Thanksgiving Mix
Continued from preceding page
Thanksgiving
Word Jumble
YKTREU
N KTHAS
D OFO
G BLSENSI
APHPY
"Thanks A Lot" in Hebrew:
Indeed, we insist on the right of
necessary. What manner of sacrifice
self-separation with reference to
shall men then offer? The sages
religious worship, religious
agreed that in the end of days, all
education and the observance of
sacrifices will be abolished. They
the sacred events and seasons of
conclude, however, that one
Judaism. There are other areas in
sacrifice alone would be mandatory
which we insist on being together
— the thanksgiving offering. They
with other Americans as the right of
realized that a formal expression of
our American heritage. These
gratitude to God would ever be
include general education, the right
essential to man, even in a perfect
to vote, the right to defend our
society. The implications of these
country, the right to live where we
words are significant. Without a
choose. It also includes the
grateful spirit, man only exists. He
observance of American festivals of
does not truly live.
which Thanksgiving is the foremost
As Americans, we have such
example.
great reason to offer thanks. The
What lessons does
freedom that we enjoy continues to
Thanksgiving teach us as Jews and
be the flame of hope for millions
Americans? In the Talmud, it is
around
the world. We look upon our
written that in the days to come,
liberty as our natural prerogative.
when man shall have been
But it is an opportunity and privilege
redeemed, and the kingdom of God
which ought never to be taken for
will be at hand, much of the ritual of
granted. In the last four decades
our faith will no longer be
and more since the end of the
Second World War, the flame of
liberty has gone out in many lands,
yet we remain free. Freedom was
not natural in the Russia of my
father, or in the Soviet Union of
today. It is not provided in the
of walking or talking, of hearing or
greater part of the globe. Every
feeling. Yet, Abraham said, I have
moment we live without the
been granted all of the above and
oppressive consciousness of being
more, blessings too numerous to be
watched and regimented, a great
counted. What could I possibly do
gift is ours. We are the recipients of
to deserve what I already have?
a great benevolence which ought to
Abraham was a man of thanksgiving.
evoke from us constant
He recognized in the everyday
appreciation.
qualities of human existence the
We as Jews should be grateful
special blessings granted to man. In
that we, the American Jewish
those blessings reside that seemingly
community, have been so privileged
overwhelming task of responding to
that which we have been given. In a with freedom and opportunity.
We are grateful that we have
word, our process of thanksgiving is
not merely a response to the past. been able to grow in quality as well
Ours, is a statement of faith in as size, in spirit as well as numbers,
for we have established in this land
ourselves towards the future.
When a Jew arises in the morning, Jewish institutions of worship,
we are taught to utter at the first hint learning, culture and communal life.
of stirring the beautiful prayer, Modeh Our gratitude to America is
Ani. It is a statement of thanks before expressed as Jews in many ways.
the King that we are again renewed We take pride in the industrial,
and alive. It concludes with the theme artistic, commercial and cultural
of faith. "Great is your faith," we say achievements and excellence of
to God. Great is the faith that He has Jews, that have been part of the
in us. No matter who or what we were story of American civilization. But
the day before God, still believes that our gratitude as Jews should also
our today can shape a different be collective and communal. As we
tomorrow. He believes in us and grants preserve our tradition, as we affirm
us that new day with which to prove our faith, as we add our distinctive
ourselves and reshape our destiny. voice to the chorus of American life,
This is how a Jew responds to we are preserving for this entire
nation that religious heritage which
thanksgiving both communal and
has been the source of so much
individual: `Shehechiyanu, V'kiymanu,
V'higiyanu Lazman Hazeh." "He has that is good and great in this
kept us alive, and uplifted us and country.
A writer once declared:
allowed us to reach this time." He has
kept us alive physically, and uplifted us "America is a tune, it must be sung
spiritually. And finally he has allowed together." We remember the song of
us to reach this time to sanctify the the Jewish people, marked by faith,
moment with the strength of His moral passion, a longing for
commandments. It is the ultimate faith freedom, and hope for man. Let us
that God has in us that is the cause of be grateful that its melody has been
our travels through the pathways of the preserved by the generatons who
millenia and thus our greatest have preceded us to brighten and
uplift the music of America.
thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Is A Daily Activity
By RABBI ELIMELECH GOLDBERG
Young Israel of Southfield
Thanksgiving is a word normally
associated with deliverance from the
insecure seas of life. In the non-
Jewish world, Thanksgiving speaks
to the vicissitudes of settlers facing
the struggles and very uncertainty
of their survival and the joy they
recognized in their ability to carve
Succah Prize
Winners Listed
The Jewish Community
Center has named the winners
in its second annual Succah
contest. Families who were
named winners include: natural
decorations, first prize, The
Brandvain Family; second
prize, the Graham Family; third
prize, The Stoler Family; most
colorful; first prize, tie, Roberg
and Katzman Families; most
child-made decorations, first
prize, the Elkus Family; second
prize, the Storchan Family;
most traditional, first prize, The
Lowenthal Family.
Organizations who won
prizes included: largest
succah, Hashachar/Hadassah
House, first prize; most
colorful, first prize, Jewish
Parents Institute; smallest
succah, Jewish Federation
Apartments in Oak Park, first
prize; most child-made
decorations, Hillel Day School,
first prize; natural decorations,
Ann Arbor Jewish Community
Center and Day School, first
prize.
L 2
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FRIDAY, NOV 20, 1987
out a niche for themselves in a
brave, new world. The occasion is
marked by a day that urges a
remembrance of things past.
The Jewish experience of
thanksgiving is a different one. It is
woven into the fabric of our every
day relationship with the Holy One.
The insecurities that spark our need
for thanksgiving are not exclusively
the storms of a precarious physical
existence. Our spiritual survival and
individual growth are as much a
part of the equation as our life and
breath.
Our Patriach, Abraham, is
referred to by the Rabbis as the
Man of Faith. As the Father of the
Covenantal Community, it is
surprising to find him frequently
insecure about his covenant with
God. Abraham questioned and
asked for signs and proofs that the
promises of the Lord would be
fulfilled. Why was he uncertain
about the outcome of God's
relationship to His nation?
Abraham was a man of total
faith in God. His task however, was
to develop a faith in himself. This
Biblical hero who singly proclaimed
the Oneness of the Creator to an
idolatrous world community despite
the threats to his very life was not
certain what merits he could
possibly muster to deserve the
blessings of Heaven. This man of
total dedication could not fathom the
faith that God had in him to place
Abraham at the helm of the Jewish
nation. Abraham's thinking was
sound. What would I give up for the
privilege of sight, had I no eyes with
which to see? How many good
deeds would I be willing to perform
if that would allow me the capability