From The Logic and Rhetoric of Constitutional Law by Thomas Reed Powell
My title is a theft from Charles A. Beard's brilliant essay in the New Republic on "Political Science in the Crucible." And what I shall say about it is doubtless the fruit of similar larceny from other thinkers. For most of us who labor in the vineyard of learning originate but little. And the few who originate seldom read papers before The American Political Science Association. So I shall not profess to be bringing before you thoughts that have sprung full armed from my own mind. In so far as I can trace their background I acknowledge indebtedness to Roscoe Pound and to John Dewey. And yet I must acquit them of any responsibility for my particular contentions; for the application is my own, and not only may power be lost in its transmission, but, even worse, it may be misdirected.
That, my friends, is a smart man.
This morning, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life (pewforum.org) released its "U.S. Religious Landscape Survey" for 2008. While AP's insights to the study focused mostly on bigger issues (their headline for the story is "Many in U.S. Drop Their Childhood Religion - Survey: Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Left Faith They Grew Up With," without apologies for ending the sub-headline with a preposition), I wish to point out some interesting findings in the survey that may not get as much attention yet may have significance to the Jewish community.
Total sample size: 35,308
Total number of Jews sampled: around 675 (it changes based on how many respondents answered each question.
Interesting items:
*1 in four Americans ages 18-29 do not self-identify as affiliated with any particular religion.
*Jews account for 1.7% of adults in the U.S. - Denomination breakdown: 0.7% Reform, 0.5% Conservative, <0.3% Orthodox, 0.3% Other.
*Jews are disproportionately older than the average American - "Roughly half of Jews and members of mainline churches are age 50 and older, compared with approximately four-in-ten American adults overall."
*Jews showed little change between childhood religion (1.9%) and current religion (1.7%).
*More Jews are leaving Judaism than entering it as they go on in life (Childhood religion: 1.9%; entering group: +0.3%; leaving group: -0.2%; current religion: 1.7%)
*Nearly all Jews stay Jews (15% switched religious affiliation, 85% raised as member), and most Jews who convert away from Judaism do not join another religion (76% raised as Jews and did not convert, 9% converted to another group, 14% converted to no religion)
*Of those who change religious affiliation during their lifetime to become Jewish, 5% are originally Protestant, 5% unaffiliated, 3% Catholic, 2% all other faiths.
*The question of intermarriage: Among married Jews, 69% are married to a Jew, 31% are inter-married. Breaking that 31% down, 12% are married to a Catholic, 7% to a Protestant, 8% unaffiliated, and 3% other. While there isn't enough data to break this next category down further, 63% of all Americans marry within their religion, and 37% marry outside. Of those who are married and have not changed their religion, 72% have a spouse with the same religion, 28% have a spouse of a different religion. Of those who are married and have changed their religion, half are married to a spouse with the same or different religion. This implies that the Jewish rate of intermarriage is above average compared to the rest of America, but the data also suggest that those who change religion are more likely to have a spouse of a different religion.
Who is Jewish?
Age: relatively evenly distributed - 18-29(20%), 30-49(29%), 50-64(29%), 65+(22%)
Race & Ethnicity: Almost entirely White(95%), with small amounts of Black(1%), other/mixed race(2%), and Latinos(3%)
Nativity: Most Jews are U.S. born (89%)
Education: Jews are very educated. 59% at least graduate college, and 97% are at least high school graduates. As points of references, 14% of the total population have less than a high school diploma, and 27% at least graduate college. Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Muslims have the highest proportion of adults with less than a high school diploma - 17%, 19%, & 21%, respectively. Buddhists, Jews, and Hindus have the highest proportion of post-grads - 26%, 35%, and 48%, respectively. Denomination does not appear to be a significant factor in education levels amongst Jews in almost all categories (less than high school, high school grad, some college, post-graduate). The only category where Reform Jews have a larger percentage is the number of college graduates (31% Reform to 23% Conservative). Yet, all other categories are statistically even, including post-graduate (35% to 35%).
