Thursday, February 10, 2005

Thanksgiving Day on Rosh Chodesh Adar

My great-grandfather arrived in the United States on Rosh Chodesh Adar 107 years ago. The family that remained behind was murdered by Ukrainians and Germans during the Holocaust.

Rosh Chodesh Adar is my family's personal Thanksgiving day.

Many of us take for granted that what we write in newspaper editorials or even on our blogs could send someone to prison in another country. The vast majority of us have never lived under an oppressive totalitarian regime and do not take the time to truly appreciate the freedom we have in this country.

Today is my day to do just that.

G-d bless America!

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A person is required to recall any miracle that may have happened to him and his family. This should be commemorated with a festive meal and with the giving of charity.

(Rabbi Avraham Danzig)

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Note: In order to express my gratitude for all the things that this country has given to my family, I am giving tzedakah to Operation: Enduring Traditions, an organization that assists Jewish soldiers serving in the American armed forces.

I post information about this organization only because I am "..one who wants to give and wants that others should give..." (Pirkei Avos - 5:16).

1 Comments:

At February 11, 2005 at 1:10:00 AM EST, Blogger Stacey said...

How wonderful that you know exactly when your family arrived here. I only know mine arrived from Russia in 1907.

I am sorry to learn the fate of your other family members.

Many of mine who stayed perished at Babi Yar.

You are right. We cannot even begin to comprehend what our relatives lived through -- the pogroms and the oppression.

We are indeed very lucky to be here, where we have been free to thrive.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

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