I was talking to a group of people about memories of Passovers past.

Now I should probably tell you that the memory sharing group has been dealing with various illnesses that have made it difficult for them to remember things. Yet, as we talked about The Festival of Passover, vivid memories came into their heads.

Let me share some with you:

1. “I remember how we had to clean the whole house from any bread and, since we were cleaning anyway, did the whole house.”

2. “I remember how my mother would hide some pieces of bread and we would go around the house looking for every last piece. We would turn off the lights and my brother would hold a candle so we could see. I got to hold a feather and every time we found a piece of bread, I would use that feather to brush the bread into a little bag my baby sister held.”

3. “I remember going outside with my father early in the morning and we would take whatever and we would take a match and light the bread and watch as every last crumb burned away.”

4. “My mother used to have this jar and the lid had a hole in the middle of the lid and there was this chopper thing that went inside. We would peel apples together and put them in the jar with some walnuts and a batch of wine and then we would take turns punching down on that chopper.”

5. “I was the youngest in the family so I got to ask the Four Questions and, when I did, everyone shut-up and listened. I wish people would listen to me now the way they did then.”

6. “There’s this part in the Seder where we talk about four types of children. I always had to read the one about the wicked son out loud. I wonder if my dad was trying to tell me something.”

7. “The horseradish. When you bit into it, it was so hot that your eyes started to tear. But it sure got your sinuses to open up.”

8. “We used to take our little finger and, as we sang about the 10 plagues, we would dip into the wine and take out just a little drop. After the 10 Plagues were done, we got to lick the wine off our fingers.”

9. Hunting for the Afi komen was my favorite part.”

10. “One year, we opened the door for Elijah and a big dog walked right into the house to join us at our Seder Table. My Father even fed him some scraps and the dog licked whatever fell on the floor. We kept him and called him Elijah.”

11. “My Zaide used to make the Seder go so long that I wondered if it would ever end. But you know what, the next year, I couldn’t wait to do it all over again.”

12. “When the Seder was over, my father would tell momma to go to bed and we would all help him clean up so momma wouldn’t have to worry about it.”

These are just a few memories from some wonderful people who, even though they might not remember what they had for lunch today or, if they even ate lunch at all, can still find great joy and comfort in recalling the memories of Passovers past.

And, as we do our Model Seders in the health centers that care for each of them, may more wonderful and loving memories fl ow into their heads, into their hearts and into their souls.

And, at our own Seders at home, may we create unforgettable memories for our children and our children’s children, and let us say, “Amen.”

Have a kasher and a freilecher Pesach,

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

P.S. Join us at Temple Beth Israel for a special Yom HoShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, Program on Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m. Selections will be chanted by Guest Cantor Gary Sherman of Temple B’nai Shalom and memories will be shared by Survivors of the Shoah.

Rabbi Ezring is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach (201 S. Military Tr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442). Regular Shabbat services are open to everyone on Saturday mornings from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

This Friday is the first day of Spring and this Saturday is the first day of the Hebrew month of Nissan. Now is the time that we start our spring cleaning as we begin to prepare our homes for the Festival of Passover.

As we sit at our Seder tables, we will retell the story of our Exodus from slavery to freedom. Notice that I did not say that we will retell the story of our ancestors being slaves in Egypt, but rather that we will remember when we were slaves, as each of us is obligated on Pesach to talk about our personal deliverance from whatever has enslaved or oppressed us.

During the Seder, there is a moment when we follow a practice of the great Sage, Hillel, who was known to combine a piece of Matzah, the flat unleavened bread that we had to eat in our haste to leave Egypt, with Charoset and Maror.

This matzah was known as the bread of poverty. But as we got a taste of the freedom to observe our faith, that very same bread became the bread of freedom. And just as we shared that bread with each other in ancient days, we continue to share it to this very day.

But there is something else that we share during the Seder. We share the Maror, the bitter herbs that represent the bitterness of slavery. So why on earth did Hillel combine the two together? Why put the bitterness of slavery and the joy of freedom into one bite?

Perhaps we find the answer in the Haggadah itself. Each of us has tasted from the cup of bitterness and from the cup of freedom. And, since we have known both, there are a couple things we need to remember right off the bat.

First, in times of freedom, we must do what we can to help those who are enslaved or oppressed, as we know all too well what that horror is like. And second, in the times that we feel enslaved or oppressed, we must do whatever we are able to do in order to achieve freedom again. We must not give into despair; we must not give up hope. Indeed, the National Anthem of the Holy Land of Eretz Yisrael is “Hatikvah” which means “The Hope.”