Income levels: Jews are very wealthy. 75% of Jews make $50,000 or more. The Pew researchers attribute the high Jewish and Hindu income levels to the high amount of higher education. Those who make less than $50k are slightly more likely to be Conservative Jews (26% Conservative to 19% Reform)
Sex: Lots of it. They didn't really ask that question, but a form of it will be addressed later. But seriously, 52% of Jews are male, 48% female. This falls, statistically, in-line with the total population (48% are male, 52% female). The most one-sided group are Atheists, who are 70% male, 30% female. No religious group was exactly 50/50. Here's something surprising: Conservative Jews are more likely to be female (55% to 45%), and Reform Jews are more likely to be male (54% to 46%).
Marital status: Jews are married. 63% are married or living with a partner, 19% have never married, 9% are divorced or separated, and 8% are widowed. Reform Jews are slightly more likely to be married (61% to 53%), but Conservative Jews are also more likely to be widowed (15% to 6%), which could not be due to older age of Conservative Jews, as Reform Jews account for a slightly older population.
Family composition: Remember that sex joke I made a few lines ago? Well, 72% of Jews have no children under 18 living at home. 9% have one, 11% have two, and 8% have three or more kids at home. 82% of Conservative families have no children at home, whereas 71% of Reform families have no children at home. The national average for no children at home is 65%, so depending on how you look at it, we're above average. Actually, only Atheists and Agnostics have higher proportions of children-less homes (75% for both groups). Not surprisingly, 21% of Mormons have three or more children at home.
Where: Most Jews (41%) live in the Northeast, some live in the South (26%) and West (21%), and very few live in the Midwest (12%). Denomination does not appear to be a factor in location. The states with the largest contingencies of Jews are New York and New Jersey (6% of each state's population), DC/Maryland (5%), and Florida (3%). California is 2% Jewish. No state have no Jews, but 18 states have less than .5% of a Jewish population.
What does all this mean?
The clear majority of Jews are all ages (although Jews are older than the average American...insert clever Yiddish phrase about how guilt makes you old here), White, born in the USA (although Bruce Springsteen is not Jewish), highly educated, wealthy, married but do not have children at home, and live in the Northeast, South, and the West. For the most part, Jews stay Jewish, and most marry other Jews.
You're welcome. Now you don't have to read all 143 pages of the study. Although if you want to, check out the website above.
Thanks for reading. If you have comments or questions about my insights, feel free to fire away.
jg
I’m not sure if the following is a statement of ignorance, the state of our inter-religious understand, a combination of the two, or none of the above. All I know is that upon overhearing this conversation, I was taken back a bit.
Student 1: I just got into (some graduate school or specialized program , presumably focusing on religion)!
Student 2: Mazel tov!
Student 3: Said to the Christian.
Location: before a religious studies class, filled with students either majoring or minoring in this field.
I thought that the phrase “mazel tov,” although rooted in Yiddish, had made its way to the vernacular dialect. And that students studying religion and religious history would have an appreciation and understanding of cultural phrases.
Maybe this speaks to something else: those who study religion and religious culture are the ones who don’t cross cultural experiences. In other words, if a person studies Christianity, he/she might be more conscious to whom he/she says “Merry Christmas.” Separate. Put on equal grounds.
Just some thoughts.
Hey friends,
I know it's been a while since I last posted here, but I have some cool things to tell you:
1) I recently released my new parody "ShabbosBack." It's available through my website (www.jeremygimbel.com), and it's only $.99! (I took the song "SexyBack" and made it Jewish...check it out!)
2) I have a new blog called "Da Lifnei Mi Atah Omed (Know Before Whom You Stand)" and I post as the Song Leading Blogger. It's about song leading and Jewish music in general. Check it out at songleadingblogger.wordpress.com
3) I'm leading services tonight at Bet Haverim in Davis, and I wanted to share my d'rash that I will be giving tonight. Enjoy, and Shabbat Shalom!
"Shemini Drash 4/13/07" by Jeremy Gimbel
This week's parasha is Shemini. It comes in the middle of Leviticus, right after there is a huge description of how to make a proper burnt offering.
How do we follow up a parasha like that? Talk more about burnt offerings, of course.
Shemini starts out by continuing the discussion of how to make a proper burnt offering, but we start to see a little more excitement as Moses basically says to Aaron, "do it this way because today, God will appear to you." Really? God will appear to me? Wow, I must be someone who is really important.
So the big day comes, and Aaron follows the rituals exactly right, and at the end, he lifts his hands TOWARD the people and blesses them. He and Moses go back inside the Tent of Meeting, come out, bless the people again, and, wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles, God doesn't appear. Just to recap: Moses says to Aaron "today, the Lord will appear to you." Aaron blesses the whole community, and instead of God appearing to Aaron or the whole community, the PRESENCE of God appears to everyone. The presence? What does that mean?
A metaphorical interpretation might answer this question by noting that when a community gets together, the presence of God is there. Similar to this community - when we get together, God's presence is here. It is why we come to services on a night when we could be doing something else. It is why about 75 college students and their families will go to Hillel tonight instead of getting an early start to Picnic Day. In the movie "Keeping the Faith," Edward Norton's character, Father Brian -- a Catholic Priest who, like Ben Stiller's character Rabbi Jacob Schram, incorporates modern styles to ancient religious teachings – preaches, "it's very important to understand the difference between religion and faith. Because faith is not about having the right answers. Faith is a feeling. Faith is a hunch, really. It's a hunch that there is something bigger connecting it all... connecting us all together. And that feeling, that hunch, is God. And coming here tonight, on your Friday evening... to connect with that feeling, that is an act of faith." In many ways, the "Presence of the Lord" that is mentioned in Shemini is that hunch, that faith.
But maybe not.
Maybe, Aaron saw the literal and pseudo-physical Presence of God appear before the people.
As the parasha continues, the story of Nadab and Abihu is told. To make a short story shorter, Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu attempt to burn incense before God, but they use an "alien" fire that God had not made holy. They are consumed in that fire, killing them instantly before God. Moses turns to Aaron and basically says "see, this is why you don't play with fire." But Aaron, despite having just watched his sons die, is silent. Vayidom Aharon. And Aaron was silent.
Why would Aaron be silent in the face of such a shocking event? Was he in such shock that words could not escape his lips? I don't believe so, because the Torah likes to talk about what people thought and how their heart is feeling. Instead, I believe that Aaron was too engaged in his work.
In Judaism, there is this concept of "tzim tzum," that when God finished the work of creation for each day, God took a step back, looked at the work on the whole and said "man, I'm good." Tzim tzum, therefore, means that we take a step back from whatever we are doing, and focus on the bigger picture, instead of the minutia of our daily lives. Aaron did not know this concept.
Imagine, if you will, that you start a new job. You go into your office, someone from HR tells you where the copy machine is, where to file your TPS reports, and how to type in the password to your computer. You come to work on the first day, log-in to your computer, and everyone's computer opens up and all problems seem to go away. IT loves you, but you're pretty confused as to what just happened. Nevertheless, you continue your day. Later, two of your friends who work with you turn their computer on. Right then, the boss comes by and says "did I tell you that you could turn your computers on?" Without missing a beat, the boss hands them their final paycheck and a box to pack up their belongings. You're sitting there, not knowing what just happened.
In a way, I believe Aaron was in this situation, which is why he was silent. He had just witnessed the Presence of God appear before the entire community, even though he was told only he would see God. Then, when his sons screw up on something simple, they are killed right before his eyes.
So what can we learn from this?
1) Aaron was human. His reactions were no different than anyone else who had just been thrown two REALLY big curve-balls. We cannot look down on Aaron because he did not speak up when his sons were killed. He most likely did not understand what just happened, which is why he was silent. And even if he did understand, he probably knew that if he spoke up, he might be next to die. In this story, Aaron is merely a new employee, too scared to speak up to the boss.
2) The concept of tzim tzum. Yes, Aaron was too afraid to speak up to his new boss, but we should not feel that fear. When I received an email that there were threats to Bet Haverim this weekend, it didn't make me want to say "whoa, I think I'll stay away from the shul tonight." Instead, it made me more motivated to sing joyfully with you, and help us all learn something about this week's parasha.
Take a deep breath. Take a step back. It's shabbat. We're here. We're okay. Shabbat Shalom.
I have started posting to a new blog. It's called "Da Lifnei Mi Atah Omed" (Know before whom you stand, a newish mantra for song leading) and I write as the Song Leading Blogger. While I will still post some personal updates here, I will post there more often.
Here's the first entry from the new blog to give you an idea of what it's about:
Welcome to my adventures.
Hey there, I’m the song leading blogger. I’m a Jewish song leader, a college student, and a fan of all things random.
