Giving Thanks

It is hard to believe, but in just a few days, the quintessential American holiday celebrating turkey, cranberry sauce, and all our many blessings will be upon us.

Giving thanks has always been an important part of Judaism, as we express appreciation throughout the day for all sorts of things - we recite blessings before and after meals, blessings expressing thanks for our bodies and health (even for our many orifices and their proper operation!), and blessings of general thanksgiving. Thanksgiving can also be a holiday in which we give thanks for the religious freedoms afforded the Jewish community in the United States, finding a uniquely Jewish way to do so.

Blessings
Add Hebrew blessings to your holiday meal - if you have bread on your table, say HaMotzei, thanking God for bringing bread from the earth, and try to recite Birkat HaMazon after the meal.

Social Action
Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to perform mitzvot, especially those having to do with food and making sure others have enough to eat. Helping those who are less fortunate is a classic way to show our appreciation for our own blessings. As a family, go through your pantry and put aside food to donate to a food pantry or local soup kitchen.

Personal Thanks
One favorite holiday tradition before the start of the holiday meal is to take turns around the table, sharing personal thoughts about "Today I am thankful for..." - everyone at the table, young and old, will be able to take part in compiling a long list of gratitude.

Thanksgiving Seder
A Thanksgiving seder? Most people associate the "s" word with Passover, and a marked few might have heard of the Kabbalistic seder associated with Tu B'shvat, so what could a Thanksgiving Seder possibly look like? One popular blogster, Ima on (and off) the Bima, has created three Passover seders, which attempt to help families shift the focus away from creating the perfect (or close-to-perfect) holiday meal and direct it towards an atmosphere of gratitude. Check out her offerings here.

And if you're still looking for wonderful pareve desserts to round out a fantastically delicious Thanksgiving dinner, check out my new favorite blog - Couldn't Be Parve - where you can find a number of fantastic pumpkin and fall-inspired desserts, including this recipe for Pumpkin Pie. B'teyavon!

The Twins

Parshat Toldot
Genesis 25:19-28:10

"These are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham..."

Toldot, the title of this week's parsha, means "generations," and this portion of Torah begins by recounting the family background of Isaac in preparation for its description of his adult life. The story of Isaac and his beloved Rebecca is very similar to that of his parents, Abraham and Sarah. Both couples share great difficulty in getting pregnant, and Parshat Toldot begins with Isaac praying to God on Rebecca's behalf, for she is barren. Lo and behold, God responds to Isaac's plea and Rebecca conceives twins. The first twinges of sibling rivalry are felt within her womb, as it says that they struggle within her. The first twin to emerge is red and hairy and is named Esau; the other, born holding Esau's heel, is called Jacob. The twins are quite different from each other with different interests and temperaments - Esau is a hunter, Jacob is a quite individual who chooses to stay in camp. Isaac favors Esau, but Rebecca loves Jacob.

One day, Esau returns from a day of hunting to find Jacob preparing a delicious fragrant stew. Esau comes in starving and demands food. As payment, Jacob, always the wily one, manipulates Esau into selling him his birthright in return for the hot meal, which Esau does with no hesitation.

The parsha continues with the tale of a famine in the land, but God commands Isaac to remain in Canaan and not travel to Egypt so that Isaac might receive the blessings God bestowed upon his father, Abraham (i.e., a great nation and land). There are interactions with local neighbors, some cases of mistaken identity and/or relations (Isaac pretends Rebecca is his sister - much as Abraham did with Sarah when they traveled to Egypt), Isaac becomes wealthy and is asked to leave the area, and a series of wanderings ensue, with Isaac eventually settling in Beersheva and making a peace treaty with the Philistines.

The end of the parsha brings us the end of Isaac's life - he grows old and the time of blessing his offspring is at hand. This is the famous story of Rebecca's intervention that causes Jacob to steal his older brother's blessing. She convinces Jacob to deceive his father by impersonating him - he dons animal skins and pretends to be Esau, in turn receiving the blessing rightfully due his older brother. Jacob, encouraged by his mother's fear of Esau's reaction to this theft, flees to Haran to his uncle Laban's home.

A few questions for your Shabbat table:

• The Torah tells us that Jacob and Esau were not identical twins - they looked very different from each other. In what ways - your appearance, your hobbies, the way you view the world - are you similar to other members of your family? In what ways are you different?
• Think of a time that you were jealous of a family member of friend. What made you jealous? How did you feel inside? How did you act?
• For parents: Describe a time when you acted like Rebecca. For children: describe a time when you acted like Jacob.
• In order to get his father's blessing, Jacob had to trick Isaac. Was this the right thing to do? Why or why not?
• What could this family have done differently? What advice would you give them to handle this situation better?
• Think of a choice you made on impulse. What were the consequences? Would you have acted differently if you had considered the repercussions of your actions?
• If Jacob already received his brother's birthright when they agreed on the deal over a bowl of soup, why did he also need his father's blessing?

This week's g-dcast cartoon...

Who's the New Jew?

A recent CNN article is making the rounds of Jewish institutions and communities and raises the question of Jewish identity and expression among the Gen X and Millennial generations. The author asserts that some post-baby boomers are finding new, creative, and often controversial ways to express and assert their Jewish identities. The article addresses Jewish Punk music, tattoos, the emergence of prayer groups that have no affiliation with a synagogue, and a number of other experiential, educational, and spiritual pursuits. While some of these innovations might seem rather extreme to some, the idea remains that modern Jews are making choices about how they observe and express their religious, ethnic, cultural, and spiritual identity.

My question to you: how are you making Judaism an important, meaningful part of your life and identity? What choices are you making for yourself (or your family)? Has Shabbat observance (in any form) found its way into your home? Have you identified social action projects that further our aims of Tikkun Olam? Leave a comment and let us know what YOU are doing to stake your claim to faith, religion, and culture.

