Israel’s Orthodox Christians Mark Christmas Subdued by War

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2024 (TPS) -- In Haifa, a city symbolizing coexistence among Muslims, Jews, and Christians, the cancellation of the holiday celebrations echoed a sentiment of shared sorrow. The usual lively gatherings, where representatives from various faiths partook, remained conspicuously absent.

While the Catholic and Western churches follow the Gregorian calendar and celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25, Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar and celebrate the holiday on January 7.

Ben Gurion Boulevard, running down the slopes of Mt. Carmel from the famous Bahai Gardens, was bereft of its usual dazzling display of multicultural symbols. Menorahs, fir trees, and Muslim crescents, usually shining side by side, dimmed their lights. The once-grand holiday events retreated to more confined spaces, out of respect for the war.

Amid the subdued atmosphere, the vibrant Arab restaurant, ‘Shtroudl,’ chose to remain unlit as a symbol of solidarity with the nation’s plight. The brothers Alaa and Issa, founders of the restaurant, blended seamlessly into Israeli society while proudly upholding their cultural identity– through their culinary offerings.

In the throes of the conflict, these brothers joined numerous volunteers, contributing to ration deliveries for the beleaguered home front.

At the beginning of the war, the owners joined the hundreds of thousands of volunteers and prepared ration deliveries for the home front.

“The situation is not easy for the whole country. I hope we will get through this period, a very difficult period,” Alaa says. “I don’t like to call it donations, it’s not a donation. We’re helping, Every person’s obligation is to help. We give food to the Rambam Hospital, to the soldiers, to the security forces, the Home Front Command, as many as can get through the period.”

Over in Jaffa, outside the Saint Peter Russian Orthodox Church, I encountered Teklab Habteslasie, an Eritrean refugee seeking to impart his Christian heritage to his three children.

“I grew up in a Christian family, but my children no longer know the Christian tradition that much because they grew up in Israel, so they know Judaism better. So, I come from holidays to remind them a little of the tradition I grew up on.”

Habteslasie fled Eritrea’s authoritarian regime in 2008, making his way to Israel via Sudan. Today, he works as a surveyor for the Tel Aviv light rail.

He tells me that during the holiday they slaughter a lamb because of the ‘Christmas fast’ held about a month before the holiday among the Ethiopian church and preserving those customs is important to Habteslasie.

The Russian Church in Jaffa served as a haven for people from former Soviet republics, transcending the conflict in Ukraine. While some chose to refrain from attending due to the turmoil, many found solace in its inclusive sanctuary.

I ask one of the church volunteers how the war in Ukraine effected the church. She tells me that while some people decided not to attend services, many still do “because there are no disputes in this place.”

Tanya, an immigrant from Belarus, illuminates candles. She says her mixed Jewish-Christian heritage left her torn between traditions, until a friend suggested embracing all holidays.

In today’s times of adversity, Tanya says she finds solace by honoring her Jewish father and Christian mother.