Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: This year's Dreidle song comes with a twist

Ok, now its your turn to get creative. With thanks to many contributors on the Hava Nashira listserv (Hava Nashira is the awesome annual event for Jewish song leaders), the Dreidle song has a Thanksgivakkah twist this year. Here are some of my favorites from the verses that were submitted (along with attributions). Please add yours via the comments section. Best contribution will receive a prize! (you are also competing with those participating on the B'nai Shalom Facebook Page) 

Happy Thanksgivakkah everyone!

I have a little dreidel

I made it out of clay

And when it's dry and ready

It will be Thanksgiving Day. ( Morah Arlene Isserles)

Oh Dreidle, Turkey, Dreidle,

I’m *ready* for today,

Oh Dreidle, Turkey, Dreidle,

Let’s eat and then we’ll play! (Morah Wendy Zohar)

I had a little turkey 

And then I had some more 

And later someone found me 

A-sleepin' on the floor (Fred Ross-Perry)

I have a little dreidel 

I made it out of turkey 

But I left it in the sun too long 

And now it’s turkey jerky! (Judy Caplan Ginsburg)

Oh dreidle dreidle dreidle, 

Nun, gobble, shin, and heh, 

Oh dreidle dreidle dreidle, it’s the 

Best Thanksgiving Day! (Morah Wendy Zohar)

Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: From Israel - its all about the Chemistry

Tonight's Thanksgivakkah offering comes to you from the Technion in Haifa, Israel. They know how to mix it up just right in their Chemistry lab. Enjoy! (and click the button on the top right of the video screen at the end to see their incredible video of a Robot lighting a menorah, produced a couple of years back.

Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: Stay connected

Not everyone fits around the Thanksgivakkah table, and not everyone is physically close enough to be together this holiday season. Then there are those who are not well enough, and others who may find themselves working to serve the needs of others on this day. But we can still stay connected. You may have left it too late to mail a card, but the Union for Reform Judaism has put together a Thanksgivakkah e-card site (and some just Hanukkah options too) so you easily send a message to someone to tell them that you are thinking of them. Check it out here!

Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: Let the games begin!

Just in case the conversation starts to wane during your Thanksgivakkah dinner, here's some simple fun that will keep everyone entertained for a little while - Thanksgivakkah Bingo! Play with chocolate gelt - the winner gets the lot!

Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: Putting the 'Giving' into Thanksgivakkah

Last weekend, at our Spiritual Journey Group at Congregation B'nai Shalom, someone reflected on the need to impart the kind of values that are important to use to our kids at this time of year. If we say or do nothing, they are likely to simply pick up and absorb the dominant narratives that they hear around them. And how often, after the holiday season, does the conversation among kids turn to the question of 'what did you get?'.  One of the values that we want to impart might better be reflected in a question that I'd love to hear our children asking: 'What did you give?'

This year, the Jewish Teen Funders Network has come up with a wonderful list of ideas to provide us all, and especially our children, with the opportunity to both give and nurture gratitude for eight nights.  What better way to blend the spirit of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah?

Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: Thanksgivakkah, the musical mash-up

I think my blog readers and congregants should know the lengths I went to in preparing this weeklong countdown. I had to sit through a great many truly awful parodies, corny videos, and other ear-curdling experiences in order to the find the truly delightful, entertaining, and musically pleasurable experiences worthy of your attention. This one is just plain 'nice'. Good voices, neat mash-up and melody of some holiday standards. For your listening pleasure:

Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: What's Cooking?

I've come across many online offerings with recipe suggestions that bring together the best of Thanksgiving with the traditions of Hanukkah. But this link takes you to one of the most extensive offerings that left me with my mouth watering. Let me know if you try any of them, and which ones get the most thumbs up.
The idea of mixing holiday food traditions leave you squeamish? Just remember that just about every food tradition we have for Hanukkah is of central European or eastern European origin: latkes, donuts ... none of these were prescribed by the Maccabees, or even by the Rabbis of the Talmud. So mix and merge this Thanksgivakkah at your dinner table - it's totally kosher. But Turkey for eight nights? Maybe not.

Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: Colbert is not at all happy about this...

In case you missed it, Stephen Colbert sounds off on 'Thanksgiving under Attack'

Countdown to #Thanksgivakkah: 8 pre-holiday posts

If you've not heard the news by now, you've either cleverly managed to avoid all media (especially but not exclusively Jewish media) for the past month, or perhaps you live in one of the 194 countries of the world that don't observe Thanksgiving. But... if you live in the USA, chances are that by now you are aware that this year Hanukkah will fall on Thanskgiving. This is something that it has never done in your or my lifetime before, and something that it will never do again in our lifetimes. In fact, it won't happen again for over 70,000 years. And, this being the case, here in America we know a thing or two about taking full commercial advantage of any and every holiday, so there's double the fun to be had when two holidays fall together in this unique way. If you've not already placed your orders, it might be a bit late in the day to get your Menurkey (see above), or order your t-shirts, but there's still plenty of fun to be had this year, and many have gone to great lengths to produce creative videos, inspirational menus, kid-friendly activities, and meaningful giving opportunities to make this year's Thanksgivakkah a year to remember.

Each day in the lead-up to the first night of Hanukkah (Wednesday night, November 27th - Erev Thanksgiving), with the exception of Shabbat, I'll be posting some of my favorite online finds from this year on my blog, corresponding with a special week of postings on Congregation B'nai Shalom's Facebook page. If you are on Facebook, please 'like' us and share your comments, reactions, (and we'll be looking for your creative input in the coming days too) on our page and on this blog. Today's posting features rare footage - from whence doth Thanksgivakkah cometh? Watch below: