Christmas has so powerfully shaped Western culture that it has created yuletide rituals even among non-Christians. Jews, for instance, avail themselves of the only entertainments open on Christmas Day in most parts: eating Chinese food and going to the movies. Now, thanks to Brandon Walker, a music teacher at a Jewish community center in Baltimore, Md, this shadow holiday has a soundtrack. Walker’s You Tube video, “Chinese Food at Christmas†has drawn more than 500,000 viewers since he posted it on December 1st this year.The vid’s popularity likely has more to do with his fellow religionists’ identification with Walker’s dilemma–and okay, the Hasidic guys rocking out–than the catchiness of its lyrics (“I eat Chinese food on Christmas/Go to the movie theater too/There just ain’t much else to do on Christmas/When you’re a Jewâ€). And while “Chinese Food†has come in for criticism for a gag that has a carful of Hasids stopping to pick up a coin, Walker says the experience has made him more spiritually Jewish than ever. Somewhere, a Jewish angel is getting its wings.Watch it here:
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posted December 27, 2007 at 2:40 pm
The most amazing thing about the birth of Jesus is that it happened at the beginning of Sukkot. Of course. Merry Tabernacles everyone. Shalom. http://www.messianic.com/yeshua/chap2.htm#BIRTHYESHUA
If G-d can dwell in a hut made of sticks for seven days . . .
posted December 27, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Um, we’re Jews – we really don’t care about the birth of JC.
posted December 28, 2007 at 11:29 am
I am not a Jew, but I am glad we are all Americans, so we can all
worship how we please. I wish others would stop judging and be
grateful for this blessing of FREEDOM TO WORSHIP.
posted December 28, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Even though I’m a Christian Gentile, I say
“MAZELTOV!!!”
to this video. Made me smile after a hard, trying day.
posted December 29, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Way to go Brandon, a good holiday song for all of us! Hey I eat chinese food on christmas too and go surfing!
posted December 15, 2009 at 3:18 pm
In “Fortune Cookie Chronicles” writer Jennifer 8 Lee discusses this phenom, and talks about a restaurant in SF that specializes in the dinner and a movie on Christmas. It’s a dinner theater event called “Chop Schtiks” Oy-ya!