The Publisher's Perspective - 11/28/19

The following is my piece in the November 28, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link:

When the colonial Pilgrims enjoyed a feast in 1621 celebrating the harvest, little did they know that meal would beget an annual tradition which would be celebrated by families across the United States for generations.

While Thanksgiving brings with it a strong focus on delectable delicacies, including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and pumpkin pie, as well as the sacrosanct tradition of watching football, there is another essential element of the day.

The concept of “giving thanks” is central to the Thanksgiving holiday. In fact, many families have a tradition of going around the Thanksgiving table, one by one, to declare what each person is thankful for. “I am thankful for my family,” says Grandma. “I am thankful for my toys,” says the young boy. “I am thankful for the new bicycle I got for my birthday,” said the young girl. “I am thankful for the wonderful vacation we were able to take this year,” says Mom. “I am thankful that the Sixers are playing well,” says the teenage boy.

This ritual of “giving thanks” is often replete with a degree of formality and seriousness as each family member nods in approval as their parent, child or sibling bares his or her soul while the turkey is sitting on the table getting cold.

While I agree that there is something noble about this tradition that has taken hold in many homes, I take exception to the fact that “giving thanks” in this fashion is something that is limited to a once-a-year experience for far too many people.

As Jews, we give thanks every single day of our lives. Our spiritual being and entire religious experience are predicated on the notion of “giving thanks,” whether it be to God or to our fellow man. We thank Hashem for everything we have and everything we are able to do. We thank Him for allowing us to wake up each morning and we thank Him for the food He provides us with. We thank Him for keeping us healthy or helping us recover from an illness and we thank Him for the privilege of living life as Jews.

As Jews, we begin each day by uttering the words “Modeh Ani Lefanecha,” a tefillah through which we thank Hashem for restoring our soul within us, even before we venture out of bed. Each time we recite Shemoneh Esrei, we say “Modim Anachnu Lach,” we give thanks to You. The list goes on and on, and the ways in which we give thanks to God are virtually endless.

Giving thanks is at the very core of our existence as Jews, and it is something we do habitually and assiduously. While it is nice that people put their annual Thanksgiving feast on hold for a few moments so each family member can announce with great fanfare what he or she is thankful for, it simply is not enough.

Our world would be a far better place if people took more time to regularly reflect on what they have, ruminate on the precious gifts they have been given in life, and say “thank you” for all of it. It should not merely occur once a year on the fourth Thursday of November.

For Jews, every day is Thanksgiving.