Home › Forums › Decaffeinated Coffee › How Do You Handle halloween?
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October 28, 2010 7:29 pm at 7:29 pm #592811YW Moderator-80Member
what do you do or say when they knock on your door?
ignore them?
give them somethng?
tell them you dont celebrate halloween?
October 28, 2010 7:30 pm at 7:30 pm #1108516blinkyParticipantNo one knocks on our door…I think the mezuzah says it all
October 28, 2010 7:32 pm at 7:32 pm #1108517WolfishMusingsParticipantWe generally don’t get knocks.
However, this year, I’ve seen two different approaches to this:
1. The rabbi at a Young Israel in Queens puts up a sign on his door telling kids that he’s willing to donate money to sick children for every signature that he gets on his sign.
2. I also saw that both R. Pam and R. Yaakov Kaminetzky used to give candy to kids.
The Wolf
October 28, 2010 7:36 pm at 7:36 pm #1108518shimmelMemberSince i got an egg on my head on one halloween i prefer to stay indoors on that night.
October 28, 2010 7:38 pm at 7:38 pm #1108519crdleMemberlol go to walmart and buy tons of candy! its on sale now!
October 28, 2010 7:40 pm at 7:40 pm #1108520laguyMemberWe haven’t had knocks in years, but I always prepare a some candy. No point in doing otherwise.
October 28, 2010 7:45 pm at 7:45 pm #1108521MQueenMemberSomeone emailed this to me last year, right before Halloween – I thought it was beautiful and worth sharing.
Rav & Rebbitzen Pam and Halloween
My father-in-law studied in Rav Avraham Pam’s (1913-2001,
the late Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Torah Vodaas)
shiur in Mesivta Torah Vodaas for several years back in the 1960s.
When my wife’s older sister became engaged in the 1990s, my in-laws
took my (future) sister-in-law and my (future) brother-in-law over to
meet Rav and Rebbitzen Pam to receive their beracha and good wishes.
What’s the most vivid memory they all have of that evening?
It was October 31st. In contrast to the many Jewish homes around the
Pams who had turned off their lights to discourage trick-or-treaters,
the Pams left their front light on.
While they all chatted with Rav Pam in the dining room, his rebbitzen
was in the kitchen working the hot-air popcorn popper and preparing
plastic baggies of popcorn to give out with a smile to all the local
non-Jewish kids who knocked at their door.
They all left that night with numerous smiles, berachos, and best
wishes from Rav Pam and his Rebbitzen – but what they all remember
most is the powerful lesson the Pams taught them about interacting
with their neighbors.
Rabbi Akiva Males
Harrisburg, PA
October 28, 2010 7:48 pm at 7:48 pm #1108522Ben TorahParticipantLive in a frum neighborhood and avoid the problem.
October 28, 2010 7:52 pm at 7:52 pm #1108523shimmelMemberWe live in a frum neighborhood …its mixed though
October 28, 2010 7:52 pm at 7:52 pm #1108524Pashuteh YidMemberI have seen people buy a bag or two of candy, put on chair on porch, and put sign saying everybody is free to take one, but please don’t knock.
October 28, 2010 8:07 pm at 8:07 pm #1108525bombmaniacParticipanti live in teh heart of boro park, so no worries there…but if im walking in the street, to avoid problems…well, anyone who knows me knows im fairly large…im 6’4 300 pounds…no ones messing with me 😀
October 28, 2010 8:11 pm at 8:11 pm #1108526WIYMemberWe only have money collectors.
October 28, 2010 8:12 pm at 8:12 pm #1108527bptParticipantThanks, Shimmel. You took me back to the BP of the 70’s when it was real dangerous outside. Eggs and shaving cream, chalk in the sock. Yeah, those were scary times.
Today, though, its a non-event.
October 28, 2010 8:20 pm at 8:20 pm #1108528SacrilegeMemberWIY
Maybe offer them a candy.
October 28, 2010 8:23 pm at 8:23 pm #1108529shimmelMemberoh well, around in my place we still have all of those!!
October 28, 2010 8:25 pm at 8:25 pm #1108530WolfishMusingsParticipantIf we had candy in the house for Halloween kids, it would never make it to them. It would all end up in my stomach. 🙂
The Wolf
October 28, 2010 8:26 pm at 8:26 pm #1108531artchillParticipantHang a bag of candy on the front door. Live the night like normal and the candy bag is usually 3/4 full.
October 28, 2010 8:27 pm at 8:27 pm #1108532sms007Memberwhen my mom buys candy they don’t come. when she doesn’t buy candy, they come. no she just deosn’t buy, granola bars will have to do lol
October 28, 2010 8:30 pm at 8:30 pm #1108533blinkyParticipantsms- murphy’s law
October 28, 2010 8:32 pm at 8:32 pm #1108534WolfishMusingsParticipantmurphy’s law
Murphy was an optimist. 🙂
The Wolf
October 28, 2010 8:46 pm at 8:46 pm #1108535wanderingchanaParticipantArtchill – We did that one year, and it was all gone. I don’t think they shared.
