Gratitude is not about the big things

Genesis filled the Social Hall to capacity last Sunday night, for the 2025 Erev Thanksgiving celebration.

The social event promising (and over delivering) sweets brought out over 150 people from our two congregations, filling at least 15 tables as well as surrounding the cocktail tables. A bigger‑than‑anticipated turnout meant we had to roll out and squeeze in a couple extra tables.

Instead of the traditional Erev Thanksgiving service, this year’s event aimed to create a space to get to know new people, to talk about gratitude and Genesis, and to just socialize. Question prompt placards, ranging from “what is your favorite Thanksgiving dish” to asking to share a meaningful memory in our building, were placed on each table. One prompt asked about ideas for improving Genesis. Martha from St. Clare's suggested improving communication about what happens at Genesis board meetings.

Rev. Anne and Rabbi Josh reflected on gratitude, both in part in relation to the building we share.

Some guy named Jim put stuff together with duct tape in 1983.

Rev. Anne said that in “planning for this building's future and our life together, [we are] wrestling with what's beautiful, what's a gift, what's been handed down to us.” The physical space we share today exists because some of the people present were “part of establishing its actual footprint,” and, she quipped, because “some guy named Jim put stuff together with duct tape in 1983.” In response to which, George Brieloff shouted the quiet part out loud: “Jim Downward!” (If you know, you know. And most in the room knew.)

With panache and props, Rabbi Josh brought the joy of the story of Yonkel to a fresh audience. Yonkel, who complained to his rabbi about how intolerably noisy his house had become, what with wife and screaming children and all, learned a lesson about gratitude after his rabbi instructed him to fill his house with goats and sheep and chickens. Only after he experienced how horrible it could really get, could he appreciate the tranquility of what he already had. “Gratitude is not about being thankful for the big things,” reflected Pioneer 9th grader Kai Ryter. “It's always in relation to how things could get so much worse.”

Kai came for the treats but stayed for the nuggets of wisdom. He and everyone else were grateful for an incredible, glutinous spread of all manner of cookies and brownies and cakes and pies and fruits brought by attending congregants.

Congregants also met a request to bring bags of white rice to donate to the Back Door Food Pantry. A plate passed to raise money for the BDFP netted over $1,100 in cash.

If you wish to donate online to the BDPF, please do so through your respective congregations. St. Clare’s congregants, please donate here. TBE congregants, please donate here.

Happy Thanksgiving!