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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
Nov. 17, 2010
/ 10 Kislev, 5771
A strenuous Thanksgiving to one and all
By Marybeth Hicks
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Every cook recalls her first turkey.
Mine was fresh, not frozen — about 14 pounds with an ample breast and wings with remnants of feathers stuck to the skin.
My memories of that Thanksgiving drift through my mind like slides fading in and out: Football on the driveway; the dog moseying around the kitchen, seeking out the succulent source of the wafting aroma; the table set with rarely-used china and crystal.
It was a perfect holiday — a quintessentially American Thanksgiving — except that unlike on TV commercials, my turkey refused to cook.
After roughly seven hours in the oven, during which time the mashed potatoes turned to warmed-over wallpaper paste, I admitted defeat, hacked the bird into medieval-sized servings, and zapped the whole thing in the microwave.
In the end, though the effort was strenuous and not just a little stressful, I learned a crucial lesson about Thanksgiving: It's the gravy and the company that matter most.
Thanksgiving holds a special place in the hearts of all Americans. When, in 1789, George Washington signed the first "General Thanksgiving" proclamation, he designated the day "to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty G0d."
For the past two years, our nation's scorched economy and long-term joblessness have caused us to reassess what it means to be blessed.
Oddly enough, despite the financial pounding many families have taken and the relentless and uncertain economic news crawling across our television screens each night, I sense that we're more able than ever to give thanks.
That's because nothing realigns America's priorities like hardship.
Rooted in our Judeo-Christian heritage, we American's don't just count our blessings by looking for the proverbial silver lining inside a passing cloud of events. We're just as likely to "give thanks in all circumstances," understanding that G0d can use every situation for our benefit and His glory.
Perhaps this is part of our national ethos that Theodore Roosevelt described in his classic speech, "The Strenuous Life."
"I wish to preach not the doctrine of ignoble ease," Roosevelt said, "but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph."
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Roosevelt's inspiring words are part of a new collection of speeches and documents released this week called "The Essential American: 25 Documents and Speeches Every American Should Own" edited by Jackie Gingrich Cushman (Regnery Publishing. Full disclosure: I'm also a Regnery author).
"I wrote this book because I believe America is exceptional—that's a controversial statement. These great national stories remind us of the foundation of our country and how our national character has been forged," Cushman said.
"The Essential American" will help us reinvigorate that national character. Through documents such as the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, to important speeches such as Lincoln's first and second Inaugural addresses, McArthur's Sylvanus Thayer Award Acceptance Address ("Duty, Honor, Country"), and Reagan's Brandenburg Gate remarks, Cushman arms us with the basic building blocks of American citizenship and fans the flame of our national spirit.
There is such as thing as an American character. Just as we have forged quintessentially American traditions like Thanksgiving, we can claim for ourselves the essential American qualities that have defined us for generations.
Cushman's collection challenges us to bolster those traits by knowing and appreciating our history. Perhaps the best place to start is with Teddy's vision of Americans:
"In the last analysis a healthy state can exist only when the men and women who make it up lead clean, vigorous, healthy lives; when the children are so trained that they shall endeavor, not to shirk difficulties, but to overcome them; not to seek ease, but to know how to rest triumph from toil and risk… As it is with the individual, so it is with the nation."
Bully! And Happy Thanksgiving!
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JWR contributor Marybeth Hicks, a wife of more than 20 years and mother of four children, lives in the Midwest. She uses her column to share her perspective on issues and experiences that shape families nationwide.
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