RSS
10 years ago, American Jews celebrated Thanksgivukkah. Can we get that vibe back?
(JTA) — It’s been 10 years since Thanksgivukkah — the rare convergence of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah — revolutionized the Jewish-American holiday experience.
It’s amazing that just one decade ago the biggest slogan in our community was “Light, Liberty and Latkes.” In these dark and difficult times, that phrase can call us back to a simpler, less threatening era in American Jewish history — and it can also remind us to imagine a more hopeful future.
Thanksgivukkah itself was a calendar rarity that won’t happen again for another 80,000 years. Turning the coincidence into a communal event was the brainchild of Dana Reichman Gitell, a marketing professional living in the Greater Boston area. Her lighthearted idea for a holiday mashup became a Jewish-American merchandising, culinary and even spiritual bonanza.
Back in 2013, as a newly minted maker of modern Jewish merchandise, I reveled in the virality of the Thanksgivukkah movement. For me, it seemed palpably cool that an invented, once-in-a-lifetime holiday was so widely recognized that it inspired its own gear. The gray Thanksgivukkah T-shirts, featuring that “Life, Liberty, and Latkes” slogan as well as a turkey perched on a guitar neck (patterned on the Woodstock logo), were a step up from staid blue-and-white Hanukkah products of the past.
And then there was the “Menurkey,” a combination of a turkey and a hanukkiah, designed by 10-year-old Asher Weintraub. This ceramic piece gave Thanksgivukkah its own ritual symbol at the Thanksgiving/Hanukkah table. The menurkey itself was not a “kosher” hanukkiah (because its candles were not all at the same height), but fitting for display — and of course, photo-sharing on social media.
Thanksgivukkah paved the way for a new generation of small Jewish businesses, my own included, that design products deeply connected to Judaism yet distinctly modern. Jennie Rivlin, who owned ModernTribe (a Judaica website) in 2013, told me recently, “I think I doubled my business that year. It was a huge turning point.”
As an avid chronicler of Hanukkah merchandise, I’ve documented seasonal growth these past 10 years and believe it all tracks back to the innovations of Thanksgivukkah — alongside, of course, the explosive rise of ecommerce.
The success of Thanksgivukkah items also led to other Jewish pop-culture merchandising opportunities. I recently created “Shabbos Barbie” for the Shabbat that coincided with the premiere of the “Barbie” movie. In addition to sharing tips for pink-themed Shabbat dishes, including Barbie challah, I produced dreamy challah covers for that much-anticipated movie debut.
Specialty challah, infused with different flavors and colors, is not so unusual now. Thanksgivukkah allowed foodies to push boundaries and combine traditional Hanukkah and Thanksgiving flavors — think pumpkin challah and sweet potato latkes. The holiday opened the door for food writers and influencers to put au courant cultural twists on traditional Jewish recipes, from dill pickle challah to caramel macchiato hamantaschen.
For American Jews, Thanksgivukkah also made Hanukkah “cool” again. It elevated the celebration of Hanukkah by giving it a modern American look and a newfound spiritual connection to themes of Jewish and American religious freedom, which dominate both holidays. I wouldn’t be surprised if more Jewish Americans remembered to celebrate that first night of Hanukkah in 2013 than in any other year.
And it augured an era of explosive growth in Hanukkah products developed for and sold by big-box stores. The success of one niche moment demonstrated a powerful market that turns out every year — even when “only” one holiday is taking place.
At this 10-year Thanksgivukkah-versary, I turned to Weintraub and Gitell, the holiday’s two “celebrities,” for their reflections.
Weintraub is now sophomore in college, thinking of studying architecture and studio art (Thanksgivukkah did make a brief cameo in his college essay). He said he’s “incredibly grateful for the experience the Menurkey took me on, and the people it allowed me to meet at a young age.” Over the years, he added, it’s been fun to explain the Menurkey to new friends — or to learn that someone he knows had a Menurkey growing up. For Weintraub, the message of Thanksgivukkah “has never held truer…[it] is, and was, one of bringing people together.”
Gitell, who just celebrated her son’s bar mitzvah (he was 3 at the time), remembers feeling that Thanksgivukkah, was, at its core, “an opportunity to celebrate the freedoms that Jews enjoy in America and give thanks for the vibrancy of the Jewish American experience here. It was a love letter to America.”
Given the rise of antisemitism in the intervening years, her outlook today is more somber: “I feel a deep heartbreak right now. The last decade has brought us Trumpism, Charlottesville, the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in my hometown. And now, daily reports of antisemitic acts throughout the U.S. and the world as Israel fights back against Hamas.” Looking at this holiday that celebrated Jewish comfort in America, Gitell wonders, “Can we ever feel that way again?”
Back in 2013, at the White House Hanukkah reception, President Barack Obama noted, “This is the fifth time I’ve celebrated Hanukkah as president. … But this is my first Thanukkah — did I say that right?” Many audience members exuberantly responded: “Thanksgivukkah!”
