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THANKSGIVING 5784
Don’t Feel Like Celebrating Thanksgiving This Year?
Do you feel like celebrating Thanksgiving this year? Jews all over the world are living in a state of turmoil since October 7th. The NY Post (10/23/23) reports: “More Jewish customers have been buying guns amid the rise of antisemitism following the Hamas attacks.” Why? Because Jews are fearful. So I ask, with all that’s going on, should a Jew celebrate Thanksgiving this year? If so, what should we be thankful for? Moses tells us.
When Moses sent spies to scout the land of Israel, his instruction to them was to see the land, Hatova hi im ra-a, which is usually translated as, “Is it good or if is it bad?” But our Sages teach us, with the change of one silent letter in the word im (if)—from an alef to an ayin—im becomes “with.” Hearing this then can also sound like: “Is there some good with the bad?” Moses was saying, “I know we will confront difficult times and dangerous enemies. But is there not something positive that can be found there that can give us hope that we can endure?”
It’s a question all of us should ask these days. In the face of all our turmoil, is there not some good with the bad? Yes there is, and we find it among Americans and Jews. We should be grateful for the American people. Grateful?? What about the rise in anti-Semitism, people pulling down posters of Israeli hostages, students and faculty on college campuses making it unsafe for Jewish students, members of the “Squad” who want all of Palestine “from the river to the sea? Yes, they are a danger that must be confronted.
But on the other hand, remember on Rosh Hashanah I shared with you that Pew Polls again and again confirm that, “of all the religious groups in the U.S., Americans feel most warmly toward Jews.” In fact, 92% of Americans look favorably upon Jews! And that hasn’t changed since Rosh Hashanah. Despite the antisemitic rallies every day, America loves its Jews!
Take Steve Pitonza for example. Cheyrl sent me his story as it appeared on Facebook: A woman from North Woodmere walked into Play It Again Sports in Oceanside, NY last week and bought out all of their headlamps. She then asked the owner if there were any more in the back, to which he responded in the affirmative, and went to retrieve them. As she was about to pay for the untold amount of headlamps, Steve, one of the owners, asked her what in the world she needed so many headlamps for, to which she responded, “To send to the soldiers in Israel.” Steve’s response? “Take them for free. It’s on us.” Steve Pitonza—who is not Jewish—stands by Israel, and its people. And he’s not alone!
An organization called Philos Action League sent to many synagogues including ours 3 dozen white roses with this note: To the members of the Jewish community, Due to the situation unfolding in Israel … We stand in solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people during these difficult times and always. Your Christian friends are here to support you in any way we can. Don’t they deserve our thanks? Do you think synagogues England, France, Hungary and Greece have received such notes from their Christian neighbors?
Have you heard about organizations like: International Christian Embassy, or Genesis 123 Foundation, or Bridges for Peace, or International Fellowship of Christians and Jews? They—like many others—are Christian nonprofits that are raising money for Israel in its time of need. The Vice President of one of these organizations is quoted as saying: “I don’t think we’ve ever raised so much money so quickly … people are responding like never before.” Don’t they deserve our thanks?
And if that’s not enough, what about the 15 cowboys from Arkansas and Montana who flew to Israel to volunteer their help to the farmers? None of them are Jewish! How do I know? Because they’re cowboys!
If all that isn’t reason enough to express our gratitude to the American people, think of what the American government has done. Because of the tumult over who should be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives, it didn’t convene for 3 weeks. When they finally met, do you know what was the 1st resolution voted upon? A pro-Israel resolution that condemned Hamas! Do you know what the vote was? 412 in favor, 10 against. Not bad! 6 of the 10 who voted against will now be facing primary challenges because of their votes. Yes, Americans love Jews.
And a nod of thanks must go President Joe Biden. Most of you know that I’m not a big fan of his—mostly because of his pro-Iranian policies and his anti-Netanyahu stance. However, Joe Biden was with Israel on and after October 7th. Do you remember his speech when the war broke out? John Podhoretz, editor of Commentary Magazine—no liberal leftie—got it right when he wrote: Give credit where credit is due … Joe Biden gave what might be the most powerful statement in support of Israel ever delivered by any President. There were no qualifications. There was no evocation of root causes. And along with his words, he sent aircraft carriers!
