The Nurse's Guide to Observing Chanukkah

[Graduatenurse14]

@Lynda,

Thanks! I was in Pittsburgh around Chanukah visiting a dear friend who lives in Squirrel Hill. The coolest thing that I saw was several cars with big menorahs on the roof with that day's amount of lights lit. I'm not sure if it's only done there or in other cities too.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Nope. This event was made up by a minister in the US in the late 1960's, who wanted to give black American children a sense of African heritage that he felt they were lacking.......and the first African American Holiday was born :)

As it was designed, it has no basis in religion, but is used as a cultural teaching tool.

Just to be clear, Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States and also celebrated in the Western African Diaspora in other nations of the Americas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving.[1] Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba). It was created by Maulana Karenga (not a minister) and was first celebrated in 1966-67.

Karenga was a major figure in the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s and co-founded with Hakim Jamal the black nationalism and social change organization US.

During the early years of Kwanzaa, Karenga said that it was meant to be an "oppositional alternative" to Christmas.[4] However, as Kwanzaa gained mainstream adherents, Karenga altered his position so that practicing Christians would not be alienated, then stating in the 1997 Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture, "Kwanzaa was not created to give people an alternative to their own religion or religious holiday."

Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to observing Christmas.[5]

Source: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa

More sources: http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

As an African American, it is not in competition with Christmas, especially when our culture and background has Christians, Jews, and Muslims and various other religions and belief systems (including Atheists and Agnostics as well) in our community; if anything, it is a celebration of community and education, with many events scheduled in our communities to foster the African tradition of community.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Thank you Lady Free for posting a copy of the Wikipedia info.....it doesn't contradict with what I wrote, but it is much more detailed :)

Looks like I did make the mistake of referring to the founder of the holiday as a minister; I wonder if that's because Al Sharpton jumped into the promotion of Kwanzaa in the early '70s (as a minister)? I don't know....certainly not an expert on it :)

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I need to make a correction to my PP too (just reread it). Ramadan is the 9th month...not sure why I had "40 days" in my head, but a lunar month isn't 40 days. My mistake!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I need to make a correction to my PP too (just reread it). Ramadan is the 9th month...not sure why I had "40 days" in my head, but a lunar month isn't 40 days. My mistake!

That's it, time for a flogging!

[ceccia]

it's very sweet of you to be concerned about your patients being able to celebrate their holidays while sick. tbh though, i cannot imagine ever having time to help anyone celebrate anything at work because i have an absolutely inhuman load of work to do.

[Raviepoo]

I'm pretty sure that my fellow Jews just want to be left alone to do their thing. Judaism is kind of an odd duck as Western religions go. We aren't looking to spread the word. We actually discourage conversion and try to keep to ourselves. Your Jewish patient doesn't want you to help them celebrate anything. They just want to avoid being beaten up for being different.

[Lynda Lampert, RN]

Thanks for the updated information on Kwanzaa! I had no idea what its origins were, and it is great to hear how the whole thing started. It sounds like a way for the African American community to express some of the heritage of their ancestors. Should there be a guide on this holiday for nurses? I could do one, but I'm not sure it has the same impact as the other winter holidays.

As for whether nurses should know about Judaism, I disagree. I think for sensitivity, nurses should know what the holiday entails and that it isn't just "Christmas for Jews." I think that marginalizes the holiday, and culture is very important in taking care of a patient. We don't HAVE to go the extra mile to make our Jewish patients feel comfortable during the holidays, but I know that I would want to. If the patient wasn't interested, I would respect that, too. However, I think it is a good thing to know about when the holidays are approaching.

I'm also sorry that you've experienced discrimination due to your religion. It's amazing to me that crap like that still happens now, but recent news has shown us otherwise. Either way, I would respect whatever a Jewish -- or Christian, for that matter -- patient wanted.

Lynda

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I'm pretty sure that my fellow Jews just want to be left alone to do their thing. Judaism is kind of an odd duck as Western religions go. We aren't looking to spread the word. We actually discourage conversion and try to keep to ourselves. Your Jewish patient doesn't want you to help them celebrate anything. They just want to avoid being beaten up for being different.

I'm sorry to hear you have such a negative viewpoint on this....and sorry you must have experienced something pretty awful to make you respond this way. I suppose we all have, but it just makes me want to "clue in the clueless" even more!

FWIW, this Jew does like sharing my celebrations (no, we don't seek to convert, but we CAN share our joy in being us )

It's nice to see people being considerate of others in this way, and at least caring whether they can help :)

I have no doubt whatsoever that anyone who truly wants to be left alone can accomplish just that, and usually in short order

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

I think it's very important to acknowledge the holidays of our patients. And I think it's appreciated by most patients as it shows that medical professionals see them as a whole person, not just what illness or injury they have currently be treated for.

In some settings it may be more difficult for specific celebrations or customs to occur, but other things may be able to be modified. Maybe it's as simple as allowing quiet time for families and minimizing interventions/ interruptions during that time.

[A&Ox6, MSN, RN]

I think that one of the best ways to provide culturally competent care would be to just ask the client what they usually do for the holidays. By the way, it may be helpful to purchase laffy taffies, twizzlers, fruit rolls, gushers, or fruit-by-the-foot if you work with kids and want to give out candy for the holiday. This is because there are many sects within Judaism that have added kosher restrictions regarding dairy products. The candies mentioned above tend to be more commonly accepted. Also, depending on where you are located, Bikur Cholim organizations may be able to assist in providing holiday foods, supplies etc. Check out this link for resources: Bikur Cholim Organizations- USA

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

Thank you for mentioning Hanukkah. And to the OP for bringing up Ramadan.

I have a few Jehovah's Witnesses, who do not celebrate the holidays and at least one who had expressed to mr that he feels "left out".

I am a Christian, but have a heart to, and I believe an ethical responsibility to, support all of my Pts faith.