A merry goyisha shabbos to all, and to all a good night

I just had the….joy of spending Christmas in North America for the first time in a few years. My Jewish friends here were encouraging me to go experience to novelty of walking through downtown, closed in the middle of the day. To watch people pouring out of their places of worship, and families walking through near empty streets to where they will gather with friends and family over a festive meal.

And it felt somehow familiar. Then I realized it was not because I grew up in hotz l’aretz, its because I see this every week in Jerusalem; Christmas is essentially the once a year shabbos for goyim.

So umm, Christmas shalom everyone?

Just an observation.