Obama gave a shoutout to Gitell for her Thanksgivukkah project, adding that there was “a serious side to it” because Gitell and her family “always express their gratitude to America, a place where no matter who you are, you can always celebrate your faith.”
This year, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are two weeks apart, with the first night of Hanukkah falling on Dec. 7. It will be the two-month anniversary of one of the darkest days in contemporary Jewish history. But despite her misgivings, Gitell encourages us to “move forward with holiday joy even in our sadness … look ahead to better times, and a better America that we can make.”
The miracle of the oil lasting for eight nights happened long ago, but the miracle that was Thanksgivukkah is still within our grasp. Here’s to many more years of life, liberty and sweet potato latkes.
—
The post 10 years ago, American Jews celebrated Thanksgivukkah. Can we get that vibe back? appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
RSS
Syria’s Sharaa Says Talks With Israel Could Yield Results ‘In Coming Days’
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks at the opening ceremony of the 62nd Damascus International Fair, the first edition held since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, in Damascus, Syria, Aug. 27, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Wednesday that ongoing negotiations with Israel to reach a security pact could lead to results “in the coming days.”
He told reporters in Damascus the security pact was a “necessity” and that it would need to respect Syria’s airspace and territorial unity and be monitored by the United Nations.
Syria and Israel are in talks to reach an agreement that Damascus hopes will secure a halt to Israeli airstrikes and the withdrawal of Israeli troops who have pushed into southern Syria.
Reuters reported this week that Washington was pressuring Syria to reach a deal before world leaders gather next week for the UN General Assembly in New York.
But Sharaa, in a briefing with journalists including Reuters ahead of his expected trip to New York to attend the meeting, denied the US was putting any pressure on Syria and said instead that it was playing a mediating role.
He said Israel had carried out more than 1,000 strikes on Syria and conducted more than 400 ground incursions since Dec. 8, when the rebel offensive he led toppled former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
Sharaa said Israel’s actions were contradicting the stated American policy of a stable and unified Syria, which he said was “very dangerous.”
He said Damascus was seeking a deal similar to a 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria that created a demilitarized zone between the two countries.
He said Syria sought the withdrawal of Israeli troops but that Israel wanted to remain at strategic locations it seized after Dec. 8, including Mount Hermon. Israeli ministers have publicly said Israel intends to keep control of the sites.
He said if the security pact succeeds, other agreements could be reached. He did not provide details, but said a peace agreement or normalization deal like the US-mediated Abraham Accords, under which several Muslim-majority countries agreed to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel, was not currently on the table.
He also said it was too early to discuss the fate of the Golan Heights because it was “a big deal.”
Reuters reported this week that Israel had ruled out handing back the zone, which Donald Trump unilaterally recognized as Israeli during his first term as US president.
“It’s a difficult case – you have negotiations between a Damascene and a Jew,” Sharaa told reporters, smiling.
SECURITY PACT DERAILED IN JULY
Sharaa also said Syria and Israel had been just “four to five days” away from reaching the basis of a security pact in July, but that developments in the southern province of Sweida had derailed those discussions.
Syrian troops were deployed to Sweida in July to quell fighting between Druze armed factions and Bedouin fighters. But the violence worsened, with Syrian forces accused of execution-style killings and Israel striking southern Syria, the defense ministry in Damascus and near the presidential palace.
Sharaa on Wednesday described the strikes near the presidential palace as “not a message, but a declaration of war,” and said Syria had still refrained from responding militarily to preserve the negotiations.
RSS
Anti-Israel Activists Gear Up to ‘Flood’ UN General Assembly
US Capitol Police and NYPD officers clash with anti-Israel demonstrators, on the day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC, July 24, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Umit Bektas
Anti-Israel groups are planning a wave of raucous protests in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) over the next several days, prompting concerns that the demonstrations could descend into antisemitic rhetoric and intimidation.
A coalition of anti-Israel activists is organizing the protests in and around UN headquarters to coincide with speeches from Middle Eastern leaders and appearances by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The demonstrations are expected to draw large crowds and feature prominent pro-Palestinian voices, some of whom have been criticized for trafficking in antisemitic tropes, in addition to calling for the destruction of Israe.
Organizers of the demonstrations have promoted the coordinated events on social media as an opportunity to pressure world leaders to hold Israel accountable for its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, with some messaging framed in sharply hostile terms.
On Sunday, for example, activists shouted at Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.
“Zionism is terrorism. All you guys are terrorists committing ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza and Palestine. Shame on you, Zionist animals,” they shouted.
BREAKING: PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTORS CONFRONT “ISRAELI” AMBASSADOR DANNY DANON AT THE UNITED NATIONS
1/5 pic.twitter.com/4G1VYEMGzV
— Within Our Lifetime (@WOLPalestine) September 14, 2025
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), warned on its website that the scale and tone of the planned demonstrations risk crossing the line from political protest into hate speech, arguing that anti-Israel activists are attempting to hijack the UN gathering to spread antisemitism and delegitimize the Jewish state’s right to exist.