Spring is a time of great hope. And, as it approaches, people often pray to get a little Spring back into their step. Even when death is approaching, faith and hope can most certainly make a difference.

Take for example Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame. Let me share with you two of his final tweets and, remember, he knew that he was nearing the end of his days as he wrote these messages.

The first said, “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory;” and then there was what I believe was his final tweet, which read, “So grateful for blessings, Wish the same to all.”

And then there was the recent Op-Ed by Oliver Sacks in The New York Times as he reflected on his most recent bout with cancer, which is so advanced that there is little if anything that can be done. He wrote, “…my predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved. I have been given much and I have given something in return … above all, I have been a sentient being … on this beautiful planet, and that, in itself, has been an enormous privilege and adventure.”

Spring is here. Be grateful for the many freedoms you have and make your life a loving adventure. And, while you are at it, be sure to give something back.

Passover is coming. May all who are enslaved hold onto their hope and may we do whatever we are able to bring them to freedom. With G-d’s help, speedily in our day … and let us all say, Amen.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach (201 S. Military Tr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442). Regular Shabbat services are open to everyone on Saturday mornings from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

On The Festival of Purim, the groggers, the noisemakers, were spun with glee. “Glee.” There is a TV show called “Glee.” It is about a group of young performers who love nothing more than to lift the spirits of their audience. They do so with their voices, their instruments and with their dance moves.

On Purim, we are supposed to be filled with “glee.” I looked up the word in a very old dictionary, a Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Edition and found these definitions: “entertainment”… “joy.”

But that just didn’t seem to do justice to the word, at least not at the times that I would say that, “I was filled with glee.” But, then, I saw the last definition given in that dictionary — “Glee – exultant, high spirited joy and merriment.”

After reading that definition, I think I am going to start using the word more often. I was in glee recently, as my congregation, Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach, had a wonderful Klezmer Band perform in our “On Stage” series. If you don’t know what Klezmer music is, you should be sure and hear some because, once you do, you will be hooked.

Klezmer music is filled with joy and, as you listen to it, your feet start stomping in rhythm with the music and, before long, don’t be surprised if you find yourself getting up out of your chair and dancing in pure delight.

By the way, there was something very special about the Klezmer group at our Temple. You see, according to their publicist, each member of the band is either a Holocaust survivor or the child of a survivor.

Yet, there they were on our stage playing Klezmer music and, even though many in attendance were up in years, by golly, they tapped their feet, and they got up and danced.

After the show, some of the Holocaust survivors who are members of my congregation were interviewed by the press.

While those interviews were going on, someone from the band asked me what my favorite part of the show was. I think he was asking me which my favorite song was. I told him that I loved all the music, and I loved the gleeful mood they had put the congregation into. But what I loved most about the concert was watching the faces of the band on stage.

These were individuals who lived through the horrors of the camps. So many people I know, after going through the horror of illness or of loss, be it of a loved one or of a job, or in the stock market, feel that they can never have joy in their lives again. Many even lose their faith.

But here were a small band of musicians who went through the horrors of Nazi Germany and, as they played their music, their faces began to light up with the brightest smiles you could ever hope to see. I could see the glee right there on their faces and that joy I saw in them … well, that was my favorite part of the show. The audience felt that joy and each of us was uplifted in spirit. We were all filled with glee.

As I write this, the Ramat Gan Dance Troupe is coming to us and I have no doubt that they, too, will lift our spirits. Most of us cannot dance like the members of that incredible dance troupe, but we can still get up and let the spirit move us. So, dance my friends, sing my friends. Let us sing and dance together and fill the world with glee.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach (201 S. Military Tr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442). Regular Shabbat services are open to everyone on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

I was scheduled to officiate at a funeral for a young man who, in the past, we would have referred to as “mentally retarded,” but that is not just a politically incorrect term to use, it is a downright offensive one.

So what is the proper term? Well, it might seem open to debate, and, since I wasn’t sure, I asked some professionals and I also asked the family of this young man. The American Psychiatric Association would chart it as intellectual developmental disorder” or “intellectual disability.” One member of the family used the term “mentally challenged,” and several others said that he was “special” and used the term “differently-abled.”

This young man used to live in Philadelphia, but moved down here for several years before going back to The City of Brotherly Love to live near family.