Purim costumes go on sale Nov. 1. 😉
October 28, 2010 8:54 pm at 8:54 pm #1108536WolfishMusingsParticipantPurim costumes go on sale Nov. 1. 😉
Heh. I use the same policy with regard to Valentine’s Day. 🙂
Eeees and I celebrate the anniversary of the day we met (separately from our wedding anniversary) — and that date is in late February. I get to pick up lots of good stuff for the occasion every year after Feb. 14 has passed.
The Wolf
October 28, 2010 8:55 pm at 8:55 pm #1108537WIYMemberSacrilege
I think that some of them would accept the candy lol.
October 28, 2010 8:56 pm at 8:56 pm #1108538apushatayidParticipantWe’ve always accommodated our non jewish neighbors who rang the bell, with an assortment of the finest Paskesz, Libers and Geffen candy we could find. After a few years, they stopped coming 🙂
October 28, 2010 9:37 pm at 9:37 pm #1108539oomisParticipantThe Pam story is sweet, but I do not believe in helping someone celebrate something which is rooted mamesh in witchcraft. All Hallow’s Eve is avodah zara. I explained very nicely to the kids who first came to us, that we don’t celeberate their holiday, but hope they have fun. It was never a problem.
October 28, 2010 9:50 pm at 9:50 pm #1108540HomeownerMemberBPTotty, and in the 60s, we were dismissed early from yeshiva every October 31, lest we get beaten up on the way home.
October 28, 2010 10:40 pm at 10:40 pm #1108541minyan galMemberWhen I lived in my house, I turned out all of the lights so it looked like nobody was home. I sat in the back room and watched the idiot box. Nobody rang the bell.
October 28, 2010 10:51 pm at 10:51 pm #1108542anonymrsParticipantPurim costumes go on sale Nov. 1. 😉
i bought my kids purim costumes on monday at toys r us- they didnt have a huge selection anymore, obviously, but they had what i wanted, and i didnt have to spend $20+ on each costume.
re: what we do….
this is only our second year where we are now, and i dont remember anyone coming by last year. we are not on a main street, and there are plenty of jews in our neighborhood, so anyone who wants candy knows not to come to our area.
October 28, 2010 10:53 pm at 10:53 pm #1108543ronrsrMembermy dear aunt had a solution to the problem.
She would give out Fig Newtons. After a few years, she had a reputation, and no one would come to her house.
October 28, 2010 10:59 pm at 10:59 pm #1108544ramateshkolianMemberwhat do I say to jewish college kids who tell me they are going to be in the dorm having a holloween party? They have noooo clue….
October 28, 2010 11:48 pm at 11:48 pm #1108545QuestionForYouParticipantI found this explanation of Halloween, elsewhere:
*
Halloween is a totally idolatrous celebration, which originated as a Celtic holiday, “Samhain” (pronounced many different ways), named after their Avodah Zarah who was “Lord of the Dead and Prince of Darkness.”
Samhain supposedly took the “sun god” prisoner each year during the winter. On the day before the new year, which for the Celts was November 1st, Samhain called together all the dead people for a meeting. The dead people would take different forms, the really evil ones taking the form of a cat.
Of course, this was all very scary to the Celts, so they had their galachim, called “druids,” offer sacrifices that day. They made a holiday out of this, to honor both the sun god and Samhain, lasting three days, where people would parade down the street in animal skins and other costumes.
Then the Romans also had a holiday which, after many centuries, ended up being mixed in with Samhain Day. It’s called “Pomona Day,” named after their Avodah Zarah god of fruits.
Then about 1,200 years ago, the Roman Catholics declared November 1st a holiday, “All Hallows Day,” in honor of their saints. Later, they added another day to this, Nov. 2, called “All Souls Day,” in honor of dead people. The Christians dressed up as saints, angels, and devils.
They made these holidays in order to counteract Samhain’s Day (“Chukas Pagans” is against Christianity). But instead of counteracting it, people simply celebrated both the Christian and Celtic holidays at once.
The Halloween that exists today has a mixture of the customs of Samhain’s Day, Pomona Day, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day.
That’s what you’re celebrating on Halloween.
October 29, 2010 12:23 am at 12:23 am #1108547Pashuteh YidMemberQuestionforYou, the message I took from your post was Samhain bevinyan shalem. Is that right?
October 29, 2010 12:33 am at 12:33 am #1108548WIYMemberoomis1105
RAV Pam ZTVKL. A little respect please for a Gadol byisroel.
October 29, 2010 12:43 am at 12:43 am #1108549A Woman Outside BrooklynParticipantWe used to have next door neighbors who weren’t Jewish, but we were friendly with their sons, so we always gave them candy. Now I know that any kid who rings my bell isn’t someone I know anyway, so I wouldn’t open the door because they are strangers.