I don’t agee with everything he has said. I don’t like hearing about “humanitarian pauses.” But let’s not forget the rockets, the aircraft carriers, the arms, the nuclear sub, the Iron Domes, the bilions of dollars in aid, the military advisors. Not good enough? Not worthy of gratitude?
Those who feel this way remind me of the old Myron Cohen Jewish joke: A Jewish grandmother is watching her grandchild playing on the beach when a huge wave comes and washes him out to sea.
She cries out: Please Gd, save my only grandson, I beg of you! Bring him back! And a big wave comes and washes the boy back onto the beach, good as new.
She looks up to heaven and says: He had a hat!
My friends, let’s not be ingrates. Hats off to Biden, hats off to Congress, and hats off to our many friends in America.
We must also be thankful for the Jewish people. Yes, there were a few Jews who turned against us and marched with the pro-Hamas protestors. I cringed when I saw them wearing a yarmulka and tallis. I wonder when was the last time they were in shul with that yarmulka and tallis? It’s estimated that 10% of Jews do not support Israel at this time. Let me tell you what the Talmud (Eruvin 19a) says about Jews who separate themselves from the Jewish community in its time of need. They are destined to go to Gehena—Hell! Yes, say our rabbis, they can all go to hell! I can’t top that!
But the rest of us? Until October 7th, we were mostly a divided people both in Israel and the Diaspora—and now that we are all hurting, we stand together as one! I was at the Americans March For Israel Rally in Washington DC on Tuesday. I saw ultra-Orthodox Jews, Modern Orthodox Jews, Conservative, Reform, right and left-wing secular Jews—300,000 strong and united with an equal number watching online and on C-SPAN. It made me cry. When did this ever happen before? Incidentally, that’s 600,000 Jews—the same number that stood united at Sinai—as the Sages (Rashi Ex. 19:2) tell us k’ish echad b’leyv echad, (as one with one heart)!
And let’s not forget our wealthy Jews. Their recent support for Israel is truly remarkable—unprecedented. Rabbi Elliott Cosgrove—of New York’s prominent Conservative Park Avenue Synagogue—recently surprised his congregants at Friday night services by asking them to take out their phones and directed them to a bar code where they could give money to Israel. He told them he wanted to raise $18 million—and got it! I didn’t try that here at Shaarei Shamayim because I know none of you would be carrying your phone on Shabbos!
And special gratitude must be expressed for rich Jews who are refusing to give. Billionaires like Leon Cooperman and Bill Ackman and Mark Rowan, Henry Swicka … have notified universities to which they have given hundreds of millions of dollars and informed them they will no longer give because of their indifference to Israel and the security of Jewish students.
And let’s include a shout out to Leslie Wexner—billionaire owner of Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, Bath and Body Works. He’s that rare wealthy Jew who gives to Jewish causes. But nothing he has done with his money made as powerful a statement on behalf of the Jewish people as his recent announcement that because the Harvard University administration did not express support for Israel in its time of need, and a letter from Harvard student groups blamed Israel for the mass attack … Wexner announced that he was ending his financial support—depriving it of nearly $500 million!
Wexner has used his money for us … so why don’t we do the same for him? I appeal to you; go to Victoria’s Secret and get a little something for yourself or your beloved. And when the salesperson asks you why you did it, just tell her: “My old Rabbi made me do it!”
Israelis are showing us that being a Jew is not about money, but about neshama—the Jewish soul. I’ve shared a few stories about how Israelis are showing their neshama, going to extensive lengths to support their chayalim (soldiers). Let me read to you a story of how chayalim are supporting their fellow Israelis: The owners of a small plant nursery in Kibbutz Be’eri—one of the worst devastated communities in the October 7 Hamas onslaught—thought they had lost their business when they were forced to evacuate … Owner Avivit John writes on social media: “When we were forced to evacuate, it was clear that all the plants would dry up and die … when they returned several weeks later [they found] this sign: “Sorry we broke into the nursery, we had to water the plants. With love, the chayalim.” Now that’s the Jewish neshama!
My friends, with faith in Gd, let us celebrate Thanksgiving this year with gratitude to Him and with a full heart for our being part of the American people and the Jewish people. Gd Bless America! And Am Yisrael Chai! Amen!
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