As Jewish citizens of this land, we always look to the Torah for a deeper perspective and additional insight. What light does the Torah shed on the wonderful trait of thankfulness?
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I 'am thankful for all the many blessings that the creator has bestowed upon my family.
We take so much for granted living in the land of the free. I pray for all those less for-tunate human beings on this holiday inside America and outside America.
In conclusion please pray for my family.
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This is a nice article, but what of the Jewish perspective on the meeting between the Native Americans and the Puritans? What of the historical context and the ultimate demise of the Natives by those same Puritans? What of their oppression? Do religious Jews even celebrate Thanksgiving the way American seculars do?
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you have avoided the question, should a jew observe thanks giving or not! period! ?
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Sir,
Your statement that the United States' "success and prosperity is due to the fact that its Founding Fathers recognized that there is a Supreme Being who provides and cares for every creature" is highly provocative.
You clearly omitted the fact that the country is founded on rule of law - not on the existence of a supreme being.
You also fail to mention that the founding fathers specifically rejected the notion of the "divine right of kings" that was prevalent in Europe, especially in Great Britain.
The fact that "in god we trust" appears on U.S. currency proves only that the founding fathers themselves believed in a single god. They believed this as individuals, but they did not pass this belief onto their new system of government.
That is why we draft laws to run our Nation, as opposed to following a religious text.
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I think that if you consider yourself to be an American jew, then celebrating Thanksgiving is probably a pretty normal idea to you, no? I think that Rabbi Silberberg was putting the idea of Thanksgiving into a context that Jews can understand by looking for deeper meaning, and consulting the Torah. As a Jew, I don't consider myself any different than other Americans on this holiday. Yes, each family/culture has different traditions, but I don't think that changes the meaning of this holiday for most.
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Rabbi Silberberg, thanks for the insight which should be common sense to all of us. 'Thanksgiving' is not just a word or even a day to remember and give thanks. As you explained, it should generate action and involvement. It should dictate our daily life and our interactions with others. When we are thankful and it is seen in our lives I think our entire character changes. People will appreciate being around a thankful person much more than an ungrateful one. Perhaps each of us could be practicing this a little more just to change our nation and our world.
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To thank God for his blessings on us is indeed our obligation; it is the duty of all those who believe that all the blessing we have are bestowed upon us by the Almighty.
But to do so by inviting family and friends to a feast is nothing but a gathering of loved ones. To some it is even a show of hospitality and nothing more. How much food is thrown away from the plenty available how much do we eat until we can move no more?
Know ask yourself how many hungry and homeless are there in America alone, how many are there are all over the world.
America has a lot to be thankful for, but the notion that the Founding Fathers recognized that there is a Supreme Being who provides and cares for every creature forgets the atrocities committed to the native Americans whose lives were taken so that we may live the way we see fit, or the Africans how were brought by force and in captivity and with their blood the road to our prosperity was built.
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"There is no doubt that this great country's historically unprecedented success and prosperity is due to the fact that its Founding Fathers recognized that there is a Supreme Being who provides and cares for every creature."
I disagree. Our prosperity is due to the fact that the Founding Fathers had the wisdom not to impose their notions of a Supreme Being on others. Saudi Arabia and Iran also recognize a Supreme Being.
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David,
Why are you omitting the words that follow: "They understood that since G-d sustains and gives life to every being, it follows that every being has certain "unalienable rights" upon which no government can impinge."
A subtle distinction between our blessed
nation and oppresive regimes such as Iran and Saudi Arabia...
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Anonymous, your post was good in some ways, but not in others. America has done things. They bought slaves in the past from other Africans, (check history thoroughly). Indians or savages as many were called in the past were subjected to things during an era of conquest and expansionism. Now things are looking better for both groups, (I am a descendant in part of one of them). And, people from both contribute to US American society. Live today, and live for the future in treating each other well.
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I am extremely thankful that Israel has been as peaceful as it has been! I am thankful that we not an oppressed people as we have been in the past. However, that doesn't mean that we won't be oppressed again in the future. I am thankful that there are people in the world who are willing to defend us.
Rabbi Silberberg, I agree with you entirely. We are a blessed people living in a blessed nation. I am thankful for this, and I try to give my thanks to G-d as often as I can! This is everyday; not just on Thanksgiving. As an *American* Jew, I treat others as I want to be treated, and as I would treat my best friend or brother, regardless of race or religion.
I believe that in our attempt to atone for the sins of the founding fathers of America, we have lost focus on what is truly important here and now. We must look ahead instead of behind.
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As an 8th grade SS teacher I am thankful for information such as this. I teach in a mostly wealthy, white, Christian city in WA & I dislike seeing a continuation of sheltering. Articles such as this provide another perspective I like to provide to my students. It is important we all understand that as much as we differ, we are similar. In seeking to understand each other, we have a better chance of peace.
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for each blessing we need to thank. Each breath (inhale & Exhale) is already two blessings. So, with each breath we should thank G-D twice. However, since The Lord dose not have time to listen to so many thanks, we invented Thanksgiving !! On Thanksgiving we say thank you G-D a trillion times for our breathing all year !!
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I was one of the first children in the Detroit area to go to the Bais Chabad Sunday School and be taught by Naftali's father, who used to beat the class singlehandedly in games of softball. I remember Naftali as a child of two ro three.
Now, a Rabbi and a fellow writer and New Yorker.
Wow, time sure has passed quickly.
I am grateful to live in this country of guaranteed liberties and for this article as a reminder of other ways to show our gratitude.
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FYI from a jew /w native american heritage.
Deconstructing the Myths of “The First Thanksgiving”
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