October 29, 2010 1:31 am at 1:31 am #1108550Sister BearMemberNormally people don’t come. Cute story – we used to have non-Jewish neighbors a few years ago. Once my great-grandparents came a few weeks before Halloween and gave us some good British and Swiss chocolate. My neighbor wanted some which of course we wouldn’t give but her older brother was like, oh don’t worry we’ll get it on Halloween. They never came 🙂
Another year my mother brought back from Israel Mikupelet’s but we don’t by the hechser so on Halloween we gave it to them. My family had some fun explained the Israeli chocolate bar. 🙂
You took me back to the BP of the 70’s when it was real dangerous outside.
I’m not that old, but we used to have recess when the public school kids came out of school and they used to throw rocks and snowballs at us!!! You still gotta be careful 🙂
October 29, 2010 2:08 am at 2:08 am #1108551oomisParticipantSam Hain – I think I KNEW him! 😉
October 29, 2010 2:43 am at 2:43 am #1108552☕️coffee addictParticipantI think it could be an oppurtinuty for some kiruv (a lot of non-frum kids go trick or treating) I heard a story of two kids that knocked on a door and one of them was dressed up as a bubby.
October 29, 2010 4:02 am at 4:02 am #1108553aries2756ParticipantWe grew up with Italian kids on the block. Kids don’t celebrate the source of Halloween they celebrate the fun of it. It is a secular holiday not a religious one. So as was the case in BP in the 60’s and early 70’s if neighbor’s kids knocked on the door we gave them candy. And came Purim time my Mother would send Shelach manos to certain Italian neighbors with us as we were dressed in costumes so they could taste her delicious home baked goods and they would pay us off as others would. They knew our customs and we knew theirs. And as a side note, the Italian mothers usually made their kid’s costumes as our mothers made ours. People didn’t just run to the store to buy everything so our mothers took pride in seeing as well as showing the “goods”.
October 29, 2010 5:32 am at 5:32 am #1108554Smile E. FaceMemberbuy all the candy thats on sale!!!!! every year something diff happens-one year they knocked, so we gave them r leftover lollipops from simchas torah that n/o wanted… the next year we left a bag of candy on the porch-n/o knocked, adn the bag was gone the next morning
October 31, 2010 12:23 am at 12:23 am #1108555Yanky55ParticipantAlthough I agree with Rav Pam’s approach (and my Rav advises the same), after having a swastika keyed into my car on halloween, I want nothing to do with it. I just ignore the rings….
October 31, 2010 7:02 am at 7:02 am #1108556mischiefmakerMemberSince la is very spread out, and I don’t live on one of those concentrated with jews blocks, there are only about five frum families on my block. All the jews just stay indoors because in addition to being asked for candy, its a bit dangerous out there. My grandmother used to get eggs at her door all the time.
November 1, 2015 3:58 am at 3:58 am #1108557☕️coffee addictParticipantSome teenagers rang our doorbell, we gave some 5 month old laffy taffies and they were happy
Hey I think it made a kiddish Hashem idk
November 1, 2015 2:42 pm at 2:42 pm #1108558HealthParticipantCA -Idk, why give junk candy? We gave regular candy.
November 1, 2015 2:49 pm at 2:49 pm #1108560MenoParticipantDo laffy taffies go bad after 5 months?
November 1, 2015 3:17 pm at 3:17 pm #1108561charliehallParticipantI ignore Halloween. It is a Christian holiday, not a Jewish one.
November 1, 2015 4:00 pm at 4:00 pm #1108562☕️coffee addictParticipantHealth,
It is/was the only candy we had, we try to minimize our candy intake because it tends to be eaten by our kids (myself included)
Meno,
It does if it’s hot outside and it melts
Charlie,
In other words you think the kids should go the government for their candy (jk)
November 1, 2015 4:01 pm at 4:01 pm #1108563zahavasdadParticipantIn general the new custom in the US it to put a Pumpkin or some other Halloween symbol on your doorstep so people know to go to that house and if there is no symbol kids are supposed to go to another house with it.
That being said, Kids dont go trick or treating in my neighborhod
November 1, 2015 5:39 pm at 5:39 pm #1108564nfgo3MemberConfidential to WIY, first post: If you pay your bills on time, the collectors will leave you alone.
November 1, 2015 7:45 pm at 7:45 pm #1108565Ex-CTLawyerParticipantas my moniker implies I live out of town….
Harmony with your neighbors requires that you graciously provide candy to the youngsters who knock at your door and compliment them on their costumes.
Our small town neighbors are aware of our religious practice and in the occasional year when Halloween falls on a Friday, no child comes to the door.
These same children may grow up to be the policeman, volunteer fireman or EMS that responds to your emergency.
November 1, 2015 8:34 pm at 8:34 pm #1108566Little FroggieParticipantI sit on the broom and fl…..<<CONNECTION LOST>>
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