my radio, a perfectly ironic, beautifully timed nudge to the ribs.
Our grandson was born of a Jewish mother and Christian father.
This is the first Chanukah-Christmas that Gabriel is floating in the limbo holiday space since his parents chose separate paths last spring.
Beginning Friday, he will be nearly overwhelmed by loving grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts with the joy of Christmas, not a dreidel within miles.
For tonight, he is ours.
It is the jubilant start of eight days of Chanukah, not a Christmas tree or Santa Claus within miles.
Frankly, it is a battle for the upper hand in winning his soul.
Only idiot parents, who know little and do not give a fig about their religion, bray that they will raise their child in Judaism and Catholicism, Islam or any other branch of Christianity. The same parents would send the same unlucky child to two schools each day, public and private, until he gets to college and can make up his own mind. They will buy him two cars, and he can drive both each day until he is much older and can decide for himself.
Anyway, Chag Sameach and Merry Christmas.
