Kerfuffle

[mabfan]

First of all, I want to thank all those of you who expressed interest in being on my Jewish filter. I've started working on the first essay to post under that filter, but it's a long one, and it'll probably take a day or two to finish.

Now, on to other Jewish subjects --

My good friend scarlettina has brought to my attention a kerfluffle that took place in Seattle. Apparently, a Hasidic rabbi threatened to sue Seatac Airport because they put up Christmas trees. He wanted them to build an eight-foot-tall menorah and allow a lighting ceremony to take place.

In the words of my ancestors, Oy.

scarlettina also brought my attention to Rabbi Marc Gellman's commentary from the MSNBC/Newsweek site:

So what, as they say in the Talmud, do we learn from all this?  First we learn that the rabbi should never have threatened to sue the airport. (His lawyer now says he won't no matter what happens.)  Using our courts to prohibit the displays of Christmas trees is more than frivolous.  It is stupid, divisive and frivolous.  It generates ill will towards Jews or the ACLU or whoever brings the suit, and it unnecessarily burdens the court.  People who are offended at decorated trees with no angel, no star and no crèche need to get a life, and need to reconsider what constitutes a true offense against the First Amendment.

Amen.

Comments

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Edited. Let this comment stand, as a reminder to all of the importance of consulting dictionaries.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Let this comment stand, as a reminder to all of the importance of consulting dictionaries.

And here I was about to ask "And what do we learn from this?" But good Talmudic scholar that you are, you already gleaned the lesson. :-)