A Long History
My dad’s side of the family came to the United States in the late 1680s. The book, The Grandees by Stephen Birmingham, helped us link our family history.
Ironically enough, I ended up taking one of those DNA tests. Interestingly, it showed my dad’s side of the family and the migration to the United States around the late 1600s to early 1700s into the Ohio river valley.
I guess history becomes more amazing the older you get.
That said, we’ve had a few years to put together some amazing kosher recipes from my favorite U.S. holiday, Thanksgiving. I hope you will enjoy them too.
Thanksgiving is hands down my favorite American holiday of the year. Who doesn’t like to celebrate with the 3-Fs: family, a feast and football? In other words, it’s a time of warmth, love and gratitude.
It’s a very meaningful holiday for our family because my dad’s side came to the New World in the late 1680s. They settled in the Ohio River Valley and were most likely farmers. As a result, we share a great love and thankfulness for this great country we live in.
The Three Fs of Thanksgiving
History of Thanksgiving
Sephardic U has an amazing article, written by Michael Hendrix. The article explores the overlooked history of Thanksgiving in the United States, revealing that the first acts of thanksgiving were held not by the Pilgrims but by Spanish settlers, including many B’nai Anusim—descendants of Jews forced to convert during the Spanish Inquisition. These early thanksgivings took place in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565, and in Texas in 1598, where Spanish colonists expressed gratitude for survival and safe travels, sharing meals with Native American tribes. These celebrations reflect the profound yet underappreciated role of B’nai Anusim in the founding and settlement of the United States.
There’s also a wonderful and detailed history of Thanksgiving available on Wikipedia. It covers the history of Thanksgiving, from the Pilgrims and Puritans who emigrated from England in the 1620s and 1630s, to New England and the Revolutionary Period. I highly recommend reading it.
Turkey Goose and the Bald Eagle
Some historians say the early settlers were inspired by the queen’s actions and roasted a turkey instead of a goose. The wild turkey is a native bird of North America. As a result, Benjamin Franklin claimed this made the turkey a more suitable national bird for the United States than the bald eagle. Needless to say, I’m happy that the bald eagle became our national bird and turkey is what’s for dinner.
Thank you!
