Jose Feliciano – Feliz Navidad
An evening pause: From this secular Jew to my Christian fans, please accept my sincerest wish that you have a glorious and merry Christmas.
Hat tip Tom Biggar. (I like this particular performance because it is so raw. Feliciano is blind, and the video shows it clearly. Yet he has the incredible courage to get up and perform to millions.)
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Mr. Zimmerman;
I happen to enjoy your site, and you publish all kinds of interesting articles. I first heard of your site on the John Batchelor show.
As an Orthodox Jew, I have always felt a little bad when you don’t acknowledge the Jewish holidays. I realize that you are not observant, and that is just how it goes.
But then to wish Christians a Merry Christmas? I don’t get it.
We live in country whose residents are predominantly Christian, and I take no offense at public displays of Christmas, etc.
But for a Jew to acknowledge the Christian holidays and not the Jewish ones….. that I think is just a little treif. Sorry.
Point taken. I have recognized Passover several times, but my aim has been to address the majority of my readers, who I think are almost all not Jewish, or not observant.
Still, you have a point. I will consider it. At the same time, as a secular humanist, I don’t really want to spend my time noting all the different religious holidays as they go by.
One more thing: I wish others Merry Christmas as an expression of good will. If you have been reading my webpage for awhile, you also know that I also have enormous good will to observant Jews and Israel. Just because I fail to acknowledge all holidays, however, should not be construed as an expression of ill will. As I noted in the previous comment, it isn’t really practical to acknowledge them all.
In my mixed marriage family (I’m Christian, my wife is Jewish), we modestly celebrate both sets of Holidays every year. Perhaps that is why I gain so much weight every December!
In our experience, the music of Christmas is much more enjoyable, whether religious or not, than Hanukkah music.
If anyone, including Chaim, can provide Robert with some Hanukkah season musical performances to post, I’d certainly listen to them – (except for Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah Song, which I’ve had enough of over the last 20 years).
A little late but
Chanukah Sameach
Now that my brother is in a Jewish nursing home I am slowly learning things. Kosher is pretty good for one.
Mr. Zimmerman;
Thank you for taking the time to read through my comment, and for responding.
I did notice on a number of occasions where you mentioned – in a positive way – some news item related to Jews. A recent item was the endorsement that a group of Rabbis gave to Ted Cruz, which you – and I as well – consider a positive development.
So, if I somehow implied that I find your web site anti-Jewish, I apologize, but I meant nothing of the sort.
And I still enjoy your web site. Thank you.
Do a search on Behind the Black for “Israel”. (The search box is in the right column near the bottom.) My essays during my visits I am sure you will find interesting. Be sure and read them in order.