Giving Thanks in Troubled Times

For many, Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends. For others, it is a time of sweet memories and nostalgia. But - let's face it. Thanksgiving is mostly about food - a lot of food.

For our American patriarchs, Thanksgiving was about being grateful for a year without disease, for a roof over their heads, for enough food. It really was a time to be grateful.

The Pilgrims celebrated thanksgiving while they were trying to develop a world that we've all benefited from. This small symbol-a meal together - was symbolic of a larger wish: the desire to create a more perfect world.

It is interesting to note that after the first Thanksgiving celebration in the 1620's, it was not until 1863 that it was proclaimed a national holiday. This was a powerful time for our nation, as we stood in the midst of civil war. That war shaped our country: it was a time of national turmoil and many casualties. Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the following, to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday:

“I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.”

The United States under Abraham Lincoln was certainly dealing with troubled times. His message for the people-to give thanks, while at the same time caring for this in need-is one we must embrace.

Fast forward to 2003. Our Thanksgiving celebrations are different today. We have creature comforts, including computers, cell phones, working cars. We give thanks for family and friends for time together. Yet there is much that is troubled about our nation.

In November, at the Reform Movement's National Convention, Eric Yoffie, the President of the Union for Reform Judaism, wrote, “…needs exist in painful and obvious ways. The great majority of Americans make less than 50,000 a year; half make under 32,000. And the middle class has seen median income decline for the second straight year. The number of Americans without health insurance is increasing, and the number of children living in poverty is increasing, even faster. State governments are cutting back and unemployment remains distressingly high.”

The advocacy group Texans Care for Children reports that 1 in 5 children in Texas- more than 1.3 million-live below the federal poverty level of 15, 020 for a family of three.

Our health insurance and children's health care is at a crisis proportion. This year, the Texas Health and Human Services commission reports that almost 2.6 million men do not have health insurance, and 2.3 million women do not.

And, outside our country: Violence in our world is escalating from bombing in Istanbul to Jerusalem, to Baghdad. Terrorism is on the rise. Never does a day pass without tragic news.

As we sat with our families yesterday, and perhaps on this entire weekend, we must give thanks for our personal blessings. But we must do more than that.

How do we give thanks in troubled times? By being a part of the solution.

Reform Judaism has a long and involved legacy of social action and practical involvement. Since its' formal organization in the late 1800's, we have been taking a stand for social rights. In 1885, the Central Conference of American Rabbis wrote its' first platform, a vision for the entire movement. In part, it reads:

In full accordance with the spirit of the Mosaic legislation, which strives to regulate the relations between rich and poor, we deem it our duty to participate in the great task of modern times, to solve, on the basis of justice and righteousness, the problems presented by the contrasts and evils of the present organization of society.

Our history of involvement in tikkun olam, in the repair of the world, is a long and celebrated history. Our congregation is a part of that legacy. Rabbi Frisch, of blessed memory, is celebrated by his dedication to migrant workers. Rabbi Jacobson, of blessed memory, paved the way for interfaith relations. Rabbi Stahl continued to be a beacon for our interfaith ties, as well as continuing to press for a real separation of Church and State. Since 2001, Rabbi Block has worked to established many of on hands or social action opportunities.

With our involvement in many hands-on social action opportunities, we Americans and as Reform Jews, begin to create tikkun olam, a world that is whole and perfect. Five days a week, members of the San Antonio community receive food from our Temple members who deliver meals on wheels. Members of our Yad b'Yad committee go to visit those in our congregation who are shut-in-unable to leave their homes. Members of our congregation join in our kitchen to cook for those that are hungry. Our congregation sponsors a birthday party once a month at the SAMM shelter, bringing birthday cake and cheer to those that would have otherwise have had none. And on March 28, 2004 our congregation will celebrate this spirit of giving with Mitzvah Day, a day long commitment to our city and its' people. I challenge you to become involved in any of these projects and the others, too numerous to mention, at our Temple.

Hands on service is central to our mission at Temple Beth-El. So, too, is understanding how policy affects the world. Another way to affect change, as many of us know, is advocacy. With a two handed approach-hands on care and advocacy, we can certainly make a difference in San Antonio and our world. Our social action committee will be gathering soon to begin to delve into the many potential advocacy projects. With our words, and our hands, we will continue to do magnificent work in our community.

Thanksgiving is about our families; friends; food. It is a time, to look inward and be grateful. However, too often when we look inward, we forget to look outward.

We, at Temple Beth-El, have a proud legacy of service. But we must never became complacent-we must always strive to fulfill our mission of tikkun olam, making the world a better place. We must never be content to look only inward. As we give thanks for our personal blessings, let us extend our hand out to others, so that they, too may give thanks. Only through the work of our hands, our minds, our hearts, will the world become less troubled. May we be inspired, as we give thanks for our gifts, to help others-not just during Thanksgiving, but for all time.

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