A HANUKAH BUSH IN A GENTILE FOREST
Once upon a time there lived in the forest a little tree. It was no ordinary tree even though it looked like all the other little trees, It was an Evergreenberg tree. A Jewish tree.
The little Jewish tree had a problem. He wanted to grow up to be a Christmas tree. All the little Evergreens wanted to be Christmas trees when they grew up. It was all they talked and dreamed about during their saplinghood.
"It won't be long now," said one of the young Evergreens. "My branches are full and my trunk is straight. I'm sure I'll get the axe this season. I can hardly wait."
Little Evergreenberg asked: "Will they put you in a nice home and decorate you with pretty lights and put an angel on your tippy-top?"
"Of course," said his young Evergreen friend. "But I think I'm destined for bigger things. I may even end up in the village square. Then all the people will gather around me and sing Christmas carols."
Little Evergreenberg grew very sad. Being a member of a minority wasn't easy. He sagged his branches and cried. An elderly Evergreenberg wiped his tear-stained branches and asked: "What troubles you, my son?"
"I want to be a Christmas tree," little Evergreenberg sobbed.
"How can you say such a thing? You, a Jewish tree, want to be a Christmas tree? My son, God made you Jewish and a Jewish tree you shall always be."
"But it's so hard being a Jewish tree in a gentile forest. If I can't be a Christmas tree could I be a Hanukah bush?"
Old Evergreenberg was astonished. "A Hanukah bush? For shame! We Evergreenbergs are a proud family of Jewish trees. We will never assimilate! A Hanukah bush is only a Christmas tree in kosher clothing. If you become a Hanukah bush what is to prevent the next generation of Jewish trees from converting to Gentile trees? That would be the ultimate in assimilation. Before you knew it there would be no more Evergreenbergs in the forest, only Evergreens."
Old Evergreenberg looked up into the heavens. "Dear Lord," he prayed, "forgive this Jewish sapling. He knows not what he says, It is not his fault he cannot see the forest for the Jewish trees."
The little Jewish tree had a problem. He wanted to grow up to be a Christmas tree. All the little Evergreens wanted to be Christmas trees when they grew up. It was all they talked and dreamed about during their saplinghood.
"It won't be long now," said one of the young Evergreens. "My branches are full and my trunk is straight. I'm sure I'll get the axe this season. I can hardly wait."
Little Evergreenberg asked: "Will they put you in a nice home and decorate you with pretty lights and put an angel on your tippy-top?"
"Of course," said his young Evergreen friend. "But I think I'm destined for bigger things. I may even end up in the village square. Then all the people will gather around me and sing Christmas carols."
Little Evergreenberg grew very sad. Being a member of a minority wasn't easy. He sagged his branches and cried. An elderly Evergreenberg wiped his tear-stained branches and asked: "What troubles you, my son?"
"I want to be a Christmas tree," little Evergreenberg sobbed.
"How can you say such a thing? You, a Jewish tree, want to be a Christmas tree? My son, God made you Jewish and a Jewish tree you shall always be."
"But it's so hard being a Jewish tree in a gentile forest. If I can't be a Christmas tree could I be a Hanukah bush?"
Old Evergreenberg was astonished. "A Hanukah bush? For shame! We Evergreenbergs are a proud family of Jewish trees. We will never assimilate! A Hanukah bush is only a Christmas tree in kosher clothing. If you become a Hanukah bush what is to prevent the next generation of Jewish trees from converting to Gentile trees? That would be the ultimate in assimilation. Before you knew it there would be no more Evergreenbergs in the forest, only Evergreens."
Old Evergreenberg looked up into the heavens. "Dear Lord," he prayed, "forgive this Jewish sapling. He knows not what he says, It is not his fault he cannot see the forest for the Jewish trees."
posted by Ed Weiland at 5:59 PM
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