God’s Providence and the United States: A Thanksgiving Reader on Judaism and the American Idea

Abstract

Much has been made in the media of the fact that Thanksgiving occurs this year on the first day of Chanukah. While this has provided much fodder for humorous remarks about "Thanksgivukkah," in fact, the convergence of calendars ought to inspire us to ponder how the Jewish approach to expressing thanks and gratitude to God may have impacted America millennia later. This essay, and the sources that follow, provide a framework for reflecting on the American holiday and on the Jewish ideas that may have inspired it.