Celebrating Hannukah 2024

[AgileGreenSeal]

Hanukkah 2024 begins at sundown on Wednesday, December 25 and ends the evening of Thursday, January 2, 2025

I’m interested in whether any other Christians are thinking of celebrating this festival? If so, what are your plans?

As Christians we know that Christ is the promised Messiah. That is the foundation of our Faith.

Respectfully, I don’t want to debate with my Jewish friends on this thread regarding the Messiah, as the Jewish peoples are still waiting. Rather I celebrate the things that join us and are shared. It’s nuanced. With my Jewish friends, I celebrate our Creator and their wonderful festivals bringing honour and thanks to our Creator, via our shared Jewish history.

I am delighted that our friends from the Jewish Mumsnetters community have visited us here to explain the festivals that Jesus too, as a Rabbi and Jewish man, would have celebrated.

Just out of interest how are you observing advent @AgileGreenSeal Traditionally (and still for some Catholics) it’s a time of fasting and abstinence from mean- it used to be know as little Lent? Have you incorporated it into your Christmas preparations?

In my home group we have celebrated it in the past. It was a wonderful meal as we prayerfully discussed the meaning behind each course as they were served, and the use of bitter herbs, etc. At the end, we broke bread together and shared the wine.

For me, I find times like that, ie ‘church’ as it would have been done, in homes, in intimate groups, teaching, sharing, learning, praising, worshipping together … well, it touches my soul in a way that corporate church with all it’s busy-ness on a Sunday can sometimes fail to do.

Some churches do have a Passover Seder - with explanations of the story, blessings, cups of wine, prayers etc.

Yes, Jesus, The Lamb of God as John the Baptist described Him initiated what we now call “the Lord’s Supper” which was a Seder, the last meal He ate with His disciples before His sacrificial suffering and death.

I am not that deep into what you are saying. The Messiah is one for you if you are a Christian.

so you want to celebrate A Jewish festival as a Christian but for you there are two messiahs. I have never heard that. Are you sure this thread means well

I am rather more in tune with the Jewish lady who came and cleared her throat, posting: are you really sure what you are going to celebrate because she never heard it either

I’m very committed to the concept of house church- a smallish group meeting together in a home to be church together, seeking to follow the 1 Corinthians 14 template, as the Lord leads, edifying each other by participating rather than being passive and observing a few at the front do all the ministering.

A large part of such meetings is sharing a meal together, often breakfast, but sometimes having dinner together. And always sharing the Lord’s Supper, in some way or other.

It’s a pattern I see throughout the New Testament and one which is currently growing organically around the world in vastly different cultures.

Beautifully said. 👏🏻

Hi, no I don’t fast during Advent specifically, though I can see that it would be a very appropriate time to do so.

On the subject of fasting I tend to keep pretty quiet about when I’m doing it, lest I spoil it (!) and just keep it a secret thing between myself and the Father. (Matt 6:16-18) I have taken part in church fasts however, when we obviously know that we are fasting together, for a specific purpose. I usually begin a personal fast only when led to do so by the Spirit.

So for Advent what I particularly like to do is to read and listen to one chapter of Luke’s Gospel each day. I’ve got a thread going here on Christian Mumsnetters which replicates that practice. I find it helps me to focus during this very busy season.

How do you observe Advent, @Candlesandmatches ? 😊

@Foreigners88 I am not that deep into what you are saying … two Messiahs … are you sure this thread means well … The Jewish lady who came and cleared her throat …

It is a shame that you are building your own negative narrative by speaking this way and by misrepresenting, either negligently or wilfully, what has been said and moreover, the spirit in which it has been said.

As I am not a mind reader, I am not saying you are, but If what you desire is to stir up antisemitic hatred, then stop!

Or, if your desire is more simply to have an argument, then this particular thread is not it - there are other places on this site to do so. Alternatively create your own thread, as this one very definitely is in the spirit of ‘meaning well’ and grateful thanks go to @AgileGreenSeal for starting it for those of us who celebrate our Jewish roots and history.

The fact is, celebrating religious festivals is not what tick your own badly informed mind about it, but reading from properly informed church and synagogues websites how it is done and why. Non Jews cannot celebrate Jewish festivals, this is abomination to them

If your desire is simply to have an argument, then this particular thread is not it - there are other places on this site to do so. Alternatively create your own thread, as this one very definitely is in the spirit of ‘meaning well’ and grateful thanks go to a sister for starting it, for those of us who celebrate our Jewish roots and history.

If your desire is simply to have an argument, then this particular thread is not it - there are other places on this site to do so. Alternatively create your own thread, as this one very definitely is in the spirit of ‘meaning well’ and grateful thanks go to a sister for starting it for those of us who celebrate our Jewish roots and history.

If your desire is simply to have an argument, then this particular thread is not it - there are other places on this site to do so. Alternatively create your own thread, as this one very definitely is in the spirit of ‘meaning well’ and grateful thanks go to a sister for starting it for those of us who celebrate our Jewish roots and history.

If your desire is simply to have an argument, then this particular thread is not it - there are other places on this site to do so. Alternatively create your own thread, as this one very definitely is in the spirit of ‘meaning well’ and grateful thanks go to a sister for starting it for those of us who celebrate our Jewish roots and history.

If your desire is simply to have an argument, then this particular thread is not it - there are other places on this site to do so. Alternatively create your own thread, as this one very definitely is in the spirit of ‘meaning well’ and grateful thanks go to a sister for starting it for those of us who celebrate our Jewish roots and history.

@Foreigners88 It is a shame that you are building your own negative narrative by speaking the way you are, and by misrepresenting, either negligently or wilfully, what has been said and moreover, the spirit in which it has been said.

All this nonsense you talk about two Messiahs 🙄 I do not know if English is your first language or not, but I cannot assist your lack of comprehension or understanding. I ask again, as it is now clear you do want an argument, to take it elsewhere, as I will not engage further with your antics and posturing on this thread.

My apologies to @AgileGreenSeal for being drawn in to spoil what was an uplifting topic.

Thank you 💐

Thankyou for that.

As a non Jew I found that fascinating

It’s very sad to see someone so determined to try to start a debate on a board which isn’t intended for such discussions.

This person is using insults but is actively bringing totally unfounded allegations that my intentions were “evil” and that the thread is “antisemitic” and is spreading “anti-Christian hatred”.

I take those accusations very seriously and am looking to @MNHQ to intervene and restore an atmosphere of peace and tolerance on this board.