Join us for our next Adult Education session with Cantor Kate from 10 am to 12 pm.
Via Zoom Only (See the Weekly for the Zoom link or contact .
Why be thankful? Judaism’s relationship with gratitude and with the holiday of Thanksgiving
It can be difficult to express gratitude when terrible things are happening. Few things are more off-putting than being told to feel thankful when you don’t! Yet finding a way to be thankful for the good things in our lives, even in the face of personal distress and national catastrophes, can help us to remember what we are living for.
Gratitude is built into Jewish practice. Prayers of gratitude are part of every service. A special prayer, called Birkat HaGomel, is said in thanks for having survived an ordeal: a dangerous journey, or a serious illness. Moses Maimonades (Rambam) set four rules for when a person should say this prayer. But did you know that Birkat HaGomel, and Maimonades’ instructions, were part of the Bible the Pilgrims’ brought with them from England to the New World?
In our session this week we will explore a little of the history of our Jewish relationship with gratitude in general and with the holiday of Thanksgiving in particular. We’ll look at the first example in the Torah of someone being grateful for something bad that happened. Then we’ll take time to share our experiences of the holiday of Thanksgiving, and our own relationship with gratitude, including our struggles with expressing it.