Outside the UN last week, masked protesters belonging to the activist group INDECLINE kicked a realistic replica of Netanyahu’s decapitated head as though it were a soccer ball.
US activist group plays soccer with Bibi’s mock decapitated HEAD right outside NYC UN HQ
Peep shot at 00:40
Footage posted by INDECLINE collective just as UN General Assembly about to kick off
‘Following the game, ball was donated to Palestinian Genocide Museum’ pic.twitter.com/TQ84sgZhKr
— RT (@RT_com) September 9, 2025
Within Our Lifetime (WOL), a radical anti-Israel activist group, has vowed to “flood” the UNGA on behalf of the pro-Palestine movement.
WOL, one of the most prolific anti-Israel activist groups, came under immense fire after it organized a protest against an exhibition to honor the victims of the Oct. 7 massacre at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel. During the event, the group chanted “resistance is justified when people are occupied!” and “Israel, go to hell!”
“We will be there to confront them with the truth: Their silence and inaction enable genocide. The world cannot continue as if Gaza does not exist,” WOL said of its planned demonstrations in New York. “This is the time to make our voices impossible to ignore. Come to New York by any means necessary, to stand, to march, to demand the UN act and end the siege.”
Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), two other anti-Israel organizations that have helped organize widespread demonstrations against the Jewish state during the war in Gaza, also announced they are planning a march from Times Square to the UN headquarters on Friday.
“The time is now for each and every UN member state to uphold their duty under international law: sanction Israel and end the genocide,” the groups said in a statement.
JVP, an organization that purports to fight for “Palestinian liberation,” has positioned itself as a staunch adversary of the Jewish state. The group argued in a 2021 booklet that Jews should not write Hebrew liturgy because hearing the language would be “deeply traumatizing” to Palestinians. JVP has repeatedly defended the Oct. 7 massacre of roughly 1,200 people in southern Israel by Hamas as a justified “resistance.” Chapters of the organization have urged other self-described “progressives” to throw their support behind Hamas and other terrorist groups against Israel
Similarly, PYM, another radical anti-Israel group, has repeatedly defended terrorism and violence against the Jewish state. PYM has organized many anti-Israel protests in the two years following the Oct. 7 attacks in the Jewish state. Recently, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) called for a federal investigation into the organization after Aisha Nizar, one of the group’s leaders, urged supporters to sabotage the US supply chain for the F-35 fighter jet, one of the most advanced US military assets and a critical component of Israel’s defense.
The UN General Assembly has historically been a flashpoint for heated debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Previous gatherings have seen dueling demonstrations outside the Manhattan venue, with pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups both seeking to influence the international spotlight.
While warning about the demonstrations, CAM noted it recently launched a new mobile app, Report It, that allows users worldwide to quickly and securely report antisemitic incidents in real time.
RSS
Nina Davidson Presses Universities to Back Words With Action as Jewish Students Return to Campus Amid Antisemitism Crisis
Nina Davidson on The Algemeiner’s ‘J100’ podcast. Photo: Screenshot
Philanthropist Nina Davidson, who served on the board of Barnard College, has called on universities to pair tough rhetoric on combatting antisemitism with enforcement as Jewish students returned to campuses for the new academic year.
“Years ago, The Algemeiner had published a list ranking the most antisemitic colleges in the country. And number one was Columbia,” Davidson recalled on a recent episode of The Algemeiner‘s “J100” podcast. “As a board member and as someone who was representing the institution, it really upset me … At the board meeting, I brought it up and I said, ‘What are we going to do about this?’”
Host David Cohen, chief executive officer of The Algemeiner, explained he had revisited Davidson’s remarks while she was being honored for her work at The Algemeiner‘s 8th annual J100 gala, held in October 2021, noting their continued relevance.
“It could have been the same speech in 2025,” he said, underscoring how longstanding concerns about campus antisemitism, while having intensified in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel, are not new.
Davidson argued that universities already possess the tools to protect students – codes of conduct, time-place-manner rules, and consequences for threats or targeted harassment – but too often fail to apply them evenly. “Statements are not enough,” she said, arguing that institutions need to enforce their rules and set a precedent that there will be consequences for individuals who refuse to follow them.
She also said that stakeholders – alumni, parents, and donors – are reassessing their relationships with schools that, in their view, have not safeguarded Jewish students. While supportive of open debate, Davidson distinguished between protest and intimidation, calling for leadership that protects expression while ensuring campus safety.
The episode surveyed specific pressure points that administrators will face this fall: repeat anti-Israel encampments, disruptions of Jewish programming, and the challenge of distinguishing political speech from conduct that violates university rules. “Unless schools draw those lines now,” Davidson warned, “they’ll be scrambling once the next crisis hits.”
Cohen closed by framing the discussion as a test of institutional credibility, asking whether universities will “turn policy into protection” in real time. Davidson agreed, pointing to students who “need to know the rules aren’t just on paper.”
The full conversation is available on The Algemeiner’s “J100” podcast.