--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You are not practicing Judaism if you…" description: "\"You are not practicing Judaism if you celebrate Christmas.\" — Elliott Abrams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/elliott-abrams-1577_celebrate_you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-ce_1544124.jpg" --- # You are not practicing Judaism if you celebrate Christmas. ![“You are not practicing Judaism if you celebrate Christmas.” quote by Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/elliott-abrams-1577_celebrate_you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-ce_1544124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/elliott-abrams-1577_celebrate_you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-ce_1544124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/elliott-abrams-1577_celebrate_you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-ce_1544124.jpg) > “You are not practicing Judaism if you celebrate Christmas.” [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that celebrating Christmas contradicts Jewish religious identity. **In simple terms:** Celebrating Christmas means you aren't practicing Judaism. Key Takeaway Question your religious practices. Themes religion identity culture Mood reflective critical Type statement opinion When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - personal belief - family traditions Key Concepts Jewish law cultural assimilation Questions to Reflect On - Do you define faith by practice or belief? - How do cultural holidays affect religious identity? A Different Perspective Religious identity can be complex and personal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) ## Related quotes > [“What matured in me is the sense that Judaism, like all religion, is not the bottom line,” he said. “That it is a tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-matured-in-me-is-the-sense-that-judaism-like-all-religion-is-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many Americans celebrate both Christmas and Xmas. Others celebrate one or the other. And some of us celebrate holidays that, although unconnected with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-silber/many-americans-celebrate-both-christmas-and-xmas-others-celebrate-one/) [John Silber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-silber/) > [What we celebrate at Christmas is not so much the birth of a baby, but the incarnation of God Himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/what-we-celebrate-at-christmas-is-not-so-much-the-birth-of-a-baby-but/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Despite what some Christians may want to believe, Christmas, as celebrated by many Americans, is a cultural, not a religious holiday. If Jesus were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-j-kostenberger/despite-what-some-christians-may-want-to-believe-christmas-as/) [Andreas J. Kostenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-j-kostenberger/) > [Christmas is a really special day since I support the initiative 'Helping Hands' and I celebrate Christmas with the kids there. I take them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-rode/christmas-is-a-really-special-day-since-i-support-the-initiative/) [Gautam Rode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-rode/) > [We should celebrate Christmas throughout the year, but I believe the whole concept of giving was the basis of Christmas, that it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-osteen/we-should-celebrate-christmas-throughout-the-year-but-i-believe-the/) [Victoria Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-osteen/) > [I celebrate Christmas with wilful glee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-celebrate-christmas-with-wilful-glee/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [Our brothers and sisters in Muslim countries can't celebrate Christmas-or any aspect of their faith-openly for fear of persecution and death. And yet we,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/our-brothers-and-sisters-in-muslim-countries-can-t-celebrate/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [On Christmas, my family and I see a movie and go out for Chinese food. We dont celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-sher/on-christmas-my-family-and-i-see-a-movie-and-go-out-for-chinese-food/) [Eden Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-sher/) > [When we celebrate Christmas, we are celebrating that amazing time when the Word that shouted all the galaxies into being limited all power and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/when-we-celebrate-christmas-we-are-celebrating-that-amazing-time-when/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [There is a lot to celebrate about that little Babe who was laid in a manger. Christians celebrate Christmas because they are thankful for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/there-is-a-lot-to-celebrate-about-that-little-babe-who-was-laid-in-a/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [“(In the Soviet Union, it was forbidden to celebrate Christmas. In order to keep the much beloved custom of the Christmas Tree—and oneself—alive, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/in-the-soviet-union-it-was-forbidden-to-celebrate-christmas-in-order/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [R.I.P to those who won't be here to celebrate Christmas with us, spread your wings and fly in heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/r-i-p-to-those-who-won-t-be-here-to-celebrate-christmas-with-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even though I'm in this big, crazy business, I'm still just myself. I still celebrate Christmas; I still live at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/even-though-i-m-in-this-big-crazy-business-i-m-still-just-myself-i/) [Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/) > [What makes 'A Christmas Story' universal, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, is that you recognize that family... It's ultimately about a family being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-platt/what-makes-a-christmas-story-universal-whether-you-celebrate/) [Marc Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-platt/) ## More by Elliott Abrams > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The story of the Jews in the Bible is replete with incidents of their ingratitude to God for His gifts to them: incidents that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-story-of-the-jews-in-the-bible-is-replete-with-incidents-of-their/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [History may someday record that the Arab awakening that began with the Arab revolt of 1916 against the Ottomans ended about a century later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/history-may-someday-record-that-the-arab-awakening-that-began-with/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [From its earliest days in the nineteenth century, and until the Holocaust, the Orthodox rabbinate in eastern Europe was not enthusiastic about the Zionist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/from-its-earliest-days-in-the-nineteenth-century-and-until-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Pope is not a political figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-pope-is-not-a-political-figure/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Israel and the Palestinians had been at the table together for decades until the Obama/Mitchell/Rahm Emanuel decision to demand a total end to Israeli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-and-the-palestinians-had-been-at-the-table-together-for/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Pundits are used to analyzing the gap between what our ideals suggest and what our security interests require.