The Chanukkah Nativity Display
I’ve been thinking lately about the nativity display our town puts out each year and how it might be made more inclusive to reflect our tolerant and pluralistic society.
It strikes me as significant that before Jesus was JESUS, he was a small-town Jewish boy, born to an observant Jewish mother, living in the land of the Jews. Of course he would have celebrated Chanukkah! His family would have lit candles each year, while he was growing up. He would have played dreidel games with his friends. He would have sung songs about the Maccabees, and probably would have been inspired by their heroism in the face of religious persecution.
And if Jesus really was born on December 25th, it’s likely that the manger would have been decked out in festive Chanukkah style for the season. Certainly Mary and Joseph would have brought a menorah, and three strangers even stopped by with presents.
I would like to see this idea incorporated into our town’s annual tradition. Keep the crèche, the shepherds, the Magi, the angels, and the barnyard animals, but add in a menorah, some blue and white streamers, plates of potato latkies, and a whole bunch of six-pointed stars. Not only would it make us a more inclusive community, but it would have the added benefit of being more accurate!