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by Penny Blake
I’m Jewish. In Canada it’s a minority religion with a fiercely independent streak. People often wonder what we think of majority culture, and especially about holidays like Christmas – what are the differences, or similarities. If your belief system precludes Jesus as the Saviour, what exactly do you do? Do you feel left out, or do you participate, guiltily perhaps? – because really, it does look like so much fun. It isn’t a one size fits all response, though. A TV special during the season implied that we all celebrated by going out for Chinese food. Entertaining as that was, it wasn’t my experience at all, and only resulted in my non-Jewish, non-believing husband bugging me to do the same (maybe next year, hubby). When I was growing up it wasn't as big a question for me. I actually lived in the heart of Jewish Toronto - non-Jews were the minority. Celebrating Chanukah, not having a tree, getting presents - but not in a big splashy way - all seemed pretty normal. There were tons of Jewish holidays in the Fall and Spring, and in my mind I divided the Christmas experience for my family into two parts. Chanukah, the holiday closest in time to Christmas, was presents and fun, with a bit of special food. here was a small family gathering at Bubby Sue's (my grandmother’s) and all the grandkids - about 12 of us - got a small gift. My parents gave one as well. But the big family time happened in the spring, at Passover. The dining room table would have to stretch all the way through the parlour of Bubby's small bungalow for her seven children, their wives and husbands and the grandkids. We'd do the seder up proud - all in Hebrew (translations on the side). There was lots of music for both holidays, but especially at Passover you'd get to sing with the whole fam-damily – ‘ganze mishpucha’. Well - things change. I moved away from that snug, insular world to where I was the minority statistics predicted. I married a non-Jew, and we agreed to raise the kids Jewish. One adjustment I had to make for my kids, here as true minorities, instead of in Toronto, was to help them make Chanukah a share-able, public experience. That, I admit, is harder to do in Welland than on Bathurst Street in Toronto. My son would insist that as well as coming to his classroom, telling the story, doing crafts and games, I had to make latkes (potato pancakes) for all of his classmates. Fresh. Not fried in advance & heated up. For 20 to 30 kids. Sigh. Sorry, Shira. When you came along I didn’t breathe a word of that – so you got everything except the latkes. But – it was great fun. Great for the school, the kids and me, and of course, my own kids. Well – here I’ll have to leave off. Next time I’ll explore singing in a non-Jewish world – whadya do about your own belief system, if that is the question. Cheers, and Happy New Year!
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