Law firms should recognize their ‘Rudolphs’

One of the most iconic and beloved symbols of the Christmas season is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. But few know that this critter is the creation of Robert May, a Jewish man who in 1939 was commissioned by Montgomery Ward to create a coloring book for the children of its holiday catalog shoppers. The story of Rudolph is a fairytale for Jews in America: A kid like any other, but with something immutably different and identifying -- an unmissable nose -- who was excluded and taunted for being different, until in a moment of need, his differences saved the day. His peers came to appreciate him for his innate talents, and to celebrate the strength that his differences added to the group.

Christmas is a complex holiday. At its core, it is about joy, hope, light in a time of darkness, and generosity with those we love. However, even though it is most strongly associated with the Christian faith, this holiday permeates what all Americans experience, regardless of their faiths: altered work schedules, malls and neighborhoods dripping in festive lights, television programming centering on a single theme, and the inescapable hum (din?) of Christmas songs on every speaker across the entire nation for weeks on end. For people who do not belong to the Christian faith, this holiday can present special difficulties. Despite the holiday's focus on care and community, for some it can feel isolating. For instance, raising Jewish children in an American December delivers a daunting challenge: assimilate and get a tree so your kids don't "miss out" on what their friends are experiencing, or don't get a tree, and undertake the challenges of explaining why your family is different and will be doing something other than what the rest of the world -- including more liberal Jews -- seem to be doing.

Jews are not the only group, of course, who encounter this challenge. Americans of other faiths, including Muslims and Hindus, must reconcile the ubiquitous Christmas merriment with conflicting personal traditions. And even within the Christian faith there are countless ways that people of different backgrounds celebrate, and several sects that do not celebrate the holiday at all.

There is great beauty and grace in the way that minority groups meet the challenges of being different, and sometimes create their own traditions, during the December holidays. The Pasich LLP Equity Committee has identified a few resources that might help raise awareness of these issues and invite respectful dialogue within law firms:

• "Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas" (Riddle Films 2018) (A lighthearted, musically focused documentary examining the complexities of being Jewish at Christmas in America, through the lens of the numerous Christmas songs written by Jewish composers and songwriters);

• Lillian Li, "Nothing Is More American than Chinese Food at Christmas," N.Y. Times (Dec. 25, 2018) (How Jewish and Chinese immigrants created a truly American tradition in the shadow of Christmas)

• Rabbi Joshua E. Plaut, "Jews and Christmas, MyJewishLearning.com" (Historical look at Jews' engagement with Christmas in considering the development of their faith and identities in wider society);

• Rev. Karl M. Baker, "Why Some Christians Don't Celebrate Christmas," Cavalry Baptist Church of Beaufort, S.C (2017) (A protestant pastor's review the foundations of Christmas and discussion of why some Christians do not celebrate (or downplay) the holiday).

Our committee's goal is to encourage thoughtful consideration of every member of our diverse law firm, and to create avenues for learning about and discussing what makes us all different individually, but stronger collectively -- indeed, why each of us is a "Rudolph" in our own ways. A powerful lesson that our small firm has learned from the tumult and social unrest of the last six months (and longer) is the necessity to recognize, respect, celebrate, elevate and stand up for those who do not identify with American majority groups or subscribe to prevailing traditions, views, or practices. Historically, law firms have not been bastions of or crusaders for diversity and inclusion, but that can and should change. From basic business practices, like patronizing vendors owned and operated by women and members of minority groups, to resetting hiring practices and priorities to account for historical and systemic barriers to success, this firm has decided to put our money where our mouth is -- and we hope that the decisionmakers at other firms will join us in these efforts, to the extent they have not yet done so.

It is equally important to look inside our own organizations and honor the different identities that already comprise our teams. The December holidays present an easy opportunity to take strides toward acknowledging the differences that make our law firms excellent and unique. This may require changing the decorations around the office, revising the holiday party playlist, and challenging our own traditions, but creating the space to recognize that not everyone looks forward to a Christmas tree will only strengthen the bonds among all of the firm's constituents, while also giving us a chance to thoughtfully consider and learn about those with whom we work.

We hope our friends at other firms will take a moment to reflect on the various ways our colleagues may engage with the upcoming holidays. We wish everyone joy this season, and a healthy and prosperous year to come. 

The authors are members of the Pasich LLP Equity Committee.