And his family did something that was so loving, so touching, that it tugged on the strings of my heart.

You see, it would have been very convenient for them to bury their brother up in Philadelphia. But they traveled with that casket that held their baby brother and they brought him back here to be buried in Florida. They did so, because this young man adored his parents, and his parents are buried here. So they made sure to fulfill a promise that he would be laid to rest right by them.

In the Torah, we find a similar promise being fulfilled as when Jacob passes away it is up to his survivors to fulfill a pledge that his remains be taken to be buried alongside his ancestors.

Before Jacob dies, we read about him calling family members to his side to bless them. When most people think of getting a blessing, they think of words that someone says to them or of prayers recited on their behalf.

But one of the things we learn in the Torah is that we, each and every one of us, should be a blessing.

Each of us has our own individual strengths and our own individual weaknesses. In other words each of us is “special” and each of us is “differently-abled.”

Just before the funeral of the young man, one of his cousins said, “Of all the people in the world, I never thought I would learn so much from him.” The Talmud asks, “Who is wise?” and answers, “The one who learns from everyone.”

In keeping with this lesson, I chose to focus on the blessings that each person at that funeral could learn from that young man. For instance, The Talmud tells us that, in order to be happy, you need to be content with what you already have.

This young man never asked for more than he had. He was happy with his lot. This young man never had a bad word to say about anyone, and Lord knows the rest of us could sure learn from his example.

He lived a simple life and he was content, and, get this, while for much of his life, his parents assisted him, when his father passed, this young man (who many would assume incapable of much of anything) took on the role of primary caregiver for his mother, doing whatever he was able to see to her comfort, and doing so with the greatest of love and devotion.

Let us learn from Jacob in the Bible and let us learn from this young man whose name also happened to be Jacob … regardless of our weaknesses, we all have the ability … no, we have the Biblical imperative, to “be a blessing.”

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach (201 S. Military Tr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442). Regular Shabbat services are open to everyone on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Don’t forget!

On Stage at Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach:

•Feb. 22 – 1 p.m. – The Holocaust Survivor Klezmer Band

•March 3 – 3 p.m. – The Ramat Gan Israeli Dance Theatre

Tickets – $18 per event for reservations, call 954-428- 0578.

I was invited to a Genocide Commemoration last week. But this was not a commemoration of the Shoah, this was a commemoration (the very first in the United States) of the 100th Year of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.

Most of you who read my column know that I have a passion for dance. So when I heard that the program would include a performance by the Sayat Nova Dance Company …well, how could I stay away? But there was another reason that I needed to be there. On Shabbat, just before the event, I sang a song during my sermon. The lyrics go something like this:

I am bound for the Promised Land …

Oh Lord, I am bound for the Promised Land …

Oh who will come and go with me …

I am bound for the Promised Land …

Who will come and go with me?

Which is it, are we coming or going? The same question was asked by the Sages in regard to what G-d tells Moses about a trip to pharaoh. You see, the Hebrew word, Bo, can mean “go” or it can mean “come.” So was G-d telling Moses to “go” to Pharaoh or was He telling him “come to Pharaoh?” If I asked you to go to the store, I would be asking you to go in my stead. But, if I asked you to come … that is what G-d was saying to Moses, “Come with me … I will be with you every step of the way.”

And that is why I felt I had to come to the Armenian Genocide Commemoration. As a Jew, I have a duty to remember the Holocaust and to see to it that it never happens again. The problem is that, before the Holocaust, there was a genocide perpetrated against the Armenians and there have been others since then in places like Darfur and Rwanda. So how could I not be there to remember the horror that happened to my Armenian brothers and sisters?

The dance program took us all on “A Journey Through Time.” The performers weaved the story of the Armenians from ancient days to the Genocide, to their rebirth. With each step the dancers took on stage, I could feel the connection between the Armenian Culture and the Jewish Community. We each went through an amazing religious transformation; each of us had and have those who would like to see us annihilated; and each of us not only miraculously survived an attempt at extermination, but both cultures have found a way to go on. No, each has found a way to do more than that; each has found a way to live, to laugh and to dance.

As I looked around the audience and saw so many children with parents and grandparents, I realized that the Armenians have the same aspirations that we have … to make our progeny knowledgeable of our past, of our traditions, of our culture and to be proud of being who we are. And, with the help of people like Arsine Kaloustian and the AGC (The Armenian Genocide Commemoration), may we be vigilant to speak out against any and all attempts at the Genocide of any people.

