While all of America is focused on the Thanksgiving holiday this week, Jewish women are baking up pumpkin doughnuts and frying turkeys. The rare alignment of Chanukah and Thanksgiving has been much cause for conversation and innovation. But ladies, let's not forget that Chanukah is THE holiday of thanksgiving.

The Jewish people are called "Yehudim" after Yehuda, named by our mother Leah in gratitude for being given more than she considered her share in building k'lal Yisrael. "Thank you" are the first words a Jew says every morning upon arising. In the many brachos throughout our day we praise Hashem for His gifts--we count our blessings.

Instead of one great day of thanks, we thank every day, every hour, every moment. On Chanukah, our gratitude is elevated. Eight days of Hallel, eight days when miracles are manifest. The Alter of Kelm says Chanukah is the special time for gratitude, as it says, "They established these eight days in order to give thanks and to praise..."

This is the time we publicize the miracles and attribute them to the kindness and compassion of HaKodesh Boruch Hu. While no seudas mitzvah is required on Hanukkah, I learned that at meals during these eight days we can elevate our meal to a mitzvah when we recount a personal miracle Hashem has done for us!

So you provide the miracle stories and I’ll provide some of the delicious Chanukah recipes that I've tested for the iy"H next edition of Cooking for the King, due out before Chanukah 5775.