Comments on: Stevenson Ranch Menorah to be installed today after uproar http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2008/12/stevenson-ranch-menorah-to-be-installed-today-after-uproar/ The West Ranch Beacon is an online community publication serving West Ranch, Castaic, Val Verde and the entire Santa Clarita Valley. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:09:35 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2008/12/stevenson-ranch-menorah-to-be-installed-today-after-uproar/comment-page-1/#comment-26914 Mike Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:34:27 +0000 http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/?p=7637#comment-26914 I lived in the Santa Clarita valley for over 15 years and have seen it grow to where it is today. Now this week it seems we're back to square one. I have since moved to Northern Arizona where some people have never seen a Jewish person. At least these people are curious and ask questions. What Mr. Waugh did was just terrible and my feeling is he needs to step down as president of the HOA. Lets move on from here and enjoy our Holiday, be it Christmas, Hannukah, or what ever we celebrate. Enjoy your Holiday Mike I lived in the Santa Clarita valley for over 15 years and have seen it grow to where it is today. Now this week it seems we’re back to square one. I have since moved to Northern Arizona where some people have never seen a Jewish person. At least these people are curious and ask questions. What Mr. Waugh did was just terrible and my feeling is he needs to step down as president of the HOA.

Lets move on from here and enjoy our Holiday, be it Christmas, Hannukah, or what ever we celebrate.

Enjoy your Holiday
Mike

]]> By: Chris Sharp http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2008/12/stevenson-ranch-menorah-to-be-installed-today-after-uproar/comment-page-1/#comment-26904 Chris Sharp Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:21:15 +0000 http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/?p=7637#comment-26904 Maybe this awkward scene would be a good excuse for detailing what a Menorah really represents. Considering one of the main reasons why Jesus was crucified by the Romans -- he was so Jewish in the Isaiah and Jeremiah traditions of reading the riot act to the worldly -- I am sure Christians like myself would benefit from a good history of the Menorah here. Maybe this awkward scene would be a good excuse for detailing what a Menorah really represents. Considering one of the main reasons why Jesus was crucified by the Romans — he was so Jewish in the Isaiah and Jeremiah traditions of reading the riot act to the worldly — I am sure Christians like myself would benefit from a good history of the Menorah here.

]]> By: Richard http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2008/12/stevenson-ranch-menorah-to-be-installed-today-after-uproar/comment-page-1/#comment-26902 Richard Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:54:09 +0000 http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/?p=7637#comment-26902 Comparing a Christmas tree to a Menorah is an unfair compasion. A Menorah is a religious symbol, a Christmas tree is more a commercial one. A more apt comparsion would seem to be a Nativity scene to a Menorah and a Christmas tree to a Dreidel. The Nativity and Menorah being the central religous images of the holidays and the Christmas tree and Dreidel the more secular sides. Comparing a Christmas tree to a Menorah is an unfair compasion. A Menorah is a religious symbol, a Christmas tree is more a commercial one. A more apt comparsion would seem to be a Nativity scene to a Menorah and a Christmas tree to a Dreidel. The Nativity and Menorah being the central religous images of the holidays and the Christmas tree and Dreidel the more secular sides.

]]> By: Chris Sharp http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2008/12/stevenson-ranch-menorah-to-be-installed-today-after-uproar/comment-page-1/#comment-26901 Chris Sharp Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:13:45 +0000 http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/?p=7637#comment-26901 What I read in this is a story about a guy who doesn't like the Menorah and what it represents. This is sadly a very old story -- it goes back to the oldest resentment in recorded history. What I read in this is a story about a guy who doesn’t like the Menorah and what it represents. This is sadly a very old story — it goes back to the oldest resentment in recorded history.