A Cave and a Wife

Parshat Chayei Sarah
Genesis 23:1-25:18

This week's parsha, Chayei Sarah, or "The Life of Sarah," begins with Sarah's death at the age of 127. By this point, Sarah and Abraham were living in Canaan, and at the time of her death, they had reached Kiryat Arba, a city now located in the West Bank's Judean Hills near Hebron. It was here that Abraham bargains with Ephron, a Hittite, for a burial place and purchases the Cave of Machpelah (sometimes called the Cave of the Patriarchs) and its surrounding field.

Following Sarah's death, the parsha focuses on the next generation with Abraham's decision that Isaac must wed. He sends his servant Eliezer back to, Aram-Naharaim, Abraham's homeland, in order to find a suitable prospect. Upon arriving in the city of Nahor, the servant prays to God to direct him to the woman chosen for Isaac. He approaches a well, the communal gathering area for the city, and decides for himself what he is looking for: if a young woman approaches him and offers some help, she would surely be the one God intends. Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, comes to the well, and through her kindness to the stranger and her haste to ensure his comfort, it is clear to Eliezer that she is the right wife for Isaac.

Eliezer and Rebekah return to Canaan, where she and Isaac fall in love. The parsha closes with Abraham's death at the age of 137, and Isaac and his brother Ishmael bury him in the Cave of Machpelah beside Sarah.

A few questions for your Shabbat table:

• When Eliezer arrives in the city of Nahor, he is alone and knows no one. What does it feel like to be a stranger? What kinds of things can you do to make someone who is new to your school, class, or community feel welcome?
• Eliezer decided that the right wife for Isaac would have to pass a kind of test. Why did Rebekah pass Eliezer's test? How can we be more like Rebekah?
• When Sarah dies in the beginning of the parsha, it says that Abraham mourned her passing, but the portion says nothing of Isaac's grief until the very end of the parsha. When Rebekah arrives in Canaan, she and Isaac fall in love. It is at this point that he is finally able to mourn the loss of his mother. Why might it have taken the discovery of Rebekah for Isaac to be comforted?
• In Chayei Sarah, Isaac's wife is determined for him by his father. As a family, discuss whether there are things children should be able to do without their parents' consent. How does the age of a child affect the answers to this question? At what age should children be able to act completely independently of their parents?

In this week's g-dcast cartoon, take a closer look at the interaction between Eliezer and Rebekah.

Twebrew School

There are a number of wonderful Jewish resources out on the internet - for some ideas, check out the "Jewish links" section of this website as well as the Twitter feed right above it. One of the more interesting resources for parents of children who are just beginning to learn Hebrew is the Twebrew School updates put out by the folks who brought us Jewish Treats (@JewishTweets) - both are accessible via Twitter. If tweeting doesn't do it for you, you can also check out their blogs.

What I love most about the Twebrew School articles (one a day for the month of November) is that not only is the reader introduced to each letter, but the introduction goes beyond pure linguistics (the name, sound, function of the letter), but includes information about the letter's interaction in both modern and Biblical Hebrew and anything else you didn't know you didn't know!

Today's letter is "vav"- one of the smallest letters in the alef bet, but one of the most powerful!

Veterans' Day in Washington DC

This Wednesday is Veterans Day, the annual American holiday honoring our military veterans ever since its inception by Woodrow Wilson (as Armistice Day) in 1919 - the name was changed to Veterans Day in 1954.

For those of you in the Washington DC area, we are fortunate to have our very own National Museum of Jewish American Military History, located at 1811 R Street, NW in DC. On Wednesday, November 11, from 3:30pm to 5:30pm, they will have programs for children (2nd -5th grade), which include a treasure hunt and oral histories. The museum is free, and donations are welcome. With most of our area schools having an early release day, this could be the perfect afternoon activity for your family.

This is a great way to honor our nation's veterans and learn about the important role that Jewish soldiers have played in our history.

Testing God, Testing Abraham

Parshat Vayeira

Genesis 18:1-22:24

Like many parshiyot in B'reishit (Genesis), Parshat Vayeira is jam packed with stories and lessons. The parsha opens with a visit to Abraham from messenger,s who bring predictions of the birth of Isaac. This greatly amuses Sarah, who can hardly believe she is to become a mother at the ripe old age of 90.

God later appears to Abraham and foretells the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. A discussion ensues in which Abraham bargains for the citizens of these cities. The story continues with Lot having to flee Sodom, and his wife is turned into a pillar of salt after ignoring the warning to not look upon the annihilation of the city as they escape.

The parsha ends (after a brief sojourn in the land of Gerar) with the birth of Isaac, the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, and the near-sacrifice of Isaac.

A few questions for your Shabbat dinner table:

• During this parsha, Sarah gives birth to her son who is named "Isaac," which is derived from the Hebrew word for laughter. Why might this be the name chosen for Isaac? What is so funny about his birth?
• Take this time to discuss names and the meaning behind them. How did everyone in your family get their name? Are they named for someone? What characteristics of that person might you want to emulate?
• When God tells Abraham about the wickedness of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham tries to bargain for the citizens of those two cities. How do you think Abraham felt trying to argue with God? Have you ever had an occasion to argue for something you thought was very important?
• At the end of the parsha, we see the story of Akedat Yitzchak, the binding and near-sacrifice of Isaac, which we read during Rosh Hashanah. Some people read this as God testing Abraham's commitment and devotion, and it seems that Abraham has passed the test. Ask every family member to think of a very strong belief he or she holds or a value to which he or she is committed. Would any of you put the belief or value above the lives of those you love?

And as always, here is a fun quick look at Parshat Vayeira from g-dcast - this clip takes a deeper look at the story of Hagar and Ishmael.