The Hebrew term for gratitude, hakarat hatov, means recognizing the good. This Jewish value shares a deep connection with the holiday of Thanksgiving that we will celebrate later this month. Both Thanksgiving and the Jewish value of hakarat hatov remind us to focus on recognizing and expressing appreciation for all of the blessings in our lives.
While Thanksgiving comes once a year, the Jewish value of hakarat hatov is meant to be a constant in our daily lives. Judaism teaches that every moment is an opportunity for gratitude, not just in special times or holidays. Through blessings, prayers, and doing mitzvot, we are encouraged to recognize the good in all situations.
That is why I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to you, Temple Emanuel, for entrusting me with the sacred opportunity to serve as your rabbi. In just a short time, I have come to feel such a deep part of this special, historical community. Thank you for welcoming me with kindness and openness. I look forward to continuing to grow in friendship and connection over many years to come and to celebrating our formal partnership with my service of installation on Friday, November 15, 2024. More details will follow and I hope you will be able to share this special evening with me and our community.
I am also so inspired by the work of this congregation to bring to life goodness in the Greensboro community and beyond. In this way, I believe living our Jewish value of hakarat hatov, recognizing the good, transforms a simple act of kindness into something much greater. It is not just about recognizing the good in our lives, but about sharing that gratitude in ways that uplift others.
We do this through our tzedakah efforts, both in Kesher and the larger community, as well as through our actions. Every month on the second Wednesday of the month, our Temple Brotherhood, in partnership with Greensboro Urban Ministries, serves dinner to guests who need a hot, hearty meal. This mitzvah is not just for members of our Brotherhood, but rather an opportunity for our entire community to lend a helping hand to those in our community who are in need. By participating in this mitzvah with open hearts and smiles, we not only are providing food, but rather saying through our actions that all people matter and all people deserve to enjoy connection and community.
That is why I am so proud that I will have the chance to participate, as well, in the Greensboro Urban Ministry Feast of Caring on November 21, 2024. The Feast of Caring takes place each year on the Thursday before Thanksgiving and reminds us that during the holiday season, many face hunger and will be unable to sit down to a holiday feast. I hope you will join me and our Temple Emanuel family in supporting this effort.
Wishing each of you a Happy Thanksgiving. May we all be blessed with the gift of recognizing the good in ourselves and others this holiday.
Rabbi Amy Hertz
Rabbi Educator
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