Service takes place Nov. 24 at Reform Temple of Putnam Valley
Rabbis Steve Altarescu and Laurie Levy of the Reform Temple of Putnam Valley (RTPV) and Rev. Jessica Anschutz of Grace United Methodist Church (Grace UMC), a member of the Cooperative Parish of Putnam Valley, present a Thanksgiving program of prayer, poetry and song.
The interfaith program will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24, at the Reform Temple of Putnam Valley, at 362 Church Road in Putnam Valley, and will be followed by a dessert reception. Spiritual seekers of all types are welcome to attend.
Levy explained: “The Thanksgiving holiday spans religious traditions. It is likely that its origins were connected to the Jewish holiday of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), which is described in the Book of Leviticus as following the Exodus from Egypt, and is celebrated as an eight-day harvest festival in the fall. The Pilgrims had recently experienced an Exodus of their own by seeking out religious freedom in the ‘Promised Land’ of America.”
Altarescu pointed out that “like Sukkot, Thanksgiving is also a time to help those in need — by sharing a meal, donating food or volunteering your time. We’re asking participants to consider bringing a can of food that can be donated to the Putnam Valley Community Food Pantry (PVCFP), which serves approximately 200 families from Putnam County and the northern Westchester towns.” Grace UMC and RTPV are two of the co-founders of the PVCFP and continue to run the operation on Saturdays at Grace UMC.
Anschutz added: “The Interfaith Thanksgiving celebration is a wonderful opportunity to draw in the community and celebrate what it means to be neighbors while giving thanks to God. Worshiping together gives us the opportunity to learn from one another … .”
RSVPs are encouraged but not required. Email [email protected] or [email protected], or leave a message at 845-528-4774.
