I cannot help but associate Sukkot with Thanksgiving, even more so this very year than for others.
For those who do not already know, I am from Canada, where Thanksgiving is observed on the second Monday of October because the harvest there is sown earlier than in the United States; for Canadians it also coincides closely with the agricultural feast Jews around the world commemorate on Tishri 15, five days after Yom Kippur. Another similarity for me is the Hebrew word, “hodu” which has a duel meaning of both Thanksgiving and turkey, a traditional meal this time of the year.
It seems fitting, therefore, that we can and should celebrate our secular Thanksgiving from a religious and Jewish perspective. We can start our meal with a “Shehehayanu,” a prayer of Thanksgiving to recognize how special to once again, gather with family and friends and to create memories that will last forever. At a meal where culinary creativity and excessive eating are often the rule of the day, the simplicity of the “hamotzi lechemmin ha-aretz”blessing would be particularly elegant. Corn, autumn harvest foods, a variety of fruit and nuts stuck together with honey can be a part of the plate. Sharing stories of family immigration, showing artifacts from one’s past, fulfills the mitzvah of “l’dor v’dor,” from one generation to the next.
I would love to hear about how you and your families made this Thanksgiving an especially unique and memorable experience!
Our Religious School had an active and full agenda during the month of Tishrei. All students learned about the many and joyous holidays during the month, and each kitah participated in special programs unique to this season. In preparation for the celebration of Sukkot, every student had the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of “benching lulav”, sitting and eating in the Sukkah. Our Hey and Hebrew High students enjoyed our “PIZZA IN THE HUT” program as well.
It is now seventy one years since Kristallnacht, “The Night of the BrokenGlass”, occurred in Germany. Synagogues were destroyed, books were burned and people were forced to flee from their homes. People everywhere shall continue to remember and tell the stories of the victims and survivors and of the Nazi destruction. At the same time, we honor together the renewed life of that generation, and their children, and their children’s children for generations to come. Pine Brook Jewish Center’s Religious School is honored to have the opportunity to bring Naomi Miller, a second generation Holocaust survivor, to commemorate Kristallnacht with our Kitah Hey and Hebrew High students. Her music is inspirational and always touches the hearts and minds of all who attend, and we are able to show the true meaning of “NEVER AGAIN”. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending this phenomenal program on Tuesday, November10th, 2009 at 6:40 p.m. This program is open to the entire congregation!
Please mark your calendars for these upcoming events and school closures for the month of November:
Sunday, November 8th
No Religious School
Tuesday, November 10th
Kristallnacht program with Naomi Miller
Thursday, November 19th
Yad Workshop for Kitah Dalet
Tuesday, November 24th
Ecumenical Service – no regular session for Hey and Hebrew High
Thursday, November 26th
Happy Thanksgiving – No Religious School
Sunday, November 29th
No Religious School
I would like to remind readers that the Religious School is memorializing the Siddurs used in our Junior Congregation services as a fundraiser to defray the costs of various Religious School programs we offer our students.
You can support this worthy initiative with a $25.00 pledge in honor or memory of a loved one that will be recognized with a dedication label on the inside cover of the Siddur. Please contact Anita Sanders at 973 – 244-9800 x 17 for additional information.
Pease continue to look for our exciting upcoming programs.
As always, you are invited to please stop by or call my office if you have any comments or suggestions you wish to share.
