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Title: Rabbi appalled by airport's removal of Christmas trees
Source:
www.king5.com
URL Source: http://www.king5.com/localnews/stor ... ABairporttreesSW.1663eccf.html
Published: Dec 10, 2006
Author: www.king5.com
Post Date: 2006-12-10 22:04:55 by robin
Keywords: None
Views: 2142
Comments: 138
Rabbi appalled by airport's removal of Christmas trees KING Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky SEATAC, Wash. - All nine Christmas trees have been removed from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport instead of adding a giant Jewish menorah to the holiday display as a rabbi had requested. Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, who made his request weeks ago, said he was appalled by the decision. "Everyone should have their spirit of the holiday. For many people the trees are the spirit of the holidays, and adding a menorah adds light to the season," said Bogomilsky, who works at Chabad Lubavitch, a Jewish education foundation headquartered in Seattle's University District. After consulting with lawyers, port staff believed that adding the menorah would have required adding symbols for other religions and cultures in the Northwest. The holidays are the busiest season at the airport, Betancourt said, and staff didn't have time to play cultural anthropologists. Maintenance workers boxed up the trees during the graveyard shift early Saturday, when airport bosses believed few people would notice. "We decided to take the trees down because we didn't want to be exclusive," said airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt. "We're trying to be thoughtful and respectful, and will review policies after the first of the year." Bogomilsky had hired a lawyer and threatened to sue if the Port of Seattle didn't add the menorah next to the trees, which had been festooned with red ribbons and bows. Hanukkah begins this Friday at sundown. "They've darkened the hall instead of turning the lights up," said Bogomilsky's lawyer, Harvey Grad. "There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch." 03:53 PM PST on Sunday, December 10, 2006
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 4.
#1. To: All (#0)
(Edited)
BTW, the Nativity scene with the baby Jesus is a religious display. comparable to a giant menorah. Tannenbaum is an ancient european custom, not a religious symbol.
Pagan, you mean.
Many old and even pagan traditions have been incorporated into local customs.
#9. To: robin (#4)
I don't mind Christmas Trees, in fact I rather like the pine smell. What I find almost hilarious is that the moronic public (Christians and Jews) actually thinks the trees are symbolic of something Christian, when in fact they are purely symbolic of paganism and grove worship similar to that conducted at Bohemian Grove. Ironically, the Muslims seem to be indifferent, not finding it necessary to file suits continually to tear down everyones simple minded pleasures associated with the pagan holidays.
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#3. To: robin (#1)
Tannenbaum is an ancient european custom, not a religious symbol.
#4. To: Destro (#3)
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