EimaTimes

Here are six quick ideas to make your Thanksgiving more than just eating and watching football:

1. Enjoy time with your family
It shouldn’t be forgotten that one of the most important things to be thankful for is your family. Use this weekend as an opportunity to connect more with those you love.

2. Volunteer
There are a number of food banks and charities across the country that need help on Thanksgiving to distribute food to those who need assistance. To find your local food bank, try checking out www.volunteermatch.org

3. Donate Food
If you can’t volunteer on Thanksgiving, try making a food donation. When you go food shopping, try to buy double of some products in order to donate them. You can also ask all guests to bring an extra can of food with them that will be donated to a local food pantry.

4. Save a seat for someone
Educate your family about someone in the world who is in need. You may want to save a seat for the three Israeli soldiers who have been missing for over a year, for the refugees of the major humanitarian crises in Africa, or for the American soldiers fighting in Iraq and around the world.

5. Spread some Torah
Use this Thanksgiving as an opportunity to share some thoughts of thinks we as Jews appreciate. You can talk about blessings before and after the food we eat, the appreciation and respect we have for our parents, and the appreciation we as Jews have towards a country that protects us.

6. Invite some guests
The holidays are very difficult times for someone who may not have any family of friends in the area. Look around your school, synagogue or neighborhood, and discuss with your parents if there is anyone you could invite who would have nowhere else to be. Contact the local nursing home and see if there are any residents who may be interested in joining a family meal.