Everything You Need to Know About Thanksgivukkah By Katy Steinmetz Gather your gourds and yarmulkes—it’s time to celebrate Thanksgivukkah. In a rare alignment of calendars, the first day of Hanukkah will fall on the same day as Thanksgiving this year: Nov. 28. Here’s everything you need to know about the power holiday, the best excuse for overeating since sliced potatoes. It won’t happen again for 70,000 years. As you might have heard, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of each November. Americans keep track of that date using the Gregorian calendar. Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish holiday, is governed by the Hebrew calendar, which can have between 353 and 385 days per year. So the start date of the Festival of Lights varies in relation to other holidays, typically falling in December. The first day of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving haven’t coincided like this since 1888 and won’t coincide again until the year 79811, according to an analysis done by physicist Jonathan Mizrahi. Like Thanksgiving, the holiday has roots in Massachusetts. The woman credited with coining the name Thanksgivukkah—as well as the owner of the trademark, Twitter account and domain—is a 37-year-old marketing specialist from the Boston area. Dana Gitell first hit on the idea in 2011 after seeing a calendar that showed when Jewish holidays would fall over the next five years. “I was
driving and thinking about what you would call that day and rolling the words around in my mind, and I came up with the word Thanksgivukkah,” she says. Hanugiving really just didn’t stuff her turkey, and the chosen name echoes Chrismukkuh, a portmanteau holiday popularized by The O.C. in 2004. It’s a foodie festival. “It’s been about food from the start,” says Gitell, whose sister-inlaw is organizing a Thanksgivukkah celebration in Los Angeles that promises “light, liberty and latkes.” Gitell says she started to get attention after BuzzFeed ran a DIY piece imagining the fusion menu, with dishes like sweet potato noodle kugel and pecanpie rugelach. Restaurants have developed special menus for the holiday, too. New York’s Kutsher’s bistro is offering a three-course special for $65, including pumpkin shlishkas and the choice of turkey or brisket. It’s getting official recognition. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has announced that he plans to pronounce Nov. 28 “Thanksgivukkah Day,” giving the holiday a chance for legacy celebrations within our lifetimes. “Combining those two days sends out a strong message,” he told JewishBoston. com. “By us celebrating that day—Thanksgivukkah—it shows that we’re working together to improve our society, to understand our differences and to make a stronger world.” Macy’s, meanwhile, has announced that they will include a giant dreidel in their famed Thanksgiving Day Parade in honor of the occasion.
Put on your shoppin’ shoes. A new holiday means new retail opportunities. For $50, you can purchase a turkey-shaped menorah known as a menurkey, the invention of a nine-year-old who got his idea funded on Kickstarter. Or you can buy an official gear like a commemorative T-shirt—made in America, of course—from Modern Tribe. The goods are selling like such hot latkes that the small business has nearly doubled its staff since the goods went on sale. On a broader scale, retail experts have questioned whether this year’s early start of giftgiving for Hanukkah will upset the normal flow of holiday shopping. But according to MarketWatch, many analysts believe the doubleholiday frenzy will simply jumpstart holiday shopping. Thanksgivukkah has a serious side, too. When the idea first struck Gitell, she knew people would find it amusing. “The more I thought about,” she says, “I realized it’s also an opportunity to celebrate the Jewish-American experience and for Jewish-Americans to give thanks for America and the religious freedoms we enjoy here.” It’s also a chance for Hanukkah to enjoy a fresh spotlight, rather than being “lumped in” with Christmas, she says. “It’s funny for Jews to think about the whole world stopping on a Jewish holiday because that’s not how it works in this country,” she says. “There’s something about that that feels good, to share a holiday moment like that with your whole family and the whole country.”