]]> By: Bruce Ticknor http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2008/12/stevenson-ranch-menorah-to-be-installed-today-after-uproar/comment-page-1/#comment-26899 Bruce Ticknor Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:03:19 +0000 http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/?p=7637#comment-26899 Dave, Thank you for reporting and exposing this unfair decision. I am glad that Mr. Waugh was able to reflect on the ramifications of his prior choices as well as his previous comments. Now let's all call a decorated tree what it should be called: a Christmas Tree! a simple Google search reveals how "holiday trees" have been replaced by Christmas trees again at municipalities all over the country. It was a bad idea to begin with and trying to use a generic "holiday tree" as a replacement for another group's symbols and traditions is horrible. The bottom line is that the Jewish community in Stevenson Ranch pays their HOA dues like everyone else. For TEN years we've looked forward to seeing that Menorah across from the waterfall. It's the holidays, can we all avoid trampling on each other for a few weeks? Dave,
Thank you for reporting and exposing this unfair decision. I am glad that Mr. Waugh was able to reflect on the ramifications of his prior choices as well as his previous comments.
Now let’s all call a decorated tree what it should be called: a Christmas Tree! a simple Google search reveals how “holiday trees” have been replaced by Christmas trees again at municipalities all over the country. It was a bad idea to begin with and trying to use a generic “holiday tree” as a replacement for another group’s symbols and traditions is horrible. The bottom line is that the Jewish community in Stevenson Ranch pays their HOA dues like everyone else. For TEN years we’ve looked forward to seeing that Menorah across from the waterfall.
It’s the holidays, can we all avoid trampling on each other for a few weeks?

]]> By: SCVTalk.com » Blog Archive » December 11, 2008 - Daily Brief http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2008/12/stevenson-ranch-menorah-to-be-installed-today-after-uproar/comment-page-1/#comment-26898 SCVTalk.com » Blog Archive » December 11, 2008 - Daily Brief Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:45:21 +0000 http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/?p=7637#comment-26898 [...] Menorah/Christmas Drama in Stevenson Ranch: For years, a seven foot Menorah has been part of the holiday display in Stevenson Ranch, but this year, according to Dave Bossert and others, the Home Owners Association president refused to display the Jewish religious symbol, which is used during the Hannukah celebration. In a lengthy post over at WRB, Bossert says HOA President Greg Waugh gave no good reason for refusing to display the Menorah. In a Signal report, Waugh says the Menorah is a religious symbol, and the HOA only put up a secular “Holiday Tree” this year. “I don’t feel it’s my place to put up the menorah because I am not Jewish and it’s not the HOA’s place to put up religious decorations,” Waugh said. A Rabbi says the “Jewish community is up in arms” over the matter and the HOA says Christians are upset that the tree is being called a Holiday Tree rather than a Christmas Tree. For what it’s worth, Waugh says that the Menorah will be displayed by a volunteer but West Side Jews say the damage has already been done. I’m unclear on if the Menorah will be placed in the same area as the “Holiday Tree.” Oy Vey! Signal, WRB, KHTS UPDATE: Bossert says the Menorah will be installed today. [...] [...] Menorah/Christmas Drama in Stevenson Ranch: For years, a seven foot Menorah has been part of the holiday display in Stevenson Ranch, but this year, according to Dave Bossert and others, the Home Owners Association president refused to display the Jewish religious symbol, which is used during the Hannukah celebration. In a lengthy post over at WRB, Bossert says HOA President Greg Waugh gave no good reason for refusing to display the Menorah. In a Signal report, Waugh says the Menorah is a religious symbol, and the HOA only put up a secular “Holiday Tree” this year. “I don’t feel it’s my place to put up the menorah because I am not Jewish and it’s not the HOA’s place to put up religious decorations,” Waugh said. A Rabbi says the “Jewish community is up in arms” over the matter and the HOA says Christians are upset that the tree is being called a Holiday Tree rather than a Christmas Tree. For what it’s worth, Waugh says that the Menorah will be displayed by a volunteer but West Side Jews say the damage has already been done. I’m unclear on if the Menorah will be placed in the same area as the “Holiday Tree.” Oy Vey! Signal, WRB, KHTS UPDATE: Bossert says the Menorah will be installed today. [...]

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