The December Dilemma

The December Dilemma
| Hanukkah By :  The Jewish Theological Seminary | Interreligious

Despite its status as a minor festival, the celebration of Hanukkah is elevated in the United States, partially due to its proximity to Christmas. These resources focus on the seasonal challenges of fitting in and the pressure to compete with the excitement of “the most wonderful time of the year.”


Miracles of Today (Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz): Adapting Jewish traditions provided a way to bolster Jewish pride and identification

Joseph, Hanukkah, and the Dilemmas of Assimilation (Chancellor Emeritus Arnold Eisen): How much distinctiveness should Jews maintain in a society and culture like ours that offers unprecedented opportunity and freedom?

Miketz—Hanukkah—Thanksgiving (Dr. Burton Visotzky): A celebration of the achievements of Jews in America

Holy Innovation and the Holiday of Hanukkah (Rabbi Danny Nevins): “Hanukkah always feels contemporary because most Jews continue to feel conflicted by its themes of integration and separation from surrounding cultures.”

SHORT VIDEO

Hanukkah Amongst the Christmas Trees
with Dr. Burt Visotzky

Taking Judaism Public:
From the Maccabees to Adam Sandler

with Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz

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