To Arsine and to all my Armenian brothers and sisters, we will not forget!

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

(AGC Inc. accepts contributions which are used to maintain and expand genocide education through outreach programs in The Tri-County area. Send donations to St. David Armenian Church, 2300 Yamato Rd., Boca Raton, FL 33431)

Be sure to catch these upcoming events On Stage at Temple Beth Israel …

• February 22 – The Holocaust Survivor Klezmer and Multicultural Band

• March 4 – The Ramat Gan Israeli Dance Theater

For tickets, call – 954-428- 0578.

Rabbi Ezring is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach (201 South Military Tr.). Regular Shabbat services are open to everyone on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Info.: 954-421-7060.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, and, to us, he stood 9 ft. tall.

Sadly, many in this world have still not woken up to his dream. They continue to keep their eyes closed to the prejudice and hate against our African American brothers and sisters.

Dreams are amazing gifts. We even find dreams in the Bible itself. And the scriptures teach us, as Theodore Hertzl summed up saying, “If you will it hard enough, it is no dream.” In other words, it is up to us not just to dream the dream, but to walk the walk. There is still much work to be done in regard to equality. The Rev. Dr. King Jr.’s dream has come a long, long way; but, it is up to each of us to help bring that beautiful dream to full fruition.

As Jews, we know what it is like to be treated with hate and bigotry. As Jews, we know what it is like to struggle for fulfillment of a dream. As Jews, we know that there is still much work for us to do in this beautiful but broken world in which we live. As Jews, we know that we have to wake the world from its slumber.

Jews walked side by side with the great leaders of the Civil Rights movement, side by side with our African American brothers and sisters, and, just as we continue to struggle on so many fronts for the fulfillment of our dreams, it is also our Biblical imperative to work toward fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream as well.

Let us hope that the day does indeed come when all people, Black, White, Jew and Gentile, can walk up that mountain together and live in blessed peace with the knowledge that we are all, indeed, brothers and sisters as we all come from the same Father, G-d, The Almighty.

As we approach the special day set aside to honor the late, great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach will present one of the greatest plays ever made about someone stuck in a long sleep who, finally, wakes up to a new world.

That’s right, the Temple will be showing a production of Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” … and not just any production, but one where the characters stand 9 ft. tall. The program will be enjoyed by people of all ages and it is the Temple’s hope that many will opt to purchase admission ($10 per person) so that tickets can be given to members of groups like the Boys & Girls Club of Deerfield Beach so they can enjoy this special play on Jan. 18 at 1 p.m., which is the day before this year’s official observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach (201 S. Military Tr., Deerfield Beach). His motivational sermons can be heard at the Temple’s weekly shabbat services (9:30 a.m. Saturdays). Rabbi Ezring is a member of the N.A.J.C. and of the A.P.C. He has served as a hospice chaplain and continues to work in pastoral care at several health facilities in the Broward County Area. For reservations, call 954-428-0578.

A man approached a friend of mine the other day. He was dressed rather shabbily and he was not exactly well kept. Okay, he smelled to the high heavens. His jeans were torn and his shoes looked like they were going to fall apart at any second.

In the olden days, we would have referred to him as a bum, but this particular bum must have been a Boca bum because asking my friend for money made him so thirsty that he needed to take a gulp of the frozen latte he held in his hands from Starbucks.

Make no mistake about it, it wasn’t my friend who was holding the latte. My friend would never pay that kind of money for a fancy coffee, frozen or not.

While our parents might never have judged someone asking for a handout, in our day and age, we have become a bit more cynical and some use this cynicism as a excuse to avoid giving charity to anyone or anything.

My Father of Blessed Memory never questioned. He just knew that he wanted to thank G-d by sharing his blessings with others. I may take after my father in a lot of ways, and I certainly hope that I have taken on many of his good traits. But, to be honest with you, before I give to a charity now, I check to see how much of what they take in actually helps the poor.

Sadly, I have even become cynical when it comes to someone on the street asking for a handout. Of course, the fact that on one particular corner in Boca I drive by early in the morning and have seen a gorgeous Mercedes drop off three or four people to beg on the corner …well, that just makes me wonder. No, it does more than that, it makes me cold and cynical.

