Israel Teaching Fellows-Be'er Sheva/ישראל מלמדת את הבחורים - באר שבע: Thanksgivukkah

In a world, where Americans gather every November to feast upon the most glorious of food, give thanks to the miracles that this life has given forth, gather round TVs to watch endless hours of football, and where the men sleep soundly on the couches clutching their beers after eating more than they could handle...this holiday season, all of that has changed.

Latkes, meet Tom, Tom the Turkey. Tom, meet latkes. I think you both will get along just swell.

This year or rather last year, since this post is late, as most of you now are aware, the Jewish holiday of Chanukah, or Festival of Lights, landed right smack in the middle of Thanksgiving. The second night of Chanukah was actually when Thanksgiving occurred. This is the only Jewish holiday where it is celebrated primarily at night, rather than in the daytime, because we light the candles sometime after the sun sets, and just when we think there is only darkness, we light the Hanukkiah to brighten wherever we are.

They say that this holiday phenom will not occur again for another 70,000 years. What Rabbi is counting the Jewish calendars that far ahead is beyond me, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

Unbeknownst to us, many Israelis actually think Thanksgiving is a Christian holiday, which would explain the confusion many of us fellows received from Israeli friends when they were confused why we were so upset to be here and not at home during this holiday. After that confusion was cleared, they started to realize just how important, or quite similar it was to any other Jewish holiday. Not the whole conquering another group people, because the Jewish people have always been on the receiving end of those cases, but they understood the eating part. And boy do we eat on this holiday.

Beth and David Arnstein, my adopted parents while I live here, were kind enough to invite me to their Chanukah dinner on Thanksgiving night. While they were not making a Thanksgiving meal, they let me add my family's raspberry jello-mold that I always eat on Thanksgiving to their table. It didn't quite come out the way I am used to but it tasted the same so I was happy. We had some delicious salads, latkes, pumpkin soup, and cookies for dessert. We even got to watch a little football afterward, just like back home! It was great to be around family on this special and favorite holiday of mine.

The Chanukah candles all lit for the second night

Orthodox men lighting the neighborhood Hanukkiyah. What a cool thing to see all over Israel!

The next morning, at 3am my time, I got to skype with my family and cousins while they were just sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner. It was so fun skyping at the table again like I did when I was living in Montreal and I had to miss the holidays that year. As always, we had to take screen shots of each other and be goofy:) I can't wait until I celebrate with them next year!

My cousin's sign on the end says "I'm eating your yams." Because my favorite food at Thanksgiving and Christmas is Yams and every time I am not home for the holidays the family, especially my cousin Kris, likes to rub it in my face.