In December 1950, Feinberg set off a notable row in Toronto when he delivered a sermon denouncing as an injustice that Jewish children in public schools were being forced to sing Christmas carols. Three Orthodox rabbis in a public letter denounced Feinberg's sermon, saying that Canada was a "Christian country" and Jews should respect the wishes of the majority least it give rise to antisemitism. Various Christian clergymen then started to denounce Feinberg's sermon, which was widely misrepresented as calling for an end to Christmas and the singing of all Christmas carols. The Globe and Mail in an editorial on 5 December 1950 entitled "A Deplorable Proposal" condemned Feinberg, asking how it was possible for a rabbi to want "to eliminate Christmas from public schools." Feinberg's attempts to argue that he had not called for ending Christmas, just merely having Jewish children being forced to sing Christmas carols, were completely ineffective. With public opinion firmly against him as the man who allegedly wanted to end Christmas, Feinberg abandoned his efforts. In a poll in 1951 taken by Saturday Night magazine, Feinberg was named of one Canada's 7 Greatest Preachers.
