An American Girl: Rebecca Rubin’s First Thanksgiving
Based on the children’s book, Rivka’s First Thanksgiving, by Elsa Rael and on the American Girl Doll Rebecca
Novermber 4, 2011 Shabbat Lech Lecha
In the Torah this week, in the book of Genesis, we read the portion called Lech Lecha. God says to Abraham, “Lech Lecha – Go from your land, the land of your birth, your father’s house to a land that I will show you.” With this portion from the Torah, Jews began our days of wandering – sometimes we have moved for a job, or to be near relatives, and sometimes we were forced to move from our homes because people didn’t like us.
Rebecca Rubin was born in America in the early 1900’s. Her parents and grandparents had lived in Russia, which was a dangerous place for many Jews. They came on a boat across stormy waters to come to the Goldenah Medinah, America, the land where they were told the streets were paved with gold. They didn’t see the gold streets when they arrived at Ellis Island in NYC. They lived in rundown buildings and worked hard to have a life in America. But, in America they were free and the schools were free and they tried to be good Americans.
Rebecca’s Hebrew and Yiddish Name was Rivka. When she was home her family called her Rivka a lot, but at school, her teacher called her Rebecca. Rebecca was her American name.
One day for homework, Rebecca had to draw a Thanksgiving turkey. Her Mama and her Bubbeh both thought it was some kind of duck.
Rebecca explained to them that the turkey was an American bird, special for Thanksgiving. Her mother and grandmother had never heard of Thanksgiving. She explained to them about the Pilgrims thanking the Indians for showing them how to plant crops and build houses with a nice dinner and that we celebrate the holiday today as Americans with a feast.
Her mom and grandmother said it didn’t sound like a Jewish holiday. Rebecca said that her teacher, Miss Broderick said it was a national holiday for everybody who is an American.
So, her Bubbeh said she’d go to Rivington St. to ask Rabbi Yoshe Preminger if it was okay to celebrate this American Thanksgiving.
When her Papa came home, Rebecca’s Mama asked him about Thankgiving. He said it was a family holiday with a lot of food. “Is it for Jews?” Mama asked. Papa said, “I don’t know. But, my English teacher said the early Americans made a feast after their harvest.” He didn’t remember anything about religion.
When Rivka came home the next day, her bubbeh said not to take off her coat, because Rabbi Preminger wanted to see her. She had never met the rabbi and was a little scared of him. (Why would someone be scared of a rabbi??)
“Do I have to go?” Rivka asked her Bubbeh. “Yes,” Bubbeh replied, “If the rabbi wants to see you, you go.”
They walked to the old tenement apartment building where the rabbi lived and knocked on his door. His wife answered and walked them down to the room where the rabbi was studying.
Rebecca entered a room filled with books from floor to ceiling. The old man with a white beard and a black suit and hat sat behind a big desk reading a huge book.
He and Rebecca had a conversation about her name, that she was a Jewish girl, that she was nine years old, that she listened to her parents and never gossiped and that she was a good student at school.
Then the rabbi asked her, “Tell me about this Thankgsiving. Is it a celebration that would please God?”
“Yes, rabbi,” Rebecca answered. “ We should say thank you for being able to live in America.”
The rabbi asked her what we had to be thankful for. Rebecca answered, “In Russia and other parts of Europe Jews had a hard time. We came here to America where we are safe. This is a good place for us.”
The rabbi listened and told her he would learn more about Thanksgiving before making a decision. And then he told her to go in health.
Two days later, Mama told Rivka that Rabbi Preminger had ruled that Thanksgiving was not a holiday for the Jews. And if the rabbi said no, then it was no. No Thanksgiving for the Rubin family.
Rebecca didn’t like the rabbi’s answer. He was wrong. She thought about it for a few days and then decide to write the rabbi a letter. She walked by herself to Rivington St to deliver the letter. Her heart was pounding as she slipped it under the rabbi’s door.
It said:
To the Rabbi Yoshe Preminger, Sir,
My Bubbeh believes you are the wisest man in the whole world, but I cannot agree with her. You may have read a thousand books, but you do not seem to understand that immigrants came to America to escape from mean, wicked people who hurt them and their families. That is why the Pilgrims came and that is why the Jewish people came later. The Pilgrims were thankful and I think that we should be too.
Signed by
Rivka Rubin
The next day, Bubbeh was waiting when Rebecca came home. Bubbeh said the rabbi wanted to see Rivka. Rivka was extra scared when Mrs. Preminger took Bubbeh to the kitchen for tea, while Rivka had to go in to see the rabbi by herself. She opened the door to the rabbi’s office and there were SEVEN BEARDED MEN!!
The room was hot and Rabbi Preminger introduced each man. Some were rabbis and others teachers and leaders. All in black coats with black hats.
The rabbi told Rivka to tell the men what she told the rabbi. She apologized if her letter was rude.
“Don’t worry Rivka,” the rabbi said, “just tell them about Thanksgiving.”
Rivka got all of her courage and looked at the men confidently and said, “Thanksgiving is a celebration that ALL Americans can share. We are here in this wonderful country, and for that we should be thankful. I was lucky to be born here, but my mother and grandparents came from Russia. And some Jews came from Poland where there were pogroms. People were hurt for being Jewish. Here we are free and safe. God brought the Pilgrims here and then God brought the Jews. The Pilgrims thanked God and I think the Jews should thank God too.!”
One of the men asked, “How is this thanks given?”
Rebecca answered, “From what my teacher told me, it sounds something like a seder, Rabbi. Family and friends sit down together and offer a prayer of thanks and then eat American foods: turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberries. Salad, and dessert.
The rabbis thanked Rivka and told her she could go home.
Two weeks later, Rebecca Rubin was serving Thanksgiving at her family table. Her rabbi said Thanksgiving was good for the Jews. He was so happy with Rivka, that the rabbi came to Rivka’s house for Thanksgiving with his wife.
The meal began with a Hebrew prayer from the rabbi after which everyone said, “Amein.” And then the rabbi said in English, “I also give thanks to Hakadosh Barukh Hu, the holy One, blessed be his Name, for the wisdom children give us.”
Rebecca smiled. Bubbeh said, “I thank God for my smart granddaughter who teaches us about America.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Ess gezunt er heit. Eat!”