Nearly 400 years ago, a handful of English settlers gathered in a small clearing on the edge of Cape Cod Bay to celebrate their survival.

They assembled with the fruits of a modest harvest before them – more of a symbol of perseverance than a true bounty – to offer prayers of thanks for the strength that helped them overcome unimaginable hardship and heartache.

Additional Photos

Rozie Aronov, 7, holds up a “menurkey,” a paper-and-paint mashup of a menorah and a turkey that she made at Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills, Mich., last week. A rare quirk of the calendar this year overlaps Thanksgiving with the start of Hanukkah. In many ways, a reader says, the two holidays are celebrated similarly. 2013 File Photo/The Associated Press

Rozie Aronov, 7, holds up a “menurkey,” a paper-and-paint mashup of a menorah and a turkey that she made at Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills, Mich., last week. A rare quirk of the calendar this year overlaps Thanksgiving with the start of Hanukkah. In many ways, a reader says, the two holidays are celebrated similarly. 2013 File Photo/The Associated Press

The Pilgrims had left comfort and context far behind for a chance to fulfill their vision of a religious life along the bleak and enigmatic shores of North America. Here, driven by their intense Christian piety and free from Old World prejudices, they could live the way they collectively chose.

About 1,800 years earlier, a rebellious Jewish army succeeded in vanquishing the Seleucid Empire, ending its tyrannical occupation of Judea. The Seleucids made the practice of Judaism illegal, and confiscated and desecrated the Second Temple (the replacement for King Solomon’s original Temple in Jerusalem).

This story, the story of Hanukkah, commemorates an against-all-odds victory over religious repression. Jews around the world have been celebrating the festival of Hanukkah, and the freedom for which it stands, ever since.

In many ways Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are similarly celebrated: family, friends, fun and, of course, food. This year, nearly four centuries after Plymouth and 22 centuries after Jerusalem, Jewish-Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving and Hanukkah on the same day, a rare convergence that last occurred a few weeks after President Grover Cleveland lost his bid for re-election.

For Jewish-American families, Thursday will provide twice the enjoyment as Thanksgivings past and future. Importantly, it will also offer twice the opportunity to reflect on and give thanks for the tolerance, freedom and pluralism that all Americans hold sacred.

David Goldberg

Falmouth

Ah, Thanksgiving! My favorite holiday. It’s not integrally dependent upon Jesus, fireworks or candy. The only downside is reaching into a frozen turkey to retrieve the stuff we give the dog. Nobody stuffs a turkey anymore. Why call it “stuffing”?

I believe Jesus would love Thanksgiving. He’d be pleased at the notion of taking stock in what we are grateful for – with or without praying about it. Spending time with family to include graciously tolerating the occasionally annoying dinner guest. I’m not much of a Catholic anymore, but I’m thankful for Pope Francis.

Thank heaven Thanksgiving doesn’t require elaborate fireworks displays. Accidental injuries and fires aside, on behalf of all animals – enough already with fireworks.

Halloween costumes are always fun. And I wish everyone a sweetheart like mine on Valentine’s Day. But don’t we get enough candy at home improvement store checkout lines? My grandsons will attest to my refusal to infuse pancakes with chocolate chips. Butterfinger candy bars now come in M, L, XL and XXL.

Thanksgiving turkey has tryptophan – an enzyme that makes you sleepy. Ditto bananas. Ever fall asleep after a big turkey dinner? Man, that’s napping! We should all eat enough turkey to sleep through the absurdly bovine “Black Friday” rampages.

I write this on Veterans Day. No candy, no fireworks. Rather, respectfully reflecting upon, honoring and thanking those who served and are serving our (struggling) country.

A shout-out and another heartfelt thanks to those who volunteer to serve traditional turkey dinners throughout our nation and neighborhoods to the growing number of needy and less fortunate this holiday season. Or bestowing gifts on otherwise giftless children.

Perhaps that’s where Jesus would be thankful – for these rare occasions when we endeavor to make small efforts to love one another.

Buddy Doyle

Gardiner

Shameful retreat by U.S. in battle against poverty

Earlier this year, a report on child poverty by the United Nations Children’s Fund ranked the United States 34th out of 35 developed nations.

Our own statistics confirm that childhood poverty and hunger have increased. In a nation where the majority considers themselves Christian, this should be a source of shame, yet little attention is paid to this problem.

The Republican House of Representatives has willfully cut the food stamp program and help for mothers of infant children while not enough Democrats have been willing to stand up against them.

In my lifetime I have witnessed both the hope of the “war on poverty” and the despair of the current attitude that the poor are takers. If we just starve them enough, it is believed, they will want to get off their duffs and get a job. What jobs? Our own governor engages in such shameful scapegoating.

It is time to tax those hedge fund managers who get special tax breaks and corporations like General Electric that pay no taxes. It is time to end subsidies for oil companies and corporate farms and use that revenue to help the less fortunate – or has this nation lost its collective soul?

Tom Mikulka

Cape Elizabeth

Obama may unseat Reagan in race for Teflon president

Several months ago, officials within the Obama administration blatantly lied to the American public about the events surrounding the attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi.

Earlier this month, we’ve also learned that President Obama “misled” Americans when he stated repeatedly that, under the Affordable Care Act, we would be able to keep our current health insurance coverage if we chose to do so.

For the thousands upon thousands of Americans who have now received notices that their health insurance will be canceled, the new mantra from the Obama administration is: Don’t worry, you can get better, more affordable coverage through the new Obamacare insurance exchanges. We’ll see.

Ronald Reagan was disparagingly referred to as the “Teflon president.” Perhaps the title more aptly applies to President Obama. Where’s the accountability?

Well, in the upcoming 2014 elections, the Democrats will be held accountable by those Americans who are simply fed up with the deliberate misstatements and misinformation coming out of the White House.

John Cross

Tenants Harbor

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