“Were the existence of gratitude and recognition of the good lacking from existence, the human spirit would be left without sparkle or shine.”
Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook
For the Perplexed of the Generation 4:9
This year has been a rough one in many ways, but as Rav Kook points out, it is important to take time to feel grateful for the blessings in our lives. As we approach Thanksgiving, some are learning and gathering in-person while others are virtual, and holiday celebrations continue to look different. Sefaria’s resources can help students to appreciate the good, even in difficult times, and to connect with friends and family.
Speaking of connecting, have you tried our new Chavruta tool? Chavruta allows study partners to video chat while viewing a text or source sheet, without ever leaving Sefaria’s virtual library. Whether assigning chavruta learning to your students, pairing with other schools, or introducing community members to chavruta learning, Teaching with Chavruta has all the information you need to get started!
Use the feature to start an intergenerational or long-distance Torah conversation between family members who aren’t getting together in person this Thanksgiving. You can find a list of ideas and tips in Intergenerational Chavruta: Starting a New Thanksgiving Tradition. The first 20 educators to let us know how they used this feature with other learners will receive Sefaria stickers for their class.
Looking for Thanksgiving-related resources to share?
- View an original animation by Hanan Harchol and engage in text study and discussion with the sheet You Can Dance Theme: Gratitude.
- Guide your students through a gratitude check-up with All By Myself? A Thanksgiving Lesson Plan.
- Dig deeply into the concept of gratitude with What Does it Mean to be Grateful?
- Sefaria's topic pages are great for discovering core sources and interesting sheets on thousands of topics. Check out #Gratitude for a variety of sheets and sources, as well as #Thanksgiving to further your inquiry.
Want to be a part of Sefaria's educator community? Join our new group to share the Torah you are creating and collecting, ask other educators how to take advantage of the array of features on Sefaria, and explore new and effective ways to integrate digital tools in your teaching and learning environments. Whether you are an experienced Sefaria educator or just starting out, you are welcome to share your thoughts!