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Community Corner

Residents of All Faiths Give Back for Thanksgiving

Wednesday night, Jews, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists gathered together to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving festivities in Highland Park include more than turkey and stuffing dinners. On Wednesday night, they also included Challah.

Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims and other people of faith joined together for an interfaith Thanksgiving service at Lakeside Congregation for Reform Judaism Wednesday night.

Those attending the service were encouraged to bring food to donate to the Moraine Township Food Pantry.

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"It's usually a very well-attended service and it's very special," said Susan Riis, the deacon at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Highland Park. "It's a nice time that we all come together. It's a very American kind of thing."

Churches and synagogues also conducted their own food collections to help those in need in the area.

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North Surburban Synogogue Beth El's congregants assembled more than 100 Thanksgiving baskets laden with holiday food for families of students at Glenwood School in Waukegan on Sunday. Members delivered the bounty to the school that same day.

"It was so meaningful for my kids to help buy food, package it and make personalized cards for another family," said Arielle Levitan.  "It helped them realize that there are families in need close to home, and helped them recognize that we often take the food we have for granted."

Some religious leaders have also incorporated the Thanksgiving message into their own sermons.

Rabbi Evan Moffic of Congregation Solel explained to the synogogue's youngest members last Friday that Thanksgiving is "kind of a Jewish holiday too."

He urged the children to reach out to those who are less fortunate. 

"Thanksgiving is a time to count our blessings," Moffic said. "At Solel we try to teach our students to understand and appreciate the wonderful things we enjoy--family, friends, and so much more. In Judaism, praying is mainly about giving thanks, and I think Thanksgiving is as close to an American Jewish holiday that we can get."

Upholding the tradition of civic leaders speaking at the interfaith service, Highland Park Mayor Michael Belsky also spoke to the attendees Wednesday evening, according to the Mayor's office.

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