First: Christmas is not a Jewish holiday at all. Not even close (and before you ask, no Hanukkah is not a Jewish version of Christmas). December 25th is just another normal day on the Jewish calendar.
In medieval Jewish texts, the holiday is referred to as Nittel, derived from the Medieval Latin Natale Dominus which is also the etymological source of the French name for Christmas Noël.
Why Do the Jews Not Celebrate Christmas? The Jews do not celebrate Christmas as their religious holiday. It is because this day marks the birth of Jesus Christ, the figure whose birth and death are the most essential aspects of Christian theology. In Judaism, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth is not a significant event.
Christmas celebrations in Israel are few compared to other places in the world. Since only 2.5% of the country's population are Christians and Christmas is not one of Israel's holidays, Christmas is not a common holiday in Israel.
First: Christmas is not a Jewish holiday at all. Not even close (and before you ask, no Hanukkah is not a Jewish version of Christmas). December 25th is just another normal day on the Jewish calendar.
Most religions like Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism don't recognize Christmas and Easter as they are ancient Christian festivals so the only religion to celebrate Christmas and Easter is Christianity.
Second, it's okay for Jews to celebrate Christmas. For many people, Christmas is more about Santa than Jesus anyway (at least in my secular book.)
The major Jewish holidays are the Pilgrim Festivals—Pesaḥ (Passover), Shavuot (Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost), and Sukkoth (Tabernacles)—and the High Holidays—Rosh Hashana (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).
Major Holidays and Observances
In some Jewish communities, work is forbidden on specific holidays, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and certain days of Passover. These provisions against work are similar to the prohibitions against working on the Sabbath.
Jewish tradition permits controlled alcohol drinking, whereas Muslim tradition prohibits the use of any alcohol. Increasing exposure of the traditionally conservative Arab sector to the Western culture of modern Israel might impact on and be reflected in the drinking patterns of these two populations.
There's a longstanding tradition of Jewish families in Canada and the U.S. going out to eat Chinese food on Dec. 25. The custom dates back to at least 1935, when the New York Times mentioned a Chinese restaurant owner bringing chow mein to a New Jersey Jewish children's home on Christmas Day.
Jehovah's Witness
This religious organisation is one of the biggest group of Christmas-shunners. The interesting thing is that they were not always this way. Once upon a time, Jehovah's Witnesses used to observe Christmas. This was until 1928, after further study by one official.
God in Judaism has been conceived in a variety of ways. Traditionally, Judaism holds that Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the national god of the Israelites, delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and gave them the Law of Moses at Mount Sinai as described in the Torah.
You can still give gifts to your Jewish friends if they're okay with it, they'd likely appreciate it anyway in the spirit of the season. Depending on their preference, though, you may want to avoid calling it either a Christmas or Hanukkah gift.
Jewish people believe there's only one God who has established a covenant—or special agreement—with them. Their God communicates to believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while also punishing evil. Most Jews (with the exception of a few groups) believe that their Messiah hasn't yet come—but will one day.
Instead, a Jew prays at home and in the synagogue: they invite God into their daily lives in the blessings they recite each day, and they are reminded of and connect to the will of God while also studying and discussing – on a daily basis – the Word of God.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It concludes the 10 Days of Awe. The day is devoted to repentance for sins that were committed during the previous year.
Jerusalem: At a Glance
The Hebrew Bible instructs all Jews to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times a year: in spring for Passover, in summer for Shavuout, and in the fall for Sukkot.
Having a Christmas tree is a choice Jewish people make for a multiplicity of reasons that, by and large, have nothing to do with their faith or commitment to Judaism. Yet deciding whether to erect a holiday tree in one's home remains a difficult question that many Jews will grapple with this winter.
A 2012 Pew Research survey found that roughly three-quarters of Asian-American Buddhists (76%) and Hindus (73%) celebrate Christmas. In addition, our recent survey of U.S. Jews found that about a third (32%) had a Christmas tree in their home last year.
Christmas was traditionally a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus, but in the early 20th century, it also became a secular family holiday, observed by Christians and non-Christians alike.
The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources, but most biblical scholars generally accept a date of birth between 6 BC and 4 BC, the year in which King Herod died.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, North Korea, Libya, Mauritania, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen do not recognize Christmas as a public holiday.
Many Muslims feel that by celebrating, or even acknowledging the Christmas holiday, they are going against their monotheistic belief. Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him) known as Isa ibn, Maryam is a revered prophet in Islam. Like Christianity, Muslims also believe Jesus (peace be upon him) to be the Messiah.