Hello! Gobble Gobble! I hope you are all having a good day, for whatever it means to you. I have a full house right now and have another guest coming later today and am very much looking forward to the delicious smell of Thanksgiving food filling my house as I embark on our annual Thanksgiving-food-for-Shabbos tradition.

I want to tell you about two things today that, if you really think creatively, are connected with Thanksgiving.

the THANKS

The first one is this Kulanu Yachad Shabbaton. The Yaroslavitz (affectionately known as “Yari”) family has been making inspiring Shabbatons (also called Seminars) for quite some time, but this year is the first year they’ve been able to cater to the growing demand from ba’alei teshuvah and gerim to make a Shabbaton catered to those of us who are already observant.

That’s right! It’s not a kiruv seminar, but a chizzuk one. Whether you’ve been observant for a couple months or a couple decades, this is for you! We all need a boost, and this is a fabulous way to do it. There’s nothing quite like a Yari Shabbaton.

This has to do with Thanksgiving because the Yaris were hugely influential in my journey to becoming observant and I am tremendously grateful for the time and care and sensitivity they showed to me over the years so it is the very least I can do to let you know about this fantastic event!

It’s December 21-24, so do not delay! Sign up now, let me know if you have any questions at all. There is also a children’s program so you can take your kids and know they will be entertained and educated while you are getting a dose of inspiration to help reinvigorate your life.

the GIVING

Item number two: Bikur Cholim Cleveland gets on the grid! What does that even mean?

I am beyond grateful to have such an incredible Bikur Cholim in town. The Cleveland Bikur Cholim does an unbelievable amount of chessed to the many, many people who come from all over the world to get medical care here.

They’re doing a fundraiser right now through GivingGrid, and if you would take a minute to support them and all they do, that would be tremendously appreciated.

As an aside, I have a new post up on Hevria as of yesterday, if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out!