Jewish traditions, atheist beliefs

Describe the religion celebrated at home and how your beliefs correlate with it.
“Our family is pretty reform. We’re not Orthodox, so we don’t go to [temple] every single holiday. We’re very lax about it. We just go once or twice a year, on the big holidays. And we celebrate Hanukkah, too.”

How do you celebrate Hanukkah, as an atheist?
“A big part of it, for me, is just the tradition, enjoying that rather than the actual religious part of it, because it’s nice to gather around as a family and it’s nice to get presents… Hanukkah is not really a major holiday in the Jewish religion. It’s kind of just there because of Christmas.”

Have you felt any pressure from your parents to practice Judaism?
“In the beginning, when I first kind of thought I was atheist, I was very anti-religion, which is something I totally don’t agree with now, but at that point I thought all religion is bad, and at that point my parents were kind of not okay with it, just because it was like spreading hate. But I think they’ve come to understand me, and we’ve come in agreement where at least I enjoy the tradition and the celebration.”

Can you describe what atheism means for you?
“It’s that I hold the belief that I choose not to believe in a god, just because I don’t see a need for it. That’s kind of what it is, for me.”

By recognizing, do you mean acknowledging it and not going against it?
“No, going against it is good. It’s important. At least in a proper, academic setting, not just ad hominem attacks. But people just understanding that it is a viewpoint that I hold is important.
What would you say is the best thing about the holiday season, regardless of your beliefs?
Coming together… At the core of it, it’s just bringing people together. And the worst? People who would try and say a religion is more important than another. Like “You can have this menorah here, but we’re going to put up our Christmas tree.” It would be okay if all religions were trivialized, including lack of religion, but when one is held on a higher pedestal that’s when I think it’s unfair.”