Lots to be thankful for: family; love; zoom; webex. Technology!

Tis is the night before Thanksgiving or in my parlance, erev Thanksgiving!

Love still goes on – even in the time of  COVID19.  I talk to young couples all the time. Some still want to get married and inquire about doing a virtual wedding.  That works but you need to have two witnesses present to sign the license and then let’s make a wedding.  Some want a civil wedding ceremony; others a religious ceremony.

For another couple, it’s seven people in a parents’ back yard as their first, small wedding. For those with family  from another with country, virtual weddings are the only way to go. Or let us say, they can have their small ceremony but their family will be present virtually with a big wedding to come after COVID19 is behind us (will that ever happen!).

For another couple with a small baby, t’s a rooftop baby naming.  Did that too recently for a couple that I married a few years ago.  That’s the best part of my job – I get to marry a couple, and then name their babies.  Such a joy.

These are tough times – find the gifts.  One couple told me they were afraid to say how happy they were during COVID.  They had all this time together working from home and having fun and walking.  Find your gifts.  Maybe there is more time to exercise. To walk the dog. To visit with friends and family via skype or zoom.

We all seem a bit more thoughtful these days.  Also more appreciative of each other.  Those are certainly things I am thankful for.  And even though our dinner will not have all of our family, some of us will be together and for that I am grateful.

Make each day count.

B’shalom,

Rabbi Marsha Jane