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.

For many LGBTQ+ Jews in the United States, LGBTQ+ synagogues and organizations offer that sustenance.

While camp is an oasis away from everyday life, it still exists in a world that has much work to do around harm prevention, particularly for Campers of Color, gender-diverse campers, campers with a variety of body sizes, and campers with disabilities.

Each February, we observe Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month. Up to 25% of people live with a disability, which means many of your colleagues have visible or invisible disabilities.

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.

Temple Israel is engaged in a REDI culture shift, striving to be a synagogue that exemplifies our belief in b’tzelem Elohim (shared humanity) by creating a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Our New Year’s party came from the idea that while this work can be challenging, it is a joy to lift up the diversity and unique lived experiences of those in our community. Following this theme of celebrating our diversity, we began planning our inaugural Shavuot to Juneteenth: A Journey Toward Liberation.

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.