In a message dated 12/25/99 12:48:44 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< We Jews had our winter holiday earlier.  I'm busy programming, on a Friday
 night, which shows that I'm not shomer shabbes.

Some of we Jews have our birthdays today (my eldest son Frank, born on my
36th birthday for our cabalistically inclined friends, and I, ), and I didn't
do any shomering either.

 Actually, we went to a Reconstructionist service earlier this evening,
 held at the JCC since the Ann Arbor Reconstructionists are too small to
 have their own building or rabbi.

That's a blessing to count.  The Reconstructionists we belong to sublet a
Quaker meeting house, but we have our own rabbi--Rabbi Amy, who recently
threw over husband # 3 (maybe just #2) for the brother of one of our
congregants.  She wears a yarmulka and tallis.

At the conclusion of the service, after
 kaddish, they startled us by singing Adon Olam (or similar song, I forget
 which) to the tune of Jingle Bells, referred to as "a secular winter
 song".
 How distasteful.  We haven't sunk that low yet, but no doubt it will come to
that.  Our forefathers and foremothers (and foremen and supervisors) are
spinning in their graves.
 Afterward, everyone went out for the Chinese dinner which is a Jewish
 tradition this time of year.
  >>
So at least some good came of it.  Does anybody know the story of every
Jewish holiday?  They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat!

Hope you all enjoyed our birthday.

Ralph