Thanksgiving: A Time for Gratitude and Reflection

The connection between the Jewish community and Thanksgiving reaches back to the very first national celebration declared by President George Washington on October 3, 1789. This inaugural Thanksgiving marked the adoption of the U.S. Constitution and the successful establishment of the United States government.   

Gershom Mendes Seixas, often called the "Patriot Rabbi" for his vigorous support of the American Revolution, was the hazzan (cantor) of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York, the first synagogue established in the United States. His involvement in the 1789 Thanksgiving observance offers a fascinating glimpse into how early Jewish communities integrated their traditions into developing American civic culture.   

Seixas viewed this National Day of Thanksgiving as an opportunity to harmonize Jewish values of gratitude and prayer with American ideals of liberty and justice. At the time, the Jewish population in the United States was small, numbering only a few thousand, yet Seixas believed in full participation in the nation's civic and religious life.

In his Thanksgiving sermon, Seixas expressed profound gratitude to God for a government that upheld religious freedom—a radical departure from the persecution and restrictions Jews had faced in Europe. He urged his congregation to pray for the new government's success, reflecting the Jewish value of shalom malchut—seeking the peace and welfare of the nation in which one resides. This value is echoed each Shabbat in our prayers for the well-being of our country and its leaders.   

Seixas’s Thanksgiving service also demonstrated how Jews could affirm their dual identity as both Jews and Americans. At a time when the Jewish community was a small minority, their visible participation in a national event underscored their commitment to contributing to the fabric of the new society.   

As we celebrate Thanksgiving today, we should not take the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States for granted. Since the nation’s founding, Jews have been able to fully participate in American life while maintaining our unique identity and traditions. Adding a touch of Jewishness to this American holiday—through gratitude, prayer, or family connection—is a meaningful way to express our thanks.   

Wishing you and your families a joyous Thanksgiving filled with gratitude, connection, and love.   

Shabbat Shalom, 

Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel