When I was a child growing up in the 1980s, the story I learned about Thanksgiving followed the classic script: it highlighted amity between the Pilgrims and their Indigenous neighbors. Due to this connection, the hunger of the European settlers was met with squash and turkey.

I have always considered myself to be a Jewish Canadian, rather than a Canadian Jew. I couldn't tell you why I have always chosen to primarily identify by my religion first and then my citizenship; there is no defining moment in my life that explains that one way or the other. Being Jewish has always been my primary identity.

It wasn't because of 9/11. It wasn't because I had a tradition of military service in my family. And while the pay and benefits are nice, it wasn't for those reasons, either. That wasn't why I joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves in 2003 and later switched to the Air National Guard. I joined for the same reason I became a rabbi: I have a desire to serve others and be part of something larger than myself.

In honor of Native American heritage month, I’m excited to share with you four women whose intersecting Jewish and Indigenous identities have influenced their work as authors, artists, activists, lawyers, and musicians. These women come from a wide array of ages, cultures, and locations; their work speaks to the ways that Jewish values of justice, learning, and belonging overlap with Indigenous culture.

One theme central to the month of Kislev is emerging from the struggle to survive. Jewish legend holds that it was in the month of Kislev that a rainbow appeared following the great flood in the time of Noah, that the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was built, and that the foundation stones of the Second Temple were laid.

In November, we celebrate Native American Heritage Month. Unfortunately, much of North America is just beginning to recognize the contributions of Indigenous peoples.

Even though Halloween began as a pagan holiday, it now brings spooky fun to children and adults of all backgrounds, including many Jews who view it more as a traditional holiday than a religious holiday.

New Year's Day and the traditional resolutions that accompany it invite us to take stock of our lives. Are we living our lives to the fullest? Can we imagine a future in which the commitments we make for ourselves (e.g., healthier habits around eating and exercise) actually come true? What will it take this year to really change?

Acknowledging the tribal land you live on (whether it is past or current tribal land) honors the communities who once lived there and whose land was brutally stolen from them.