So for more on Chris Mcha, let's bring in our
holiday panel.
Joining us now is the President of the Union for
Reform Judaism, Rabbi Rick Jacobs.
And I'd also like to welcome our Professor of Theology
at the University of Birmingham, Canada, Moss.
Thank you both for joining us.
Professor Moss, let's start with you.
The dates for Hanukkah change every year.
Is it significant that both Christmas and Hanukkah fall on
the same day?
Well, the reason that the dates of Hanukkah change every
year is because Judaism is following a lunar solar calendar
that is following both the passage of the sun and
the passage of the moon, whereas Christians are following the
Gregorian calendar that just follows the sun.
I think that especially as Hanukkah has become seen as
kind of the Jewish Christmas, we are seeing more and
more sort of interest in how they might correspond to
one another.
Both holidays are interested in light and in God's presence
in dark times.
And of course, this creates a huge opportunity for interfaith
families to celebrate both traditions alongside one another.
And it also means for interfaith families double the gifts.
Well, Rabbi Jacobs, while Christmas is a religious holiday, Hanukkah
isn't a high holiday for people of the Jewish faith.
But do you think it's it's gained a religious significance
over the years because of the time of year in
which it falls?
There's no doubt that Hanukkah has become more important to
the Jewish community in the last decades, and its proximity
to Christmas is clearly an influence.
And I think, you know, I grew up in Southern
California.
We were the only Jewish family on our block.
We're the only family without Christmas lights.
And today, of course, there's much more attention to the
many religious traditions that make up America and the world.
So I think one of the things that as the
professor pointed out, the interfaith families first of all could
have a little bit of a challenge.
What do they do tomorrow?
Is it more Christmas or more Hanukkah or first Christmas
then Hanukkah?
Luckily we have 8 nights of Hanukkah.
You can spread it out.
But for some families it's an opportunity to reflect on
these two beautiful different faith traditions.
And I just think it's really important to give each
one its due not not to sort of blend them
together as in the term Christmas cop, because I think
that does harm to the uniqueness of each.
But the proximity can actually lead all of us to
understand more, to appreciate more about those who make up
different faiths and for us to create more light in
an often very dark time of year.
And this year in particular, that feel like there's darkness
everywhere we look.
And jumping off from that point, Rabbi Jacobs, you know,
we can't forget that this is the second Hanukkah since
the horrific October 7th attacks.
How is this holiday season different from your typical holiday?
Well, I I think it's different in many ways.
Of course, the brutal attacks of October 7th last year
with 1200 murdered, many raped and 250 taken hostage.
We still have 100 hostages still in Gaza.
So I think our Jewish community is going to have
its joy tempered.
And we tell a story of a band, a small
I'll equipped band called the Maccabees, who fought the greatest
military might in the ancient times, which was the Seleucid
Greek Empire.
And their fight was to live freely and safely in
their land.
And we think today obviously about that ancient fight and
we see a war still raging before us.
You know, the rabbi's of the Talmud 2000 years ago,
they wanted not to emphasize the militarism.
They wanted people to appreciate the the spiritual significance of
the jar of oil that was found.
And it lasted for eight days as the temple was
rededicated.
I have to think that this year in particular with,
you know, the the resurgence of anti-Semitism here in North
America, we are seeing one out of four Jews have
experienced hate personally and anti-Semitism.
So we are trying very much to create more light
this holiday.
And I think for interfaith families, they can do that.
They can appreciate all those differences.
And I think in the wider world, we we know
that we must find a way to live together.
The holiday can actually point out that pluralism, appreciating diversity
is one of the great blessings of life.
It's it's rare, maybe in these very polarized times, but
this light is even more essential today.
Professor Moss, I wanted to ask, given what's going on
right now in the Holy Land, how is this impacting
the way that both of these holidays are being celebrated
around the world?
I think it's a wrap.
I was saying it's a much more somber holiday this
year in Bethlehem, the place where Christians go to celebrate
the birth of Jesus.
The tree is not there.
There isn't a crash.
It's a very dark year there.
And I think that when you think about the message
of Christmas, how it's about peace and hope and God's
love for humanity, that's also a kind of invocation that
we need to work towards understanding, dialogue, living together.
But this is a gift in Christianity for all of
humankind.
That means that we also have to work to alleviate
the suffering of the many people who are suffering right
now.
Rabbi Jacobs, Professor Moss, thank you so much for joining
us.
And happy holidays to you both.
Thank you.
Happy holidays.
Let there be light.