Thanksgiving in Israel

It was very strange when someone last week said Thanksgiving is coming up. It was strange because I was not home in Massachusetts or in DC with my family. It was strange because I was in Israel. It was strange because there was conflict here. There are certain aspects of a typical Thanksgiving that were not present here obviously. It just did not feel like Thanksgiving. I celebrated Thanksgiving with the rest of my program. We all pitched in and made a dish, brought silverware and plates, or brought wine or beer. We had a lot to be thankful for this year. For  one thing I was thankful for the cease-fire that was brokered between Israel and Hamas. I was thankful to be here in  Tel Aviv, a city that I have fallen in love with over the last two and half months. I was thankful to have a bed and a roof over my head. Volunteering at the soup kitchen here in Tel Aviv brings this sentiment up because I see a lot of people who are addicts and have gone down the wrong path in life. I know that some of the people I serve at the soup kitchen do not have a bed or a roof over their head. I know that some are at fault for their situation, either gambled their money away, or have become addicted to drugs.

Anyways, we had a turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, salad, mac and cheese, stuffing, and I made sesame green beans. We had many more dishes that I forgot but we delicious. It was a great night and I was happy to be full of delicious food at the end of the night. I missed watching football while waiting for the turkey to cook. I missed the fall weather. I missed being with my family. I know that I will have many more Thanksgiving holidays, but this one meant a lot more because I was not home. I realized  that it doesn't matter where you celebrate, it matters that you are thankful for something and to be with people you care about. In this sense, I celebrated Thanksgiving. The only thing strange was not being home.