Can Jewish People Celebrate Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving. Just hearing the word brings to mind cool fall days, families gathered around a loaded table, the mouthwatering smell of turkey roasting, and sharing what we're thankful for. It's an important part of the American holiday lineup, rich in national stories and traditions. 

But in a country made up of so many different cultures and religions, you might wonder: how does this all-American holiday fit with the customs and beliefs of various groups? Specifically, do Jewish people celebrate Thanksgiving?

For most American Jews, the answer is a big yes. But, like many things that come with blending cultures, the way Thanksgiving is celebrated can have its own flavor, mixing American customs with Jewish values and traditions.

Thanksgiving: An American Tradition Embraced by Many

Before diving into how Jewish communities experience Thanksgiving, let's understand the holiday's broader American context. 

Officially established as a national holiday, Thanksgiving is widely regarded as a secular occasion. Its origins trace back to 1621, when English Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony shared a harvest feast with the Wampanoag people. This event is often considered the "First Thanksgiving," symbolizing cooperation and gratitude.

However, the concept of giving thanks through communal feasting wasn't unique to this gathering. Indigenous peoples across North America had long-held harvest celebrations expressing gratitude for nature's bounty. Similarly, European settlers brought their own traditions of harvest festivals and days of thanksgiving to the New World.

Over time, Thanksgiving evolved. In 1789, President George Washington proclaimed the first nationwide thanksgiving celebration, emphasizing gratitude for the country's independence and blessings. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, seeking to unify the nation, declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, setting the precedent for its annual observance.

Today, Thanksgiving centers around these universal themes:

Because these themes are broadly universal and not tied to the specific doctrines of any single religion (unlike Christmas or Easter, which have distinct Christian theological meanings), Thanksgiving is accessible and meaningful to people from diverse religious and non-religious backgrounds, including Jewish Americans.

Do Jewish People Celebrate Thanksgiving? 

So, back to the core question: do Jewish people celebrate Thanksgiving? 

Yes, most American Jews participate in Thanksgiving celebrations. They gather with family and friends, enjoy a festive meal (often featuring the iconic turkey), and take time to reflect on their blessings. For many, it’s simply part of being American, a cultural tradition embraced alongside their Jewish identity.  

However, it’s important to understand that Thanksgiving is not a Jewish religious holiday. It doesn't appear in the Torah or Jewish liturgical calendar. Its observance isn't mandated by Jewish law (Halakha). Instead, it's viewed as an American civic holiday whose central theme – gratitude – strongly resonates with core Jewish values.

The nuances arise in how Jewish individuals and families approach the day, ensuring its observance doesn't conflict with Jewish law and often infusing it with uniquely Jewish perspectives on gratitude and community.

Thanksgiving vs. Other Jewish Holidays

Why Thanksgiving Resonates Within the Jewish Community

Several factors explain why Thanksgiving is so widely accepted and celebrated within the American Jewish community:

A Secular Holiday Focused on Universal Values

As mentioned, the predominantly secular nature of modern Thanksgiving is key. Its emphasis on gratitude, family togetherness, and sharing a meal aligns comfortably with Jewish life without requiring participation in rituals or beliefs foreign to Judaism. Unlike holidays with explicit Christological significance, Thanksgiving doesn't pose the same theological conflicts.  

Hakarat Hatov: The Jewish Emphasis on Gratitude

The central theme of Thanksgiving – gratitude – is a cornerstone of Jewish philosophy and practice. The Hebrew phrase Hakarat Hatov (הכרת הטוב) literally translates to "recognizing the good." It's a fundamental Jewish value, encouraging individuals to acknowledge and appreciate the blessings in their lives, both big and small, and to recognize the source of those blessings.  

You’ll see it everywhere in Jewish life:

• Daily prayers are full of thanks, like the Modim prayer, said multiple times a day just to express gratitude. Gratitude isn’t a once-a-year thing but a part of the daily rhythm. Every morning starts with Modeh Ani, a simple line thanking God just for waking up. Before anything else happens in the day, you acknowledge life itself.

• Blessings (berachot) are everywhere. Before eating, after eating, before drinking wine, after seeing lightning, after hearing good (or even bad) news. It keeps you grounded. Even something as routine as using the bathroom has a specific blessing (Asher Yatzar) that thanks God for a functioning body.

• Birkat Hamazon, the Grace After Meals, isn’t just a quick “thanks for the food.” It’s a full-out thank-you to God for nourishment, land, sustenance, and history. It goes beyond “that was tasty” and leans into “we’re lucky to have this at all.”

• Shabbat and holiday rituals are built around appreciation too. Lighting candles, sharing wine and challah, singing songs—all of it helps create space to pause, connect, and be thankful for what you’ve got.

• Life-cycle events like weddings, births, even funerals are infused with gratitude. There’s a constant push to find good in every moment, even the tough ones.

Therefore, a day specifically dedicated to expressing gratitude, like Thanksgiving, feels intuitively compatible and even complementary to Jewish tradition. Many Jews view Thanksgiving as a wonderful opportunity to focus intently on the value of Hakarat Hatov in a communal, albeit American, context.

Parallels with Jewish Harvest Festivals

While distinct, Thanksgiving shares thematic parallels with the Jewish festival of Sukkot. Celebrated in the autumn, Sukkot is a week-long holiday commemorating the Israelites' wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt, living in temporary dwellings called sukkot. It is also known as Z'man Simchateinu (the Season of Our Rejoicing) and Chag Ha'asif (the Festival of Ingathering), marking the completion of the harvest cycle in ancient Israel.  

