Christmas and Anti-Jewish Oppression
This is a note to remind us that the Christmas holiday has also been a time of anti-Jewish oppression.
Historically, there have been pogroms at Christmas. Even today, it is a custom for Jews to not go to Torah study on Christmas Eve, because it makes them stand out as Jews and be easily targeted for attacks.
There is an excellent article on the anti-Jewish oppression in the children’s book How the Grinch Stole Christmas. (See <https://daily.jstor.org/the-anti-jewish-tropes-in-how-the-grinch-stole-christmas/.>) It is an eye opener. I succeeded in getting the minister of my congregation to stop having a singing Grinch performance by talking to her about the anti-Jewish oppression inherent in it.
Christmas might be a good time to talk to our Gentile religious leaders about anti-Jewish oppression and Christian hegemony.
Newton, Massachusetts, USA
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion list for leaders of Catholics
(Present Time 209, October 2022)