Fall Kugel Servings: 24 Yield: 1 large casserole (24 side servings) 2 cups apple cider 2 Tablespoons butter 3 1/2 cups julienned onions (2 large) 3 1/2 cups julienned tart apples (3 large) 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary 1 1/2 cups chestnuts (shelled & roasted) 12 oz medium egg noodles
2 1/4 cups sour cream 2 1/4 cups small-curd cottage cheese 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds 4 large eggs 1 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
1. Boil cider on stove top until it reduces to approximately 4 ounces. Whisk in butter. Season lightly with salt. This can be done in advance. Store glaze in the refrigerator until ready to proceed. 2. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425째F. 3. Butter a baking pan with high sides. Cut onions and apples in julienne. Toss, adding chestnuts, in 1/2 of the cider glaze and fresh rosemary. Place in single layer on baking pan and roast for 30 minutes. Drizzle remaining glaze. Turn oven up to 475* and roast until tender and slightly caramelized. Watch closely to prevent burning. Transfer to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Turn oven down to 350* 4. Cook noodles in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to cool, then drain well. 5. In a large bowl, stir in noodles, apple/onion/chestnuts, sour cream, cottage cheese, and poppy seeds. Add lightly beaten eggs with salt and pepper, until combined well. 6. Place mixture in large casserole and bake until puffed and golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1/24 of a recipe (4.4 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. Amount Per Serving Calories 190.25 Calories From Fat (65%) 123.98
% Daily Value Total Fat 14.11g 22% Saturated Fat 8.38g 42% Cholesterol 71.3mg 24% Sodium 126.62mg 5% Potassium 129.58mg 4% Total Carbohydrates 11.21g 4% Fiber 0.9g 4% Sugar 2.76g Protein 5.47g 11%
Source: Chef Rachel Wilson Copyright: October 2013
Poached Fish Fillets with Sherry-Tomato Vinaigrette Servings: 4 Fish 4 each 6 ounce skinless white fish fillets, 1 inch thick kosher salt 4 ounces artichoke hearts, patted dry, sliced in half lengthwise 1 Tablespoon cornstarch 3/4 cup olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 onion, peeled
Vinaigrette 4 ounces cherry tomatoes 1/2 small shallot, peeled 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut into 1/8 inch thick rounds
Fish 1. Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 250*. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season each filet with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, toss artichokes and cornstarch in a bowl to coat. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Shake excess cornstarch from artichokes and add to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, 2 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook until garlic is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Strain oil through fine-mesh strainer into bowl. Transfer artichokes and garlic to oven proof paper towel- lined plate and season with salt. Do not wash strainer. 3. Return strained oil to skillet and add remaining 1/4 cup oil. Place onion half in center of pan. Let oil cool until it registers about 180*, 5 to 8 minutes. Arrange fish fillets, skinned side up, around onion (oil should come roughly halfway up fillets). Spoon a little oil over each fillet, cover skillet, transfer to middle rack in oven, and cook for 15 minutes. 4. Remove skillet from oven. Using 2 spatulas, carefully flip fillets. Cover skillet, return to middle rack, and place plate with artichokes and garlic on lower-middle rack. Continue to cook fish until it registers 130* to 135*, approximately 9 to 14 minutes longer. Gently transfer fish to serving platter, reserving 1/2 cup oil, and tenet fish loosely with aluminum foil. Turn off oven, leaving plate of artichokes in oven. Vinaigrette 1. Process whole cherry tomatoes, shallot, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper with reserved 1/2 cup fish cooking oil in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add any accumulated fish juice from platter, season with salt to taste, and blend for 10 seconds. Strain sauce through fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible (discard solids). Serving 1. Pour vinaigrette around fish. Garnish fillets with warmed
crisped artichokes and garlic, parsley, and tomato rounds. Serve immediately. Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (8.5 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. Amount Per Serving Calories 375.8 Calories From Fat (66%) 246.53 Tips • • •
% Daily Value Total Fat 27.93g 43% Saturated Fat 3.83g 19% Cholesterol 42.92mg 14% Sodium 256.34mg 11% Potassium 703.2mg 20% Total Carbohydrates 9.68g 3% Fiber 2.36g 9% Sugar 0.68g Protein 22.47g 45%
Adding the 1/4 cup of oil helps cool it to the proper poaching temperature. The onion half helps displace the oil, so it comes up higher in the pan and less can be used. Poaching in the oven guarantees more even cooking. Source: Cook's Illustrated Copyright: March 1, 2012
The Ballad of Thanksgivukkah
Rabbi David Paskin with help from Ayelet Paskin and Dana Reichman Gitell © 2013 Rabbi David Paskin Imagine Judah Maccabee sitting down to roast turkey Passing the potatoes to Squanto And pilgrims in Jerusalem standing with Hasmoneans Got to get this temple cleaned up pronto Like applesauce with cranberries, turkey stuffed with fried latkes It’s clear that this is one heck of a mitzvah Let’s celebrate this great country, religious minorities Everybody loves Thanksgivukkah
Nun, Gobble, Hay, Shin Apple, rhubarb and pumpkin 167 BCE the Has-mo-ne-an dynasty Was challenged by the lure of Hellenizers But Greek culture could not compare to spinning tops and Jewish prayer The miracle of light kept burning brighter
I had a little turkey(toykey), I named him Macabee I tried and tried to spin him but I was not lucky
In 1620 pilgrims came across the ocean here to claim A new land where the Mayflower could dock At a place we must mention they met native Americans When they landed here at Plymouth... Rock of Ages let our song praise Thy saving power
CHORUS Thanksgivukkah, Thanksgivukkah; let’s celebrate across America Thanksgivukkah, Thanksgivukkah; Happy Holidays, Thanksgivukkah!
CHORUS Thanksgivukkah, Thanksgivukkah; Let’s celebrate across America Thanksgivukkah, Thanksgivukkah; Happy Holidays, Thanksgivukkah!
