Wow, I just love that word!  It is so good to Give Thanks, especially as most of us are running thru life with out taking the time to stop and think about what we are grateful for.  I have learned to try to do it on a daily basis, but I see that many friends around me forget to take the time to appreciate all the goodness in their life.  What’s GREAT about this specific Giving Thanks holiday, is it is also accompanied by amazing food, that we over here in Israel, really only eat once a year.

I have a group of Ex Pat friends that started to make it a tradition to have Thanksgiving together each year.  I love it because most of us are so busy that we do not have the opportunity to see each other during the year.  We have met new friends thru this dinner, friends of Friends.  And it is a “small world” dinner as well.  Aviva and  I went on an overseas student program at Hebrew University in 1978-9.  Now that is 30 years ago!

Her husband Hezi is on the board of “Yeladim”,  is a voluntary organization, founded in 1986, in order to assist children in residential group homes.  She introduced me to Rach, who has become a good friend for the past 20 years.

She brought another friend of hers, that turns out is Phyllis Glazer, , the renowned food writer for The Jerusalem Post.  Phyllis and I have worked together many times in the past, she as the writer and I as a photographer when I was working as a Food photographer!

And they added their good friends, Denise and Avi, who founded the Make a Wish Foundation here in Israel. My kind of people that have dedicated their lives to giving!  And lastly, one of our best friends, Yadin, (his wife is in the States this week) one of the Founders of Tmura, an organization that supports educational initiatives and youth opportunities, among other charitable activities in Israel, by sharing in the wealth being created by the country’s technology sector. 
A Group of Givers!

After you add in everyone’s kids and boyfriends, girlfriends, we were 32 in total.  I am so excited to host everyone this year at our house.  The kids and I have been setting the table for the past two days, now it’s time to make the food.

It is a big potluck, so I get to do the things I love to make.  I will share with you my world famous Panacota Recipe, (not joking here) that I learned how to do on a cooking course I went to with my sister Jill and some friends in Italy many years ago.  It is actually much better than the original, because I have perfected it-  I know I am modest,  but this really is the all time BEST!):

What a great tradition!  Thanksgiving and don’t forget to GIVE thanks!

(I will add the recipe later in the day)