Why would a yid WANT TO celebrate Thanksgiving?

amother

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 9:45 am

I find it very hard to understand why a Jewish family would even want to celebrate Thanksgiving? Anyone care to enlighten me? I have read up on the halachic aspect of celebrating Thanksgiving & theres a lot of differences of opinions. I'm just wondering in general why would a yid feel that its important to eat Turkey & have an official Thanksgiving dinner? Also, do you explain it to your kids? Do you tell them why its OK to celebrate Thanksgiving but not Xmas?

TIA!

BTW for those that want to read up on the Halachic issues of celebrating Thanksgiving click here

5S5Sr7z3

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 9:53 am

I said it last year, I'll say it again..... My grandfather came over after WW2, to the only country that was willing to take him. He said that if this is how america gives thanks to their country, this is how he will as well. Let me not forget to say that he was genuine Litvak, straight from the alter heim. He always made sure to buy a pumpkin in the local supermarket, and ate a turkey dinner. He could never stop stressing enough that we jews stand out enough as it is, and the least we could do was show that we are also thankful to our country. So every year I serve turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie. Big deal.

Britmummy

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:00 am

Hmmm, I've often wondered whether Jews in the US celebrated Thanksgiving!

It's one of those things we Europeans see on TV and in films and I never really understood much about it. I know that people eat a traditional Xmas dinner (turkey etc) that day, but I was never really sure if it was actually linked in some way to Xmas or just a secular thing.

Simple1

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:03 am

We don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but I do tell my kids that Xmas is a Christian holiday and therefore we have no association with it. But other holidays such as Thanksgiving are American and "neutral". Not good or bad but we have our own holidays. I do understand the point of hakaras hatov but there are other opportunities.

On a practical note, I feel like we just finished making 3 - three-day Yom Tovs, each day containing a day and night meal. Before we know it will be making Purim Pesach and Shavuos. After finally getting back into a routine in this quiet period, who really feels like making another holiday? Aside from the fact that we make Shabbos every week.

anuta

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:05 am

Thanksgiving is a secular holiday. Thanksgiving and 4th of July are the only holidays I can celebrate with my non-religious family. I am a first generation immigrant, and I have a lot to be thankful for in America, just like the piligrims were.

I am also against insular lifestyle that some seem to advocate; we don't live in a large Jewish community, my children feel different enough staying home for Halloween, etc., and I don't see a good enough reason (for me) to nix Thanksgiving. Another opportunity to give thanks - why wouldn't a Jew want to do it????

5*Mom

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:09 am

IYamWhoIYam wrote:

This is relevant to another thread from today about the origins of the BY movement. A poster stated with surety that were Sara Schenirer alive today, "guaranteed she would be chareidi." I pointed out that the equivalent of chareidi then (the term itself wasn't in general use at that time) was not the same as it is today and I'm not so sure she'd identify herself as chareidi today.

Your grandfather's example is a perfect example of this. The worldview was completely different then; IMO not as narrow minded and short-sighted as ours is today. Chaval that it's being lost. Now, personally I have never celebrated Thanksgiving but it is not in the same category as xmas, and I certainly have never taken the position that it is a terrible thing to participate, etc. I have so much respect for your grandfather for his outlook.

amother

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:12 am

1Life2Live wrote:

We're not so into the whole thanksgiving thing, but I think it's a great opportunity to spend with your family.

We have Shabbos every week that gives us 3 meals to spend with family. We have Motzei Shabbosim. We just had 8 days of Sukkos & have 8 days of Chanukah coming up real soon. I think thats enough family spending time for now.

amother

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:16 am

chocolate chips wrote:

free vacation day, time to spend with the family and I like what IYamwhoIYam said...there must be several reasons why a yid should be thanking the country for.

Do Jews around the world thank their countries? Did our Zeidas celebrate the Polish & Russian holidays? I think America has a lot to thank the Jews for. Jewish immigration has brought mostly benefits for this country.

THE BEST WAY TO TRULY THANK THIS COUNTRY IS TO BE BE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS. Thanksgiving is more for in appreciation for Turkey lovers than this country. Gimme a break.

chatouli

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:17 am

I like Thanksgiving for two reasons.