Eight Giving Rituals for Your Family: Making the Most of Thanksgivukkah By Stefanie Zelkind
From menurkeys to sweet potato latke recipes, there are many creative ways to celebrate this year’s unique overlap of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving. In an effort to move beyond the kitsch, I would like to offer some additional ideas for blending the Hanukkah tradition of giving with the Thanksgiving ideal of gratitude. Here are eight suggestions (sorry, I couldn’t resist) of how to use Thanksgivukkah as a launch pad for learning, giving, and valuesbased family activities. 1. During Thanksgiving dinner, take a “gratitude break.” Ask everyone to take a moment to think about the best gift they have ever received (Was it a tangible gift? Was it an experience? What is a key lesson learned? Who gave it to you? What made it so special?), as well as the best gift they’ve ever given (To whom? Why did you give it?). Go around the table and share. You may just learn that your daughter’s favorite gift was that quiet morning you spent snuggling together on the couch, and not the iPod Touch you got her last Hanukkah. 2. Make the tzedakah (charity) box the centerpiece on the table, and invite guests to give—a quarter, a dollar, or more—to a collective tzedakah pool. Over dessert, ask each guest to suggest an organization or cause to support and give a 60-second pitch explaining why it’s important. Then talk about the different issues raised, hold a straw vote, and come to a shared decision about which organization(s) you’ll support. Don’t focus on the amount of money (although you may be surprised at how
generous people are); it’s about the discussion and the feeling of giving together as a family. Thanks to my own family for creating and modeling this Thanksgiving tradition. 3. Dedicate each night of Hanukkah to an organization that inspires you. After you light candles, share a bit about the organization’s work with your family. Visit the website together, read a brochure, describe an experience you had, then make a donation to support their efforts.
4. If your family tradition is to give your children gifts each night, set aside one night as a night to “give to others.” Go to a toy store together and pick out a toy to donate to a local drive. You can present your children with pre-loaded giving cards, such as the ones DonorsChoose.org and JChoice.org offer, and let them decide which project they want to support. Another approach is to find an age-appropriate, meaningful volunteer opportunity to allow them to give of their time and energy as well; DoSomething. org and VolunteenNation.org have great resources. 5. Pull out the crayons, stickers, scissors, and glue for a makeyour-own tzedakah box activity. For the artistically challenged, there are kits available online. As you decorate, talk about tzedakah, what it means to give Jewishly, and why it’s important. Drop the first coins in together as an opportunity to recite the Shehecheyanu blessing. Another gift idea: Books! Read about giving, tzedakah, and philanthropy. Check out these tzedakah-related books for younger kids from PJ Library and these for older kids and adults.
6. Watch a movie with a philanthropic message, like “Pay It Forward” or “The Pursuit of Happyness,” and talk about its key messages. Here’s a full list of movies and discussion questions, along with some other great activities for raising philanthropic kids. 7. Unlike Thanksgivukkah, giving should occur more than once every 70,000 years. Use the holiday as a chance to make a long-term commitment by setting out a course for ongoing giving. Open up a donor-advised fund for your child through your local Jewish federation or community foundation. Encourage your teen to join a teen foundation board at your synagogue, JCC, federation, or summer camp. Establish a giving tradition that works for your family (Put money in the tzedakah box every week? Give a portion of allowance to tzedakah? Make an annual gift alongside a family day of volunteering over winter break?). 8. Although Thanksgiving and Hanukkah won’t meet again in our lifetimes, each holiday on its own is a chance to think about the gifts we give and the gifts we’ve been given. Many of these ideas can be applied beyond the rare Thanksgivukkah occurrence. What ideas do you have for exploring philanthropy with your family? Share your suggestions in the comments section below. Stefanie Zelkind serves as the director of the Jewish Teen Funders Network, a growing community of teen philanthropy program professionals. She also serves as mommy to 2-year-old Ari, who can’t wait to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime holiday mashup. Stefanie can be reached at stefanie@jtfn.org.
Syrian Pumpkin Latkes Yield: 12 latkes 1 cup fine bulgur (5 oz) 2 cups warm water 2 cups pumpkin, cooked or 16 ounces canned puree 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup cold water 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1 pinch aleppo or cayenne pepper oil for frying
1. Put bulgur in a medium bowl, add the warm water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain. 2. Transfer the bulgur to a food processor. Add all remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the oil. Process until smooth. If the mixture is too thin, add a little more flour. Using floured hands, shape into oval patties about 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1/2 inch thick, tapering the ends. 3. Heat 1/4 inch oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In batches, fry the patties, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Serve warm or at room temperature. Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1/12 of a recipe (4.4 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. 2 of the recipe's ingredients were not linked. These ingredients are not included in the recipe nutrition data.
