Dear Families,
Is Thanksgiving a Jewish holiday? It depends on the way you look at it.
Thanksgiving is about being thankful. Judaism is about being thankful. We demonstrate thankfulness with blessings — saying 100 per day as the sages tell us.
Gratitude can also be seen from the perspective of the value of shmirat ha-guf (caring for the body). Studies have shown that practicing gratitude improves mental and physical health, increases empathy and improves sleep. There have even been changes in the brain from the practice of gratitude.
Judaism is about doing; gratitude is about doing, but also about feeling. Gratitude takes practice and changing the way you think. Big Life Journal (biglifejournal.com) is a wonderful parenting and teaching website. It will take a little thinking to replace these ideas that talk about relationships with children to relationships with spouses, friends and even bosses.
Begin with “parenting from a place of gratitude.” Each time you’re about to say, “I have to,” replace it with “I get to.” And then try being grateful for your kids (spouse, friend, boss) by seeing behavior from a positive viewpoint, for seeing people from the positive is a way to show gratitude for their presence in your life.
• Wanting their way = being persistent
• Clinging = being affectionate and connected
• Demanding things = being assertive
• Not sitting still = being energetic and joyful
• Whining all day = communicating their needs
• Being loud = being expressive and confident
So, as you prepare for Thanksgiving, don’t just plan the menu, plan the moments of gratitude. There are lots of ways to add thanks during your Thanksgiving feast, perhaps by everyone sharing a thought (sometimes it helps to tell people to prepare a thankful thought). And make sure to say blessings — the Motzi, of course, but also make sure you say the Shehecheyanu, thanking God for bringing your family and friends to this special moment in time.
Laura Seymour is director of camping services at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center.