If Thanksgiving isn't religious, then why don't many Jews celebrate it?

Question

A friend of mine hosted a get-together yesterday, but forgot it was Canadian Thanksgiving. We still had a decent turn-out because half the guests did dinner on Sunday and the other half were Jewish and didn't celebrate. It never occured to me that Thanksgiving was religious (I think Halloween is MORE religious than Thanksgiving.) It doesn't make sense to say that it is supposed to be a multi-generational Canadian thing (i.e. British or French stock) because Chinese restaurants in the Toronto area (and I suppose Vancouver area too) will make turkey to order, complete with Chinese stuffing (sticky rice w/ mushrooms) Do some believe it is religious, even though it isn't?

I should add that Canadian Thanksgiving is about harvest. Chinese Canadians usually celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving (which was Oct 8 this year), the Moon Festival (sometimes called Chinese Thanksgiving) AND the Winter Festival (usually December 21 or 22 in the western calendar...also often called Chinese Thanksgiving), so to my family, it has nothing to do with other similar festivals.

Answer 1

Cuz They Ain't Thankful!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

The American Thanksgiving began as a religious holiday. When the Pilgrims had the first Thanksgiving, it was a feast to celebrate the fact that God brought them through a second winter alive. About half of the population had died during that first year.

Canadian Thanksgiving was a celebration begun by the explorer, Martin Frobisher, who was seeking a northern passage to the Orient. His motivation was to celebrate his making it alive to his final stop in North America. And it was also a Thanksgiving to God for his survival.

Every religious holiday has been secularized in an attempt to make money. Jews would have no reason to celebrate an American or Canadian tradition. Mostly because there were no Jews at either of the first Thanksgivings. But, they have enough holidays on their own without celebrating a secularized version of Thanksgiving themselves. Why should they celebrate something that has nothing to do with them? It's only a federal sanctioned holiday to them, not a time to express thanks to God. They already have enough holidays to do that in their calendar year. Why would they follow a Christian tradition? That would be like Christians celebrating Hanukkah. It has nothing to do with American or Christian tradition.

Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it would be celebrated the last Thursday of November. Every president between George Washington and Lincoln proclaimed a day of thanksgiving each year. FDR changed the date of celebration to the fourth Thursday of every November.

Answer 3

As a Jew with dual Canadian-US citizenship, I have all the bases covered.

Thanksgiving as Americans and Canadians celebrate it, is not a religious holiday. However, Jews do have a Thanksgiving-like harvest festival that is religious. (Sukkote-forgive the English spelling of a non-English word). Some Jews, just like people of other religions, choose to honor only their religious holidays rather than their nationality's secular holidays.

Personally, I think that is not the best course. Why not give thanks and count our blessings twice, especially with our friends and families and good food?

Answer 4

Thanksgiving (Be it the Canadian or American version) is not a religious holiday, so Jews should be able to pray to their God, Christians to theirs and so on, sounds like you just know some really boring no fun Jewish types. To all the Americans here who think they own the Thanksgiving holiday, look it up Canada has one too and it was yesterday (Oct 8th) and it's not to celebrate the Indians saving the bacon of the dumb pilgrims either.

Answer 5

each Jewish individual (and relatives) i understand of celebrates Thanksgiving Day. only think of roughly this - why would not they? Thanksgiving is an American trip, and the Jewish people who stay in usa subsequently celebrate the day - the comparable as celebrating the different non-non secular trip (July 4th/Independence Day, Memorial Day, hard paintings Day, etc.). The above being reported, i understand some community American families who do not celebrate Thanksgiving because of the fact extremely what replaced into being celebrated finally ended up with the community human beings dropping their land. Have a stunning relax of the day. happy "Very Early" Thanksgiving

Answer 6

I'm Jewish, and each year we have a dinner. I don't think most orthodox Jews celebrate it, as they do everything 'By the Book,' literally. I believe most newer forms of Judaism celebrate it. And I think it can be viewed as both a religious and non-religious holiday. Yes, you can thank God, but you can also thank the people around you, and tell people why you're thankful, like you got a promotion, you got straight A's-- not necessarily a God thing.

Answer 7

Statutory Holiday = Holy Day, if you care to celebrate it that way. It can also mean a booze fest, feast fest, and many other things.

Hallowe'en is not religious. However, the next day, All Saint's Day is another holy day if you so believe.

I hope you have seen the effect of stereotyping. Everyone has an exeption to the stereotype.

Answer 8

I am Jewish and do celebrate Thanksgiving..Look at the word and the meaning of the holiday..I know alot of Religious people who think it is not a Jewish holiday to celebrate..I'm living in the USA and am an American Jew who celebrates this holiday that brings my family and close friends all together under one roof ...MINE! Alot of people say to me What kind of Jew are you if you celebrate this non Jewish holiday....My reply is I'm the kind of Jew who has a heart to celebrate any holiday that i chose to celebrate. AMEN!

Answer 9

According to Wikipedia, "Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a traditional North American holiday to give thanks at the conclusion of the harvest season. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October, and the United States celebrates the holiday on the fourth Thursday of November."

Notice the words give thanks. Thanks to whom? In America, we are thankful to God, the One we based our country on. (Well, most of us!) That is why some believe it is a religious holiday.

No other continent has this tradition. It started with the settlers at Plymouth Rock for us, but I really didn't even know Canada had thanksgiving, I thought it was American only. I learned something!

Jewish people would not celebrate a North American tradition, whether religious or not, so that makes sense. Unless, maybe, they live here and have learned why we celebrate.

Answer 10

What are you talking about? I'm Jewish, and my family has a huge Thanksgiving celebration every year. It's an American holiday, so maybe all of the Jewish people you know aren't American.

Answer 11

I'm in the USA and everyone I know that is Jewish, does celebrate Thanksgiving.