First, it is a chance to have family over. They don't have to stay over because it's not YT or Shabbos, they can come enjoy nice food that I didn't have to make the month before in stages, freeze, and reheat on a plata, and we can clean the kitchen normally when it's over and then they can go home. Also, I love stuffing Smile

Second, like many of us, I come from a family of immigrants. This county has afforded us a lot of opportunities we as Jews would not have had elsewhere, both in terms of freedom of religion and education. We have opportunities here that I am very thankful for and even though America is hardly perfect, I am glad to be American and this is an opportunity for me to say thank you, even silently, because I don't believe in making a speech about it.

amother

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:20 am

anuta wrote:

I am also against insular lifestyle that some seem to advocate; we don't live in a large Jewish community, my children feel different enough staying home for Halloween, etc., and I don't see a good enough reason (for me) to nix Thanksgiving. Another opportunity to give thanks - why wouldn't a Jew want to do it????

insular lifestyle? Seriously? Isnt that what a yid is all about. We are different than non Jews and we are proud to be Jewish!!!!!! that is the message I want to convey to my children at every given opportunity. You sound like you feel guilty forcing this upon your children. Thats sad.

Simple1

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:26 am

chatouli wrote:

A lot of families do just that on Sunday of Chanuka and on Chol Hamoed.

Chloe

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:29 am

I give thanks every day for this Medina shel Chessed. I don't celebrate thanksgiving specifically but I don't mind the day off Smile

I don't have an issue with Yidden not celebrating thanksgiving as much as I have an issue with Yidden not showing enough patriotism. It really irked me when after Sept. 11 there wasn't a flag by every Yiddishe house like there shoulda been.
What's the big deal of putting out a flag? Why can't you show a little bit of loyalty to a country like the USA which has allowed you so much freedom, in its time of need?

I was still a young girl then, but I proudly remember hanging up a flag just outside our front door.

5S5Sr7z3

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:30 am

amother wrote:

chocolate chips wrote:

free vacation day, time to spend with the family and I like what IYamwhoIYam said...there must be several reasons why a yid should be thanking the country for.

Poland and Russia werent exactly hospitable to jews, and were more than happy that they left. Nothing to be thankful for over there. Sure, nowadays they tolerate jews living there - barely

chatouli

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:30 am

amother wrote:

anuta wrote:

Are you serious?

You must live in a place where everyone is like you if you don't understand how a child would feel to see other children dressing up (something kids love), eating candy (something kids love), and generally having a great time with their parents and friends (something kids love) and they have to hear "Sorry sweetie, that's something that we can't do because it's avoda zara" or however it is explained to them. Children are children be they Jewish or not and it is hard to feel left out. Obviously it is a necessary evil, since it really is assur to participate in Halloween, but that doesn't make it easy to tell your kids "no."

Otherwise I agree with your sentiment that it is important to convey to children that we are different and obviously we have every reason to be proud of those differences.

1Life2Live

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:31 am

chatouli wrote:

To amother at 11:12am. This is what I meant... Thanks chatouli for spelling it out. It's not always so easy for all of us to host for YT and Shabbos and hosting for a weekday meal in the afternoon is a lot easier.

chanahlady

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:33 am

It's a secular American holiday, and I see nothing wrong with celebrating it -- getting together and enjoying with family. It's not comparable to xmas in the slightest.

Also, while I don't agree with many American policies, I appreciate and enjoy the freedoms we have here. We visited Russia a few years ago, and I'll say that I never appreciated the U.S. and our freedom here as much as I did coming back from Russia.

little_mage

Mon, Nov 21 2011, 10:35 am

Thanksgiving is my family's holiday. Especially now that I'm religious and they aren't, it's the only holiday that won't wind up being completely acrimonious. Plus, for us, it's very traditional. I'd have to check the banner, but I think this year will be somewhere around the 40th annual. Last year, when we mentioned that we weren't sure if we could make it, my family paid for the tickets so we could attend.
I don't feel guilty for raising my children in a religious Jewish home. But I already know that they aren't going to have a lot of the things that I had growing up. Thanksgiving was always a special time for me, and I'd like to be able to pass some of that, at least, on to my children.
As for the cooking aspect-I do know of several families that have a "Thanksgiving" Shabbat-serve turkey and other traditional Thanksgiving foods for the Shabbat after Thanksgiving so that they aren't cooking twice.