When the minister asked the children gathered in front of him what Jewish holiday fell in the spring near Easter, one small boy piped up, “Hanukkah.” I laughed, thankfully not too loudly, as no one else in the congregation found amusement in his response. Whether that was because they didn’t realize that Hanukkah falls closer to Christmas or whether they thought it might be disrespectful of another religion to laugh I don’t know.
Being half of an interfaith couple, I found the response quite comical. Partially it was absurd because it showcased our society’s efforts at attempting to balance holidays with the egomaniacal Christian holiday, Christmas. Every child in our elementary school knows about Hanukkah, okay, perhaps not about the Maccabees and the oil, but they know it’s a Jewish holiday they need to mention every time Christmas is presented in their politically correct world. So the mere fact that Hanukkah would roll off of a young child’s lips as the only known Jewish holiday is a reflection of our absurd approach to managing Christmas as the top predator of solstice celebrations.
Also, the minister was attempting to be broadly ecumenical—embracing the Jewish religion by explaining important overlaps between Christianity and Judaism while talking about how Jesus was celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples before Good Friday. I applaud his efforts both to provide historical context and to open a window of respect for these children. Seeing the gears turning in these children’s minds was what got me laughing. And sure enough, in my Church School class, my students gave voice to their confusion.
When I asked why we celebrate communion, the first response was, “to remember Passover.” Well the minister had certainly gotten that window of respect wide open.
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