# is Happy Hanukah okay if you don't know I know you're Jewish? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 25, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223 "2007-12-25T18:59:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/1 "2007-12-25T18:59:33Z")
I was going to send my lawyer a holiday greeting email. Should I just say “Happy Holidays?” Or, can I go ahead and say “Happy Hanukah?” He’s like, obviously Jewish, although there’s never been any reason for him to tell me he’s Jewish. But duh, he is. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/2 "2007-12-25T19:06:41Z")
I don’t see a problem with happy Hanukkah. I’m only half-Jewish, on my Dad’s side (which apparently makes me not Jewish at all), was raised an atheist and am an atheist, and I get a number of Happy Hanukkah’s every year. I appreciate them all as wishing me well. Nobody (well, maybe a few lunatics will.) is going to get mad at a holiday greeting. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/3 "2007-12-25T19:16:04Z")
Happy Hanukkah it is then. Two K’s in Hanukka? ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/4 "2007-12-25T19:17:25Z")
I believe the holiday ended over a week ago. . .might just be better off with “Happy Holidays!” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/5 "2007-12-25T19:18:23Z")
Wikipedia has both one and two K’s and also Chanukah. No idea which is best. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/6 "2007-12-25T19:21:39Z")
ummm…are you aware that Hanukah ended 2 weeks ago? Of course, it’s the thought that counts, and nobody will get mad at you for trying to be nice. But maybe phrase it in the past tense : “I hope you _had_ a happy Hanukah and best wishes for the new year.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/7 "2007-12-25T19:23:11Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] …if you don’t know I know.. . [/QUOTE] But does he know you know that he doesn’t know? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/8 "2007-12-25T19:32:48Z")
So, “Hope you had a Happy Hanukka and are having happy holidays?” I know he’s having happy holidays because the fucker’s never around. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anchuldigs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Anchuldigs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anchuldigs)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/9 "2007-12-26T00:51:52Z")
I have here “In Love With Norma Loquendi” by William Safire. He cites the case of _County of Allegheny vs. the ACLU_ in which the word chanukah came up for the first time in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided to spell it “Chanukah”. Thats good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/10 "2007-12-26T02:10:53Z")
[QUOTE=Anchuldigs] The Supreme Court decided to spell it “Chanukah”. Thats good enough for me. [/QUOTE] But it would be up to the Sanhedrin rather than the Supreme Court wouldn’t it? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anchuldigs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Anchuldigs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anchuldigs)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/11 "2007-12-26T02:30:03Z")
> [@](#): > > But it would be up to the Sanhedrin rather than the Supreme Court wouldn’t it? The members of the Sanhedrin were very knowledgeable, especially in languages, but I doubt that they could spell in english. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/12 "2007-12-26T03:00:36Z")
[QUOTE=Anchuldigs] I doubt that they could spell in english. 😃 [/QUOTE] Perhaps [some](http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?letter=S&artid=231) of them could. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/13 "2007-12-26T03:04:24Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > He’s like, obviously Jewish, although there’s never been any reason for him to tell me he’s Jewish. But duh, he is. :dubious: Really? How is it obvious? He’s a Democrat with a big nose who went to law school? I really, _really_ hope I’m surprised by your answer. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/14 "2007-12-26T03:10:08Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] I really, _really_ hope I’m surprised by your answer. [/QUOTE] Chill out. Maybe he’s seen us pee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/15 "2007-12-26T03:10:27Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] :dubious: Really? How is it obvious? He’s a Democrat with a big nose who went to law school? I really, _really_ hope I’m surprised by your answer. [/QUOTE] I’m probably going to dissapoint you but everyone in the firm has a surname ending in witz, berg, or stein without a single McProtestant name among them. Sue me. I’ve got a pretty good lawyer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/16 "2007-12-26T03:17:51Z")
Yep, I’m disappointed. I’ll leave it at that, considering the forum. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/17 "2007-12-26T03:24:38Z")
Oh, I’ve got a couple other reasons, but you seem fired up. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/18 "2007-12-26T03:47:47Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] But does he know you know that he doesn’t know? 😛 [/QUOTE] Shouldn’t that be “but do you know he knows that you dont know?” I mean, what you said doesn’t make any sense to me, but it gets confusing because there are two things being known, the guy’s Jewosity, and the act of revealing it. I just dont know anymore, you know? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/19 "2007-12-26T03:55:23Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Shouldn’t that be “but do you know he knows that you dont know?” I mean, what you said doesn’t make any sense to me, but it gets confusing because there are two things being known, the guy’s Jewosity, and the act of revealing it. I just dont know anymore, you know? [/QUOTE] I know that you don’t know. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223/20 "2007-12-26T04:18:08Z")
[QUOTE=Anchuldigs] I have here “In Love With Norma Loquendi” by William Safire. He cites the case of _County of Allegheny vs. the ACLU_ in which the word chanukah came up for the first time in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided to spell it “Chanukah”. Thats good enough for me. [/QUOTE] The Supreme Court has been known to be unreliable on matters of disputed spelling, though. For example, I’m fairly sure that they were once known to refer to cannabis as “marihuana” with an ‘h.’ These days I think they’ve pretty much adopted the “marijuana” spelling. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-happy-hanukah-okay-if-you-dont-know-i-know-youre-jewish/431223.md?page=2)