Even more sad is that I have seen people standing by various intersections with signs in their hands that say things like, “Hungry, will work for food.” I used to keep some things like a case of peanut butter in my car to hand out to these folk, but you would not believe how many of them turned down the peanut butter and even gave me dirty glares for offering it to them.

Now, before I put you in such a negative mode that you never consider giving to charity again, let me turn this around a bit.

There are people, sadly, more people than you can even imagine who are in great need. And no matter how much you think the government is doling out to them, many simply cannot take care of the most basic of needs.

So many of you are going to make New Year’s resolutions of what you are going to give up this year; but, as we begin 2015, I would ask you to make a resolution not on what you are going to give up, but rather on what you are going to give.

Someone I know did this last year and, after giving all that he had planned to give, other things happened in the world, other things came up in the community, and he still found that he had enough blessings to give even more; and he did!

So while you are joyously ringing in the New Year, count your blessings and, who knows, maybe you will take these words to heart and resolve to share those blessings throughout the year. You see, giving to those in need isn’t just a good deed, it is the fulfillment of Holy Commandment.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach, which will be staging the “biggest” version of Rip Van Winkle you have ever seen on Jan. 18. For tickets, call 954-428-0578 or etaarts@aol.com. Come to the show and start the New Year feeling young again.

By Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Some of the stories in the Torah seem like what we would hear about on the TV news; stories about families not getting along, threats and killings, stories about lies, deceit and rape. The stories are about wrestling, not only with others, but with ourselves.

I often ask people who are low in spirits and feel stuck in darkness some questions. One is what they do in the morning and often their answer is they turn on the news.

And when I ask the same people what they do before going to sleep, they tell me that they get into bed and turn on the news. There goes any hope of having sweet dreams.

Many get so upset over the newscasts that they wrestle with themselves and with the covers on their bed all night long. And then they can’t figure out why they feel so miserable in the morning.

We are surrounded by bad news and it often seems that we are surrounded by bad people as well.

Have you ever watched someone who is behaving wickedly? If you have, you might have noticed an odd thing. You see, the first time someone commits a particular sin, you can actually tell from their facial expression and body language that they are wrestling with themselves as to whether they can actually do such a thing. But as they keep committing the same wickedness over and over they can become immune to that inner struggle, that self wrestling match.

We have people who thrive on stirring up trouble. They may try to tell themselves that they are doing it for a holy purpose, but they soon become victims of their own point of view and refuse to accept any other version of events. They stir the pot and others are grossly affected.

Take the case of the recent killing in Ferguson.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know who was in error, but I do know that the pot was stirred to the point that, if anything but the verdict that the mob wanted was given, well, the threats were already there.

And, as could have been predicted, there were those who took it as an excuse for looting, for hate and destruction.

And those who sat glued to the news went into the usual diatribe that things have never been this bad, that the world as we know it is falling apart.

But if you watched the news really closely, you might have caught a moment where the darkness was overcome by a very bright light.

A police officer noticed a young boy crying and motioned for the lad to come to him. Can you imagine how scared that young boy must have been being called over to a white police officer.

He was shaking a little but the officer calmed him.

“Why are you crying?” the officer asked.

The boy replied that he was sad about the protest and sad about all that was going on in the world…

The officer and the 12-year-old went on to talk about school and summer vacations. Having comforted the boy, the officer looked down on the ground and saw the sign the lad had been carrying (“Free hugs”) and asked if he could have one … and there it was for all to see on the news.

That little boy and that officer are wondrous examples of how things can be. I would reward 12-year-old Devonte and Sgt. Barnum with kindling the first two candles on the Chanukiah (The Chanukah Menorah) as they are great examples of adding light to take away the darkness.

And I would give them a coupon book good for unlimited hugs whenever and wherever they should need them.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

And while you’re at it, why not stop by Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach (201 S. Military Trail, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442) on a Saturday Morning for services and a free hug! And believe me, you haven’t had a hug until you have been hugged by Rabbi Ezring. LOL.

Many people had family come in from out of town to be with their loved ones during Thanksgiving. Many invited friends over to join in. And those friends came bearing gifts.

Giving gifts can be a marvelous expression of love. In the Torah, we read that when Jacob first saw the love of his life, he wept. The Sages ask, “Why did Jacob weep?” Some say he wept in joy. But that’s just one of many answers.

Rashi gives several reasons that are all indeed possibilities. But there is one particular one he gives that stuck out during this time where everybody is busy looking for gifts. You see, one of Rashi’s explanations is that Jacob cried because he had no gifts to give her. He had been robbed and, at that moment, he had nothing.