This is a blog where I’ll discuss song leading different gigs, great Jewish music that may be new to you, Jewish life issues, this and that. I mean, you can’t have “this” without “that.” It’s inconceivable. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. You’re probably right.
Comment, question, challenge, enjoy.
-SLB(Song Leading Blogger)
You can find the blog here: http://songleadingblogger.wordpress.c
Enjoy!
Wolf Blitzer's interview with David Duke, former grand wizard of the KKK and a speaker at Iran's "Oh, the Halocaust didn't really happen...it was just, ya know, a big cover-up for global warming" from Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2006
BLITZER: Mr. Duke, thanks very much for coming in. What do you say to those who say -- who charge, and there are many, that you're there in Tehran at this Holocaust conference simply because you hate Jews?
DUKE: Well, first off, Mr. Blitzer, I resent the introduction you made of me. You mentioned the Ku Klux Klan 11 times. That was over 30 -- well, 30 years ago in my life, and since that time I got elected to the House of Representatives, I became -- and I received a full doctorate, I have been a teacher, I have one of the best selling books in the world.
And you interview many former communists in governments all over the world and you don't introduce them by saying former communist and certainly not 11 times. I think you're biased because you're a former lobbyist for AIPAC. You're a Jewish extremist, supporter of Israel, so you want to bias anyone who criticizes Zionism.
BLITZER: Well, do you hate Jews?
DUKE: No, I don't. Do you hate people who don't want to be controlled? Do you hate Americans who don't want the Israeli lobby to have Americans fight and die and thousands maimed because Israel wants it in the Middle East? We have a war in Iraq because Israel wanted that war, not for American interests.
They lied to us about weapons of mass destruction, and now they're trying to get America into war against Iran, and I think it would be a tragedy for this country, a tragedy for the world. And you don't like what I say against Zionism so you want to talk about the Ku Klux Klan rather than the issues facing the world...
BLITZER: Do you...
DUKE: ... the terrorism of the Israel state for instance.
BLITZER: Do you believe, Mr. Duke, that there was a Holocaust?
DUKE: I'm sorry? I believe, sir, that the only way we can know whether there was a Holocaust or the nature of it is freedom of speech. I don't think we should be locking people in prison in Europe, even elderly people in their 80s, because they dare to have a different opinion about an historical event.
The American government shouldn't be saying that the Iran conference -- the Iran conference was a conference for freedom of speech. I heard many mainstream Holocaust speakers at this conference, many. This conference allowed freedom of speech on the issue.
The American government and Tony Blair and George Bush should be saying its a disgrace that David Irving, a worldwide historian with books in almost every library in the world, is in prison right now in Austria because he said something the Zionists don't like about the Second World War.
BLITZER: Do believe in a two state solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, a new state of Palestine living side by side with the state of Israel?
DUKE: I think that's probably the best solution. I think you have to ask the people who live there, of both Israel and the Arab countries. But I know one thing. You can't impose a solution from the Zionist's domination of American foreign policy.
Pearl and people like Wolfowitz, Feith, Wurmser, Kristol, Abrams -- we can go on and on. It sounds like a Jewish wedding. They have set American policy and they have hurt American interests in the Middle East. Just as I have said for years, as Walt and Mearsheimer of Harvard have said, it's a fact. And we are dying right now in Iraq because we're there for Israel's interests. We've gotten no oil out of this war. I said -- I went around the world, around the country before this war, and said there were no weapons of mass destruction.
BLITZER: Well, let me interrupt for a moment, Mr. Duke. As far as I know, the president of the United States, who is the commander in chief, is not Jewish. The vice president of the United States is not Jewish. The secretary of defense is not Jewish. The national security advisor to the president, not Jewish. The director of the CIA, not Jewish. Are these people simply tools of the Zionist conspiracy?
DUKE: They're not tools of a conspiracy, but they are definitely tools of the Zionist media and political power. Even the "Washington Post" said that 60 percent of the contributions for the Republican Party come from Jewish sources. Plus, if any politician in America dares to criticize Israel, millions will go to his opponents and he will be attacked in the media where Zionists have incredible power.
Even the "Jewish Chronicle," the "Jewish Los Angeles Times" -- excuse me, not the "Los Angeles Times," the "Jewish Times of Los Angeles" stated that four of the five conglomerates of -- the largest media conglomerates are owned by Jews, and the fifth is even more pro- Israel than some of those conglomerates. We have a controlled media in the United States, and that's why we're not hearing the truth about this conference.
