Christmas a lull for Israeli Christians
For most Israelis December 25 is nothing more than another work day. But thousands of Christian immigrants from the former Soviet Union celebrate the holiday as they did in the old country – a fact that arouses some ire amongst the religious establishment
A miniature plastic fir tree and a strand of tinsel in a Tel Aviv pork butcher's shop are about as far as Christmas decorations go in Israel.
But celebrations are still very much part of the calendar for tens of thousands of immigrants from the former Soviet Union who took advantage of Jewish ancestry to emigrate to Israel while keeping alive the traditions they brought.
Though it makes some in the Jewish religious establishment uncomfortable, many Russian immigrants see no problem celebrating a Christian holiday in a Jewish country.
They view Christmas as much about a chance for a party as marking the birth of Jesus in the land where he lived.
"I have never felt uncomfortable celebrating Christmas here and I will continue to enjoy the holiday," said Mila Peketech, a 30-year-old immigrant who has a meal with friends and family at Christmas and exchanges gifts.
Christian pilgrims travel to Bethlehem, a Palestinian-ruled town in the West Bank a few miles from Jerusalem revered by Christians as Jesus' birthplace.
But for most Israelis, Christmas is a normal working day that goes by unnoticed, without decorations, carols or gifts.
This year, December 25 is also the first day of the Jewish holiday of Chanukah. Most Russians use an Orthodox calendar and celebrate on January 7.
No ban, but raised eyebrows
While there is no move to prevent anyone celebrating Christmas, the idea of immigrants marking Christian holidays, wearing crucifixes and selling non-Kosher products raises eyebrows among religious authorities.
"Many in the religious community are unhappy about this," said Daphna Tsimhoni of Haifa's Technion University.
"There are the liberals who only view it as a cultural difference and the conservatives who are vehemently opposed to something they see as sacrilegious."
Christian, Jewish when convenient
Some one million people from the Soviet Union came to Israel during the 1990s, including thousands of non-Jews who took advantage of the Law of Return by virtue of Jewish parents or grandparent.
The number who call themselves Christians in private is estimated to run into hundreds of thousands, though most of those are officially listed as having no religion.
Official figures show there are 150,000 Christians, most of them Arabs, among Israel's population of 6.7 million, which is almost 80 percent Jewish and 20 percent Muslim.
"At the end of the day, I live in Israel and identify with its culture," says Vadim Pilipynko, 30, a new immigrant from Ukraine with a Jewish father and a Christian mother.
"I am Christian when I want to be, such as during Christmas, and Jewish when I need to be, like in the army.
