Jews and Halloween

American Jews who celebrate Halloween are likely to view it as a secular holiday, little different from Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July.

Many Jewish parents allow their children to wear costumes and go trick-or-treating during Halloween.

Orthodox Rabbi Michael Broyde opposes Jewish celebration of Halloween because the holiday "plainly has in its origins religious beliefs that are foreign to Judaism" and that are "prohibited to us as Jews."

[5] Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union has discouraged Jewish celebration of Halloween due to its "combination of Celtic, Roman and Christian" elements that are "distinctly non-Jewish", characterizing Halloween as a non-secular holiday.

[7] Reform Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser has said that "There is no religious reason why contemporary Jews should not celebrate Halloween.

Neighborhoods where both Jews and non-Jews live may have both sukkahs and Halloween decorations up during the months of September and October.

B'nai B'rith Young Women's Organization planning their Halloween fundraiser, the Broomstick Ball, 1948.
Halloween party at the St. Paul Jewish Educational Center, 1937.
Children with mishloach manot during Purim, March 2008.