A holiday decorations dispute involving “the tree” and the menorah is heating up in Fort Collins.
Several religious leaders sent an email to the city council on Tuesday urging them to reconsider a decision made in the summer that said the menorah could not be displayed at the city’s public holiday display.
The July ruling said the tree is OK for the city’s public holiday display, but the menorah is not.
“I think everyone here is Christian essentially, so a tree, and everything associated with it is considered generic, everybody does it,” said Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelick. “But that’s really not the case.”
Gorelick is trying to include a Menorah in the city’s formal holiday display, but the city council said no.
“Our holiday display policy had been a simple secular tree,” said Fort Collins Mayor Doug Hutchinson.
On Friday, as in years past, the tree display will go up on city property as part of the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority’s annual event.
“According to our attorney, the tree is secular, the menorah is not,” said a spokesman of the Downtown Development Authority.
“They are making a decision that is comfortable for them, but quite obviously not reflective of what the average person of Fort Collins wants,” said Gorelik. “That’s the problem.”
Hutchinson said he hopes the city council will reconsider next year.
“I would like to see the holiday symbols be more inclusionary and that’s a good way to send a message,” said Hutchinson.
The city council had a work session Tuesday night but Hutchinson said they won’t rule on this issue because it’s not on the agenda.
Gorelik said he has been patient waiting more than a year. He said he might file a lawsuit to force the city’s hand.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that trees, menorahs, and nativity scenes can be displayed on public property and are not in violation of the constitution.
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3 Responses
In fact, the tree is Druidic, and the nativity scene is Hindu. These have been incorporated into christianity. But that’s irrelevant. Christianity ahs as one of its basic tenets to preach to teh world and try and convert everyone. Lihavdil, Judaism has no such tenet, except to teach the world about the Sheva Mitzvos Bnai Noach. I do not see what business Jews have trying to convince a goyisher government to display a menorah. Pirsumai Nisa is for the bnay bayis, inside one’s home. Even if it is to be publicized, like at the window of a home, it should be publicized by Jews and for Jews. There is no governmental mandate to do so, and Judaism has no such provision either. We live in a Goyisher society. Get your mind around that fact already! I walk around wearing a lange reckel, an “up hat,” peyos, etc. But I don’t light my menorah in government offices.
well said! they’re both wrong for different reasons. this is no reason for them to discriminate
Motcha I don’t exactly agree with you. There was a time when our bank put up only X-mas decorations all over the bank. My husband told them that many people who bank there are Jewish and that they should also put up Chanuka decorations. They still did not want to put up Chanuka decorations. When the Jews said perhaps they would withdraw their money, the bank sang a different tune. They put up Chanuka decorations all over the bank next to the x-mas decorations. It’s not a question of pirsumai nisa. I realize there is no mitzva in putting up the chanuka decorations in the bank. I don’t even think the bank meant anything bad. It’s just that we are in the minority. The point we have to make is that the Jewish people, although a minority, are also a very important part of this country. We have contributed much in many ways to this country and the point being is that we should be recognized also.