You're absolutely right, Martin. I would not in any way compare Kwanzaa to Jewish Holidays. The point I was making is that you CAN'T compare Kwanzaa to Jewish Holidays. First of all, it is not a religious holiday and doesn't commenorate a particular point in the history of African-Americans. The reason why we both agree that you can't compare the holidays is because you can't compare the people or their history. The Israelites had a powerful single faith and were one people. They had a common history. The Africans that were sold into slavery came from many, many different cultures, spoke different languages and had different spiritual beliefs. They were slaves, not because they had a common heritage or religion. It was just about money.

From my point of view it is precisely because Africans sold into slavery had such a radically different history that you can't compare their experience to that of the Jews when they were in slavery. They are as much apples and orangutans as are jews and contemporary Iraquis. It's not illuminating to even compare them. The one common experience that Africans and jews had was that they were sold into slavery.

Jerry