To the editor: I’d like to comment on Eli Federman’s article about holiday lights. There’s absolutely nothing amiss with having bright Hanukkah decorations. Hanukkah, after all, is aptly named the Festival of Lights and celebrates those who resisted the cultural pressures not their own.
From Halloween onward, Christmas dominates our senses with lights, music, store displays, and commercials. Isn’t that enough? By celebrating Hanukkah, Jews aren’t missing out on light or beauty, or anything else, for that matter.
Being Jewish is fulfilling in itself, and it doesn’t exclude admiring the season’s beauty. But let’s make it clear, Hanukkah is not the Jewish equivalent of Christmas.
Jo Perry, Studio City
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To the editor: There is an interesting point that the writer didn’t mention. This year, with Hanukkah starting on Christmas, the holiday will extend into the early days of January. As a result, many 2025 calendars will actually feature two Hanukkahs — one at the start and another towards the end of the year. Considering how 2024 has unfolded, we could all use as much light as possible as we head into next year!
Hank Rosenfeld, Santa Monica
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To the editor: My young son, who was brought up in the Jewish faith, loves watching the “Peanuts” Christmas special that the op-ed writer mentioned. One Christmas Eve, he attended midnight Mass with his Catholic grandparents. When they read the Gospel of Luke during the service, he was amazed and whispered, “I didn’t know the Gospel quoted ‘Peanuts!’ ” It was a moment that brought everyone together, if not in festive celebration, then certainly in peace and goodwill.
Jane Diamond, Sherman Oaks