Both holidays focus on:

• Being thankful for the harvest

• Acknowledging life’s fragility (symbolized by the flimsy sukkahs)

• Welcoming people to the table

While Sukkot has deep religious significance and specific rituals (like dwelling in the sukkah and waving the Four Species) that Thanksgiving lacks, the shared emphasis on harvest, gratitude, and communal gathering provides a conceptual link for many Jewish people, making Thanksgiving feel culturally familiar.

Embracing American Identity

For many Jewish Americans, particularly those whose families immigrated to the United States seeking refuge and opportunity, celebrating Thanksgiving is a meaningful way to participate in American civic life and express gratitude for the freedoms and possibilities found in their adopted homeland. It's a way of affirming their identity as both Jewish and American, participating fully in the cultural tapestry of the nation. Early Jewish immigrants often embraced Thanksgiving as a way to demonstrate their patriotism and integration into American society.  

How to Celebrate Thanksgiving as a Jewish

While Thanksgiving is widely celebrated, observant Jewish families navigate the holiday ensuring it aligns with Jewish laws and customs, particularly concerning dietary laws (Kashrut) and Sabbath observance (Shabbat).

Adapting the Thanksgiving Feast to Keep It Kosher

One of the most significant practical considerations is Kashrut, the body of Jewish dietary laws. A traditional Thanksgiving menu often includes ingredients or preparation methods that may not be kosher. 

Jewish families observing Kashrut usually adapt the feast accordingly:

• Turkey has to be kosher: The centerpiece, the turkey, must be certified kosher. This means it comes from a kosher species, was slaughtered according to Jewish ritual law (shechita), and processed under rabbinic supervision. Finding a kosher turkey is usually manageable, especially in areas with larger Jewish populations.

• Dessert rules still apply: Jewish law prohibits mixing milk and meat. This impacts many traditional Thanksgiving side dishes and desserts.

• Creamy mashed potatoes or green bean casseroles made with dairy cannot be served alongside the turkey. Non-dairy substitutes (margarine, almond milk, pareve creams) are used instead.

• Desserts like pumpkin pie or cheesecake, often made with butter or cream cheese, need to be prepared using non-dairy ingredients if served after the meat meal, or families might wait several hours between the meat meal and dairy desserts according to their custom. Pareve (neutral) desserts like fruit pies made with oil or margarine crusts, sorbets, or fruit compotes are popular choices.  

• Everything needs a hechsher: That’s the kosher symbol on canned cranberries, marshmallows, and baking mixes. It might mean a little extra label-reading at the grocery store.

• Kosher kitchen, kosher tools: You’re still using the same dishes and utensils you use all year round for meat meals.

These adaptations don't diminish the festive spirit as they simply reflect the integration of Jewish practice into the American tradition. Plenty of Jewish families have perfected their kosher Thanksgiving menus over generations—some even say it tastes better this way. No one’s missing out.

Avoiding "Chukkat Hagoyim"?

A concept in Jewish law known as Chukkat Hagoyim prohibits imitating non-Jewish customs, particularly those with pagan or idolatrous origins. Some highly traditional or Haredi Jewish communities might express reservations about celebrating Thanksgiving, debating whether it falls under this category.  

However, the overwhelming consensus among mainstream Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform rabbinic authorities is that Thanksgiving does not violate Chukkat Hagoyim. The reasoning is generally:

1. It is primarily a national, secular holiday, not rooted in paganism or another religion's theology.

2. Its core themes of gratitude and family are consistent with Jewish values.  

3. It was established by governmental proclamation (historically by presidents like Washington and Lincoln) for civic purposes.  

While a small minority might abstain, most Orthodox Jews comfortably celebrate Thanksgiving, viewing it as a permissible and positive American cultural observance.

Jewish Touches for the Table

Decorating for Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to ditch your Jewish vibes—it’s the perfect chance to blend traditions, creating a unique and meaningful celebration for your family.

Candles and challah on the table? Absolutely. Starting the meal by lighting candles or saying a blessing, especially if your Thanksgiving gathering is close to Shabbat, brings warmth and intimacy to your table. Place traditional Shabbat candlesticks amidst autumn foliage or seasonal gourds for a look that's both festive and familiar.

Enhance your decor subtly with Hebrew signs or meaningful gratitude quotes, like Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov (“Give thanks to God, for He is good”). Beautifully lettered cards or framed prints can nestle among table decorations or be placed near entryways, quietly emphasizing gratitude and cultural connection.

For a centerpiece that truly reflects your heritage, consider:

• A mini sukkah-inspired setup with branches, autumn leaves, and twinkle light which perfectly echoing the harvest themes of both Sukkot and Thanksgiving.

• Incorporating elegant disposable tableware such as a sophisticated harvest-themed dinnerware collection or the nature-inspired oak leaf patterned plates from Set With Style, adding a touch of convenience without sacrificing style.

Don’t forget those subtle finishing touches:

• Complementary napkins, such as chic black, white, and brown designed napkins or luxurious cream-colored guest towels, elevate your table effortlessly.

• Eco-conscious families can choose stylish yet sustainable options like compostable white dinnerware, perfect for maintaining a clean aesthetic without environmental guilt.

The goal isn't merely religious but about creating a celebration that feels authentically yours, comfortably merging Jewish traditions with the warmth and beauty of Thanksgiving.

If you're looking to host a holiday that blends tradition with elegance, Set With Style has you covered. From oak-leaf patterned dinnerware to chic, disposable options that actually look good on the table, we can make it easy to create a festive vibe without the cleanup stress.