It is difficult enough to have to leave Israelfor the USduring Chanukah but the let-down of galus descended upon me quite quickly — while still on the plane. I opened up a magazine and the ad hit me right between the eyes: “CELEBRATE THE WARMTH AND WONDER OF BOTH CHANUKAH AND XMAS. The perfect way for interfaith families to celebrate both holidays … the Chanukah Tree Topper makes a great gift for Chanukah or Xmas traditions.… A must-have for interfaith marriages. Yours for only $19.99” The “Tree Topper” is a specially designed Magen David that fits perfectly on top of an Xmas tree.
Help! Once upon a time an intermarriage was an embarrassment to a Jewish family. But today with an intermarriage rate in US of over 50% and inEuropeover 70% it has become quite acceptable and normal. Although Chanukah celebrates the miraculous victory over a Hellenism that wanted to obliterate all signs of Jewish distinctiveness this ad demonstrates that the battle is still raging and that the forces of obliteration are only getting stronger.
How did it happen that 2000 years after the miracle of Chanukah we are still losing millions of Jews to the scourge of assimilation and intermarriage? It happened primarily because some misguided Jewish leaders tried to “save” Judaism for future generations. And as the night follows the day it was inevitable that it would all end with the must-have Chanukah Tree Topper for $19.99.
Here is the path of the race to the bottom: In order to bring people back to the synagogue certain restrictive disciplines of Torah were relaxed or eliminated. Prayers were changed from Hebrew to English kashrus restrictions were eased mechitzos between men and women were dropped tzniyus standards were eliminated driving to shul on Shabbos was permitted. These steps were not deliberate attempts to destroy Torah but to save it and preserve it. The theory was that unless such emergency measures were adopted Judaism was doomed.
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