Whether or not Jews should celebrate Thanksgiving always somehow seemed to come up throughout my high school career. And we always came to the same conclusion: because Thanksgiving is an American holiday, unattached to religion, and represents Jewish values of gratitude and hakarat hatov, it’s permissible to celebrate. However, what never came up is whether or not you can celebrate the holiday outside of America, when it’s not necessarily customary. Most would probably agree the same answer applies—it’s allowed—but would it be appropriate to bring the holiday outside of the U.S. and introduce the holiday to those who might never have heard of it otherwise? Can Jews spread non-Jewish holidays to other Jews? Here in seminary, one of the best parts of learning in Israel is the opportunity to learn with people from all over the world. Many are from the U.S., but there are also girls from Canada, London, South Africa, and beyond. So, is it okay not only to celebrate the holiday for ourselves, but also to share it with our international friends?
After some thought, I believe the answer is that, in the case of Thanksgiving at least, we not only can but should. One of the things I’ve always loved about Thanksgiving is that it’s the one holiday my entire family, including my secular relatives, love equally. Though we spend Rosh Hashanah together as well, that holiday—while meaningful—will never be as significant to them as it is to us in the religious sphere. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is something we all learn about in school, and we all equally appreciate it as a time to be thankful and express gratitude to each other. This shared experience captures the essence of Thanksgiving: unity. Seminary, while an amazing place, can sometimes feel like a piece of you is lacking—home. With our families miles away, it can seem like there’s no way to bring “home” into our lives here. Even though it might not be exactly the same, I think Thanksgiving is the best way to do that. For us students, Thanksgiving comes at the perfect time in our year. By now, everyone is finally, or at least mostly, settled in and starting to find a rhythm in life here in Israel. Friendships have formed and are beginning to move past the “strangers phase” into deeper relationships. Thanksgiving provides a chance to strengthen those bonds and turn these not-so-new friends into the kind of friends you can truly count on. By doing this, we can find a way to bring a little piece of home to our new environment. Beyond the personal, Thanksgiving holds value for Israeli society as a whole. One thing that seems to be particularly pronounced in our year is the divide within Israeli society. People are polarized—politically, socially, religiously—with little room for middle ground. Protests fill the streets, and compromise feels out of reach. Thanksgiving is the one day a year in American culture that we’re encouraged to step away from the things that divide us and remember what unites us: that we are a team, a family on smaller scales, and people who care for each other. It’s a sentiment Israelis could benefit from nowadays.
As a nation, we’ve learned—especially recently—that no one else will fight for the Jewish people if we don’t fight for ourselves. And there’s no way we can possibly fight our enemies if we’re fighting each other. Thanksgiving reminds us that we are one people, one nation, and we need each other. It’s the reminder that gratitude has the power to heal divisions and change history. We have what and who to be thankful for, and a little gratitude can go a long way in creating a stronger Am Yisrael for our home, Eretz Yisrael. n
Esther Gaon is a graduate of HAFTR High School and is a recipient of the 2024 5TJT Student Journalism Award.