This conference is about the fact that there must be freedom of speech. And this is insane that people are being criticized. This conference is being criticized when there are people in prison right now for freedom of their conscience.
BLITZER: If there's a controlled...
DUKE: Now, if you think that David Irving should be in prison right now in Austria -- I'm asking you a question, sir.
BLITZER: Well, I'm the one who asks the questions in these interviews...
DUKE: Do you think David Irving should be in prison in Austria for voicing an opinion?
BLITZER: ... and we invited you on. And the question is...
DUKE: Exactly.
BLITZER: ... if we invited you on, why is there a Zionist conspiracy if we're letting you on television right now? How do you explain that?
DUKE: How do I explain that? I think that you can't affect the news. You've got -- I think you have to put some spin on what's happening in Iran.
BLITZER: But we didn't have to invite you on CNN.
DUKE: And you want to -- it's an attack mode, always an attack mode when people like myself come on there. But you thought you could handle me with your 11 connotations of the Ku Klux Klan.
BLITZER: All right, let me...
DUKE: But you know something? You can't handle me, and you can't handle the truth, and the fact is, you are an agent of Zionism. You work for AIPAC...
BLITZER: Listen -- all right. Listen.
DUKE: ... the lobby in this country that controls Israeli policy.
BLITZER: Listen, Mr. Duke...
DUKE: You're not an honest broken on television.
BLITZER: ... I am going to read to you what Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said...
DUKE: You're an Israeli agent.
BLITZER: All right. I'm going to read to you what Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, has said and then you can respond if you agree of disagree with him. "Israel must be wiped off the map and, God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism."
That's what he said on October 28th, 2005, according to Al- Jazeera.
DUKE: All right, first off, that's a complete misquote. He never said wipe off the map, and he was talking about the Zionist control of the United States. In fact, I heard his last speech, and I read articles all over the world where he said Israel will be wiped off the map.
He said Israel would have a change in government just as the Soviet Union changed. Obviously, the Russian people weren't killed. Israel wasn't wiped out, and this was to garner hatred against Iran to support the Holocaust and maybe the nuclear strike against Iran.
BLITZER: Well, what about when he says we "shall experience a world" -- when he says we should "soon experience a world without the United States"?
DUKE: I'm sorry, sir. I couldn't hear you.
BLITZER: When he says we should "soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism."
DUKE: I know what the translation was. He was referring to the control -- Israel uses the United States as its proxy. They use the -- at Mahaper (ph) said from Malaysia, Israel is able to dominate our policy through their money, through their media control, and they're leading us to disaster.
Richard Pearl and Paul Wolfowitz he were the formulators of the Iraq war. Pearl, Wurmser and Feith wrote a paper for Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel calling for war against Iraq, Iran, and Syria. And that's exactly what we did. They made up the lice of weapons of mass destruction because Americans were not willing to die in thousands and spend billions of dollars for Israel's strategic objectives. That's the reality.
BLITZER: David Duke, we have to leave it there.
DUKE: And there are so many lies that are going on right now.
BLITZER: The satellite is about to go down. So we have to leave it right there. But you're in Tehran.
DUKE: Well, people can find information at DavidDuke.com -- DavidDuke.com.
BLITZER: I'm sure they'll have plenty of opportunities to hear what you have to say. That's it. David Duke joining us from Iran.
Carol Costello is joining us right now from here in Washington with a closer look at some other stories making news -- Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, all I have to say is you rock.
I'm taking a poll, 'cause I'm curious for the feedback (not that I'm a comment whore...):
Should I shave the goatee, or keep it?
Just want some feedback...
Oh, and if you think strongly in one direction, please, tell me why.
I'd also be curious to see if one's favoring of facial hair has anything to do with political preference, but that's a WHOLE other issue...
EDIT: It's gone. No more goat...
EDIT: Thanks Esther for showing this to me.
