Pasadena Mall Agrees To Let Menorah Stand

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PASADENA, Calif. Paseo Colorado, the open-air mall in Pasadena, Thursday decided to let the local Chabad of Pasadena publicly display a 13-foot-tall menorah after first banishing the religious symbol from the shopping center saying religious symbols were not appropriate.

The Pasadena Star-News first reported that the menorah would be banned but media reports caused the management of Paseo Colorado to have a change of heart.

Paseo had decided to continue featuring a Christmas tree, which the management said was not a religious symbol, according to the newspaper.

The mall had displayed the 13-foot-tall menorah for the past three years. But, in recent weeks, debates (mostly sparked by conservative Chrisitians) across the country raged on whether people should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.” President Bush angered conservatives when his holiday card did not mention “Christmas.”

Colleen Dunn, regional general manager for Developers Diversified Realty, the company that manages Paseo, told the Star-News that the Christmas tree is “just holiday decor… Our focus is on Santa Claus, which has no religious affiliation.”

But Rabbi Chaim Hanoka, the leader of Chabad of Pasadena, expressed disappointment over the decision and bafflement over the notion that the Christmas tree is not religious.

Less orthodox Jews rallied to his side. Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater of Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, a conservative congregation, told the Star-News that the mall was making a “terrible decision.” He said he would be discussing Paseo’s decision with local rabbis out of concern that the Jewish community is being excluded.

Grater also disputed the argument that a Christmas tree is not a religious symbol, as did the Rev. Ed Bacon, rector of All Saints Church in Pasadena, the Star-News reported.