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From: david@varian.UUCP (David Brown)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Haloween and Jews (actually New Years)
Message-ID: <263@varian.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Nov-84 18:40:19 EST
Article-I.D.: varian.263
Posted: Mon Nov 19 18:40:19 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Nov-84 02:36:57 EST
References: <212@hocsj.UUCP>
Organization: Varian, Walnut Creek, CA
Lines: 20

> So in this sense Halloween is a "Christian" holiday, though in exactly the
> opposite way that, say, Christmas is.  (St.) Valentine's Day is also a
> Christian holiday, and in many places (including Israel), New Year's Eve
> (St. Stephen's (?) Eve) is also considered a Christian holiday.

This is something that has puzzled me (but not enough to do any research)
since I spent a year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1972. On
New Year's Eve, all the Israelis in my dorm celebrated what they called
"Sylvester" -- the celebrations were definitely secular (let's get together
and drink...), though not as heavy-duty as in this country, as the next
day was an ordinary school/work day. 

Does anyone know what Sylvester is -- where did the name come from and
how did it come to be celebrated in Israel?


-- 
	David Brown	 (415) 945-2199
	Varian Instruments 2700 Mitchell Dr.  Walnut Creek, Ca. 94598
	{zehntel,amd,fortune,resonex}!varian!david