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/pundits-are-used-to-analyzing-the-gap-between-what-our-ideals-suggest/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Egyptian military and the government of Israel have long had a common interest in maintaining order and fighting terrorism in Sinai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-egyptian-military-and-the-government-of-israel-have-long-had-a/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [In 2007, early in the improbable presidential candidacy of Barack Obama, the young first-term senator began a series of foreign-policy speeches that seemed too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/in-2007-early-in-the-improbable-presidential-candidacy-of-barack/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Terrorists that kill Americans don't get released.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/terrorists-that-kill-americans-don-t-get-released/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Refusing to lift sanctions and adopting tougher rhetoric toward Iran would not be partisan issues. Plenty of Democrats think that those actions are both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/refusing-to-lift-sanctions-and-adopting-tougher-rhetoric-toward-iran/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [At the height of the Cold War, when Ronald Reagan was president, the Soviets and their allies and satellites did not shirk human rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/at-the-height-of-the-cold-war-when-ronald-reagan-was-president-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [I personally would not talk to a Jew for Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/i-personally-would-not-talk-to-a-jew-for-jesus/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [When freedom of the press is threatened, the United States should be leading efforts to protect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/when-freedom-of-the-press-is-threatened-the-united-states-should-be/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Israel bombed the Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007. What the Syrians did in response, nothing. Israel has killed a number of terrorist leaders in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-bombed-the-syrian-nuclear-reactor-in-2007-what-the-syrians-did/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) [Explore all 226 Elliott Abrams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) ## More Celebrate quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [Spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration. Joy is of the essence of life;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnivesh/spiritually-life-is-a-festival-a-celebration-joy-is-of-the-essence-of/) [Agnivesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnivesh/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Trying to find this industry's tendency to celebrate the physical is a waste of time. So I'm happy to play the game. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [On Valentine's Day, couples in Calgary can celebrate their love for each other with couples' nude yoga - great way to get in shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/on-valentine-s-day-couples-in-calgary-can-celebrate-their-love-for/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [No matter what day we celebrate Australia Day, let's celebrate it together and give thanks to the original inhabitants of this vast country. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/no-matter-what-day-we-celebrate-australia-day-let-s-celebrate-it/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [I'm not so much in the future as always in the present. The future always takes care of itself. What I do now with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-mekas/i-m-not-so-much-in-the-future-as-always-in-the-present-the-future/) [Jonas Mekas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-mekas/) > [Birth, life, death is a cycle. And they're all beautiful, you celebrate all of them. Animals do grieve, but they move on. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/birth-life-death-is-a-cycle-and-they-re-all-beautiful-you-celebrate/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [I just wanted to jump into the stands and start celebrating with those wonderful fans. (on reaching the Champions League final)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gerrard/i-just-wanted-to-jump-into-the-stands-and-start-celebrating-with/) [Steven Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gerrard/) > [What I have found is, so much of that is like a Chinese finger trap: the more you play to the dark, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-palmer/what-i-have-found-is-so-much-of-that-is-like-a-chinese-finger-trap/) [Amanda Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-palmer/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [While we celebrate our diversity, what surprises me time and time again as I travel around the constituency is that we are far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/while-we-celebrate-our-diversity-what-surprises-me-time-and-time/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [I feel like the downfall of any person is the second an artist starts celebrating their work themselves, that becomes problematic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/questlove/i-feel-like-the-downfall-of-any-person-is-the-second-an-artist-starts/) [Questlove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/questlove/) Browse all 2,313 Celebrate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You are not practicing Judaism if you celebrate Christmas.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elliott Abrams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-celebrate-christmas/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Celebrate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-celebrate-christmas/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/elliott-abrams-1577_celebrate_you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-ce_1544124.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/elliott-abrams-1577_celebrate_you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-ce_1544124.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/elliott-abrams-1577_celebrate_you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-ce_1544124.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You are not practicing Judaism if you celebrate Christmas.” — Elliott Abrams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elliott Abrams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You are not practicing Judaism if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-celebrate-christmas/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/you-are-not-practicing-judaism-if-you-celebrate-christmas/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```