Israel Rabbis Issue Christmas Tree Warnings
- Tree at Technion remains in place -- next to Hanukkah menorah
- Liberal Jewish group demands clarification for hotels
This article is for subscribers only.
In many places around the world, the Christmas tree is a symbol of a merry holiday season. In some Israeli cities, rabbis say the twinkling icon poses a heathen threat to Judaism.
At the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, the school’s community rabbi said Jews should avoid the student union hall after a Christmas tree was placed there for the benefit of Christian students. Calling the tree a pagan, anti-Jewish symbol, Rabbi Elad Dokow took to his Facebook page to urge students not to enter the hall even to buy food.