This year was the first year that I would not be spending Thanksgiving with my family. Instead, I spent Thanksgiving with my Nativ Family. We had all of Nativ 30 and Bogrei Nativ (Nativ Alumni from 1-29), plus the families of current Nativers and Bogrei Nativ. There were about 200 people there. We started off in the shul saying Ma'ariv. Then our director, Yossi Garr, said a few words. After that, we heard the acapella group sing. A couple people put together a Nativ Thanksgiving slide show. It was cute. Then acapella came up again to sing another song. Yossi "rang the dinner bell" and the former Be'er Sheva group (now Carmiel) + the Kibbutz group + Bogrei Nativ from 1-19 joined us in the main dining hall. Yossi told Nativ 30 that we all had a Thanksgiving Surprise waiting for us outside the dining hall. Letters from our families. My letter most definitely made me cry.
Dear Dena,
-This is the first Thanksgiving that the four of us will be separated. The distance is only in physical miles, not in the love we have for you.
-Your seat at the table has been usurped by your four-legged friend. She gladly will eat your turkey and anything else she can put her paws on. Just ask your sister what happens when you leave candy within reach.
-While the seat will be filled, we will miss your humor and level-headedness and calming effect on the entire family :)
-Seriously, it will be really strange to not have you home, but we know you are having a great time in Israel. Try not to eat too much turkey and remember that Thanksgiving came late this year, so close to Chanukah. :)
-We will pat the dog on the head, rub her belly, and play tug-of-war for you, but she isn't getting your piece of pie. We have already seen what happens when she is on a sugar high. Again, ask your sister.
-Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Love,
Mom, Dad, and Tova
P.S. Check out Dirk's new hair
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Hey Big Sis!!!
Missing you tons down here in the big D...well P really. I love you and miss you tons and I wish I coulld come and visit you in Israel, because that would just be so awesomely lovely.
Love your bestest best little sister
<3 Tova
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I wasn't the only one who cried from their letter(s). After a dinner of Turkey, stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, apple bars, and pumpkin pie (they had cranberry sauce there, but I didn't get any) Nativ 30 had a special thing down in the auditorium. Yossi said that around Thanksgiving time is when Nativers get the most homesick, so more people put on a slide show of the 3 months here so far. Then Lauren, Ashleigh, Levi, and Gillman said because there weren't enough Thanksgiving songs, they wrote one and sang it to the tune of Ma'oh Tzur. What a great transition into next week. Then for those who wanted to watch the Thanksgiving episode of Friends, they could stay and watch it. I'm pretty sure I was the only one who didn't stay to watch it because I wanted to Skype with my parents to tell them how much their letter meant to me. It was nice talking to them, even though we talk almost every day, it was very meaningful on Thanksgiving. We even talked about my winter break plans.
Berlin for 3 days with my dad's college roommate, then I'm thinking about going to Italy. (If any of you have some ideas on where I should go, please contact me)
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