Spiritual Reflection, November 2023
Remembrance and Thankfulness
Recently, I took four friends into New York City, my childhood home. Although I was born in Brooklyn and then moved to Far Rockaway as a young child, my adult memories of the city are centered around Manhattan, the heart of the bustling city. We visited an amazing bagel shop, walked across Times Square and along the eastern edge of Central Park to the Guggenheim, and then headed south to the lower East Side – where my family started a new life over a century ago.
Along the way, I shared personal and familial memories of the intergenerational journey of my family from eastern Europe to life in the United States. My companions appreciated this personal approach to grasping the significance of the enormous metropolis, and in my heart such storytelling was an exercise in thankfulness and honoring my Jewish heritage.
In Jewish tradition, remembering is a complex spiritual discipline that engenders a host of responses – mercy, repentance, covenant faithfulness, self-reflection, worship, and thanksgiving: “these things I remember…with shouts of joy and praise” (Psalm 42:4). Paul exclaims to the Ephesian disciples, “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:16).
During dinner in Little Italy with my friends, we celebrated with profound gratitude how God had guided us throughout the decades – personally, vocationally, and through deep friendships. It was quite moving for all of us.
Similarly, as I reflect on our Yachad BeYeshua corporate journey, my heart is filled with gratitude and thanksgiving. I remember our first gathering in Dallas in 2018, and my surprise at finding a new Jewish extended family who were also disciples of Yeshua/Jesus. I am thankful for new friendships and challenging conversations in the small group in which Lois and I participate. In June, the International Coordinating Committee held its first retreat before the Toronto conference, and as I look back on it, my appreciation is complemented by awe. Like Paul, I find myself saying, “I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3).
Lee B. Spitzer