Thanksgiving is coming up this week! I’m excited!
While Thanksgiving has traditionally been a secular holiday—I’ve always felt that Thanksgiving is a spiritual—or even religious—holiday. This perception is further reinforced by my family’s tradition of going around the table and having everyone share what they are thankful for. I’ve also felt that Thanksgiving is about religious freedom because it marks the arrival of people who left other countries seeking the freedom to practice their religion.
In other words, it is because of Thanksgiving that we are able to celebrate and practice our faiths in America.
What I’ve been struggling with for a long time is perhaps my need to receive validation that my views on Thanksgiving aren’t crazy.
I’ve found such validation! Instead of keeping it to myself, I’m sharing it here. Three great articles:
Thanksgiving Is a Very Jewish Holiday
http://blog.beliefnet.com/virtualtalmud/2006/11/thanksgiving-is-very-jewish-holiday.html
Creating a More Jewish Thanksgiving
http://www.ocjewishlife.com/stories/xarchive.php?id=174
My synagogue’s Rabbi, Doug Heifetz, discussed Thanksgiving last year in his blog:
http://theravblog.com/2008/11/26/gratitude-times-of-trouble-the-thanksgiving-seder/
Even better yet, I’ve come across some Seder text on how we can combine the Seder tradition (which is familiar to so many of us) with Thanksgiving. One of them can be found from a link on Rabbi Heifetz’s blog. Two others were written by Rabbi Phyllis Sommer and can be found at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8462447/Thanksgiving-Seder
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8172968/Thanksgiving-Seder-for-Families-with-Small-Children
I also learned that some of my friends have always added some Jewish food to the tradition Thanksgiving feast—whether it is chopped liver (ugh), gefilte fish (not bad) or kuegel (now, that can be very good!).
I know what I’ll be doing for Thanksgiving—reading from one of the Thanksgiving Seder—and adding a Jewish dish to our Thanksgiving buffet.
What traditions do you have in your household that combines faith with Thanksgiving?
Whatever you do, have a great Thanksgiving!
November 24, 2009 at 2:12 pm |
Perfect!
Kelby, this is wonderful and quite timely. I look forward to sharing some of
these articles and thoughts with my extended family around the Thanksgiving table. Both inspiring and thought provoking.
Hope all is well with you. Look forward to seeing you again soon.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving with your family. Yes, much to be thankful for…
Suzy
November 25, 2009 at 1:14 am |
Thought you’d enjoy this entertaining tidbits that made me wondering how much Jews had contributed to this America. Happy Thanksgiving!
November 25, 2009 at 1:14 am |
Forgot to add the link
http://www.aish.com/j/fs/70772682.html
November 25, 2009 at 1:37 pm |
While I have many, many, many reasons to be thankful – large loving and supportive family, love, good heatlh, security, what comes to mind in being most thankful for is that I was born and raised in the United States, where opportunities for a deaf person like me are best in this part of the world.
November 26, 2009 at 2:18 pm |
This is a perfect day to express our deep thanks to somebody above us for the life we
are living. We should be grateful to see our lives surrounded with wonderful family and friends. Let us enjoy this special day. Also I wish to express special thanks to Kelby for setting up this blog for we must share our thoughts and opinions enhancing our knowledge on Judaism.