It's that time of year again. In Jewish youth work, there is a unspoken code of traditions: if it's been around one year, it's a normal tradition; if it's been around two years, it's always happened; if it's been around three years, it was basically written at Sinai. Well, now, I guess this tradition was brought down with the tablets. For the last three years, I have written a Thanksgiving entry, giving thanks and providing a general life update. While this entry is a little late, it will still serve the same purchase because, I believe that there should be no "set" time for giving thanks nor for apologizing to someone. Any time is acceptable. Unless, ya know, the time is not appropriate. But those times are rare, and hopefully, you get where I'm going with this.
This really has been a great year, and I am especially thankful for some moments that happened in my family. First, my aunt Iris fought her second round with cancer and she COMPLETELY kicked its ass, all the while smiling, keeping a positive attitude, and never taking a moment in life for granted. Then again, I don't think she ever did. She has always been one of the more gracious people I have ever met. We should all strive to be more like her. Also, we got a new addition to our family with Lucas Baird. Becky & Eric found a place together, and I'm really thankful they're happy together. More so that Becky's happy, but that's my little brother bias. My parents are both well and, at this point in their lives, no news is good news! I'm very thankful they were so supportive of me and my musical efforts this past year. I've taken some big steps and they were there at the big moments, which meant a lot. I'm also really thankful that we have such a great relationship.
As I've gotten older, I find it harder and harder to make new and meaningful friendships, which is why I am so thankful for my friends that I've been able to maintain a relationship with. While Facebook is a life-saver in some aspects...oh who am I kidding...if it wasn't for Facebook, it would have been much harder to organize where my friends are and decide to go on my trip this past September to Indiana, DC, and NY. While I am thankful for all of my friends and, pretty much, everyone I meet, I am especially thankful that I have special relationships with some people in particular: Brad, Ben, Sarah, and Arielle.
Brad - We met at the HUC study kallah in 2002, and we became friends right off the bat. I think you provided the most life-changing moment for me last summer when you said, "Hey, I sing, and you play guitar; let's write some Jewish music." Merely 10 months later, we released a CD of original Jewish music. The process had its ups and downs, but I couldn't have gone through with everything without you. You're so great to work with (both with Shira Tirdof and camp), and I'm so glad we're going to be roomies again. I'm also really glad that we're starting to write again, and I'm VERY excited to continue working on "Let It Happen" (For anyone else reading, you'll know what we're talking about in Spring 2008). Just today, I was feeling down, so I picked up my Epiphone (which I've kept in open D tuning), and played a mellow version of "Make It Through." My spirits were lifted immediately. I'm so thankful that I have you as a writing partner and a friend.
Ben - While we've been good friends for a very very long time, we hadn't kept in very good contact between high school and this past summer, Dave concerts notwithstanding. Yet, I am so glad we reconnected this summer and have become such closer friends. There were some awesome moments this summer (ie: "Hey dude, what's for dinner tonight?" "Enchiladas." "Wanna get Taco Bell?" "Yes!"...5 weeks later on the ride home: "I can't believe we ate all of that Taco Bell."), but the one I'm most thankful for was your birthday. I was so glad to be included in the group that went BBQing, and I'm really thankful that we have such a great relationship with each others' families.
Sarah - Baby! What can I say? I had heard about you from a lot of people, and I'm really glad I was able to agree with all of them: you are a really great person. We had so much fun this summer, and I don't think I could have made it through without your support. You've been a really great friend, and one who isn't afraid to tell me I'm being too big of a dork, which I promptly dismiss. I'm so glad we've become such good friends, and I can't wait to hang out with you this spring!
Arielle - It's rare that people can remain such good friends when they don't see each other for about 12 months at a time. I am so glad we've remained so close, even though we never see each other. And yes, some day, we're going to be working together and it will be awesome, except for anyone who doesn't get West Wing references. It's pretty cliche to say that someone has "always been there"(although, this entry in and of itself is pretty cliche), but over the last year and a half, you really have been one of the few things in my life that has remained constant, which I am very thankful for.
I'll conclude the same way I have for two years. Not because I'm trying to be vain by quoting myself, but because I am still struggling with my questions: Something bothers me about Thanksgiving. I understand how one can be thankful, I can understand how one can be appreciative, but how does one give thanks? It is going up to someone and saying "thank you"? Is that giving thanks? Or maybe it derives from a sacrificial ritual from the early Temple days which would prove that Thanksgiving is REALLY a Jewish holiday. Maybe. It's something to ponder, and maybe there is no right answer. All I know is that life is good.
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