I thought about that a lot and I wondered what I would say to someone who came to me crying that he or she had no gifts to give, and my response would have been, “But you do have a gift you can give, you can give of yourself. You can give your love and devotion. You can sing or make someone laugh. You can hold a hand and give a hug. You can give of your time, of yourself, and that just might be the greatest gift of all.

What good is giving a bunch of flowers on the holiday if your usual behavior throughout the year does not show your love? I watched during Thanksgiving as various friends and family members came to express their love in the health centers and I caught some very odd behavior in a few cases. I saw one longtime friend come to visit a patient and she brought her a giant box of chocolates. The only problem was that the patient was a severe diabetic, which made that chocolate a very unloving gift. Another patient had a relative who brought them two bottles of wine, but, guess what? That’s right; the patient was a recovering alcoholic.

There is a tale in the folklore of our people about a man who comes to his Rabbi in the middle of a crowded place and goes on and on about how much he loved the Rabbi, about how wonderful the Rabbi is, and about how he adores him. The Rabbi responds, “You don’t love me. If you did then you would know how much I dislike such displays.”

Speaking of gift giving, you probably missed a special day that happened on the 2nd of December. It is known as “Giving Tuesday” It is a day to think about donating your time and your money to those in need.

Our bellies are filled from Thanksgiving and will soon be filled with latkes and jelly donuts for Chanukah, but there are so many who hunger and thirst for food, for health, for love. Let us show our thanks to G-d by being there for those who are more in need of gifts than we have ever been.

I should tell you that I am not a fan of Thanksgiving. I am not a fan of Mother’s Day either. I think the idea of acknowledging your mother should be a daily event and I feel the very same in regard to giving thanks.

What do you have to give? Give of yourself. Give “With all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might.”

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. Join us for worship on Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. and give us the gift of your presence.

Thanksgiving is soon upon us and, once again, our children will hear a beautiful version of the first Thanksgiving. They will hear about Native Americans and pilgrims feasting together on corn, turkey and yams, oh, and let’s not forget cranberry sauce.

Many adults who have given up on the myth of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny still cling to the Thanksgiving story they learned as little ones.

I have the same problem with those who dropped out of Temple life after their Bar or Bat Mitzvah. They stopped learning about God and Torah, and, now, even in their upper years, they have a 13-year-old view of God and His word. The problem is that there is much more to these biblical stories. And, there is much more to the Thanksgiving story.

Let me share just a few things with you about Native Americans. Did any of you move down here from Canarsie? Well guess what, it was named after the Canarsee Indians. And for those of you who spent time in Rockaway; guess what, it was named after the Rechaweygh (pronounced – Rockaway) Indians.

Many of the tribes were quite content before the pilgrims came. One tribe lived in one area and another tribe in another area. And, while they lived on the land, they considered it owned by a higher power. They were respectful enough of each other not to move too close. But if another group needed to use some of the land for awhile, or they needed some food or some water… no problem. You see, the Native Americans didn’t fence themselves in, nor did they fence others out. But then the pilgrims came, pilgrims who had this concept of land ownership.

Now, let me focus on the feast of Thanksgiving. The family sitting around the table on Thanksgiving night often follows a tradition of having each one say something they are thankful for. So what, you might ask, were pilgrims thankful for?

The pilgrims there did not have it so easy. They had neglected to bring others with them from their homeland who had the skills that would be needed to survive. This was especially true in regard to food. To get food, you needed to be able to hunt. And not only were they lousy hunters, but, when they did get lucky enough to catch something, they weren’t exactly great in the butchering department either. In other words, they could not catch it, they could not kill it and they could not skin it.

And this is where the religious background came in handy. With so little food to eat they came up with days of fasting. Yes, they would pray on these days. They would pray for something to eat, as they were darn near starving.

The days on which they were permitted to eat became joyous days of thanks … hence, Thanksgiving Day. And their feast probably consisted of some bread and potatoes.

This Thanksgiving, I want you to take the time to research, to learn as an adult. What I’ve written today might not be totally accurate; but, I can tell you this, neither is the story we learned as children. Keep learning. Seek the truth and give thanks!

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. If you would like to be part of a small, haimishe, Conservative Congregation stop by and become a part of our family. (Services – Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. followed by a beautiful Kiddish and friendly conversation. Temple is located one block South of Hillsboro Blvd on Military Trail).