Amount Per Serving Calories 97.61 Calories From Fat (4%) 3.47 % Daily Value Total Fat 0.41g <1% Saturated Fat 0.11g <1% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 102.78mg 4% Potassium 164.72mg 5% Total Carbohydrates 21.45g 7% Fiber 3.86g 15% Sugar 1.86g Protein 3.15g 6% Tips â&#x20AC;˘ For an appetizer, I used a cookie scoop and formed a 2" diameter patty. The patty was topped with a small bit of thinned greek yogurt and chives. Source: Author: Gil Marks, Olive Trees and Honey Copyright: 2005
Turkey Soup with Brisket Kreplach Servings: 4 Rich Turkey Stock 2 6 3 2 1 3
lbs bony turkey pieces (back, neck, and wings) cups water Stalk celery with leaves coarsely chopped Medium carrots coarsely chopped Large onion cut in chunks Whole cloves
2 bay leaves 5 Cloves garlic (adjust amount used to taste- 1 to 10 cloves) peeled 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp white pepper
1. In a 5 qt. saucepan or Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Over high heat, bring mixture to a boil. Skim foam from surface. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until turkey pieces are tender. 2. Lift out turkey pieces with a slotted spoon. Strain stock through a sieve lined with 1 or 2 layers of cheesecloth. Discard vegetables. 3. Skim off fat. Use a metal spoon to ladle the fat off the top or chill stock and remove solidified fat layer that forms. 4. When turkey is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones. Discard skin and bones. Reserve meat for future uses. 5. Stock may be used at once or stored in a closed container in the refrigerator 1 to 2 days; or stored in freezer up to 6 months. Kreplach 8 oz cooked brisket, shredded 1 Tablespoon chicken fat
1/2 medium onionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;chopped fine salt and black pepper 1 package wonton skins (round)
1. For the kreplach filling, fry the chopped onion in chicken fat and then well with the brisket, seasoning with salt and black pepper. 2. Lay out wonton squares. Put a teaspoon of filling onto each square in the center. Fold the dough in half to form a triangle with the dough enclosed. with the point of the triangle pointing to you, moisten the left corner with a little beaten egg and fold the corners past the center, pressing to seal. 3. Boil in salted water. When the water comes back to a full boil, they will be done. Do not cook in the soup, as it will cloud the broth. Add warm kreplach to soup as you serve.
SOUP 4 oz turkey meat, chopped 1 teaspoon oil, olive 2 oz onions… chopped 1 oz carrots… chopped 1 oz celery… chopped
1/4 oz garlic 1 stalks parsley, Italian, fresh… chopped 1/2 oz turnip… chopped 32 oz turkey stock/broth
1. Prepare onions, carrot, celery, turnip by peeling and chopping into bite size pieces. 2. Mince garlic and parsley. 3. Using soup pot, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. 6. Add vegetables and saute for 3 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp-tender. 7. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil. 8. Add parsley. 9. Check the broth for seasoning; add salt & pepper if necessary. 10. Serve hot, with kreplach floated in bowls as served. Source: Chef Rachel Wilson Copyright: October 2013
Word Search Puzzle CLUES AMERICA APPLESAUCE BLINTZ CANDLES CRANBERRY DREIDEL EIGHT FAMILY FOOTBALL GELT GIFTS GRAVY GREEKS HISTORY HOLIDAY JUDAISM JUDITH LATKES
MACCABEES MAYFLOWER MENURKEY OIL PIE PILGRIMS PUMPKIN SAUCE SHAMASH SHEHECHIYANU SOURCREAM STUFFING SUFGANIYOT TABLE TEMPLE THANKSGIVUKKAH TOFURKEY TRAVEL TURKEY
Sufganiyot Bread Pudding Servings: 10 Cinnamon glaze 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon sugar 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 Tablespoons half-and-half (might need a little more)
2 cups milk 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 4 each eggs 2 Tablespoons orange juice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 pinch nutmeg 24 sufganiyot (donut hole size), torn in half
1. Heat oven to 350*. Spray 1-1/2 quart baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 2. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT doughnuts in a large bowl; mix well. Add doughnut pieces; mix until coated. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. 3. Spoon into prepared dish. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until puffed and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly. 4. Meanwhile, combine ingredients for glaze, using extra half and half to adjust consistency. Drizzle over cooled pudding. Serve immediately. Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1/10 of a recipe (3.5 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. One of the recipe's ingredients was not linked. This ingredient is not included in the recipe nutrition data.
Amount Per Serving Calories 281.51 Calories From Fat (79%) 222.34 % Daily Value Total Fat 25.26g 39% Saturated Fat 15.25g 76% Cholesterol 153.44mg 51% Sodium 51.9mg 2% Potassium 111.38mg 3% Total Carbohydrates 10.76g 4% Fiber 0.38g 2% Sugar 8.31g Protein 4.06g 8%
Source: Chef Rachel Wilson Copyright: October 2013
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