A fiddler on the roof… Sounds crazy, no? But here in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune, without breaking his neck. It isn’t easy. You may ask, “Why do we stay up there if it’s so dangerous?” Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: Tradition!

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, we will all fall into one of two categories. One group consists of the people who can hardly wait and are practically ready for Christmas to start, and the other is the group that is not even psychologically ready for fall, let alone Thanksgiving. How did we even get here so fast? Some of us may be rolling our eyes at the thought of spending time with the relatives, but Thanksgiving is more than pilgrims and football games. Sure, it takes place during the harvest season, so that’s why we get turkey and mashed potatoes out of the deal. However, I think it’s time we all take a closer look at this neglected holiday.

Last year I saw Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway. It was fantastic! It was like watching the movie in real time, and as always, the music was phenomenal (I highly recommend the soundtrack). However, although this musical has always reminded me of my Russian heritage, I paid more attention to the lyrics while watching it live, and that got me to thinking about how the concept of tradition applies to Thanksgiving. Below are some song lyrics and quotes from the movie that best explain why our families and traditions are worthy of celebration.

Ok, just a bit of background first. Tevye is a Jewish milkman who has five daughters. He tries to make sure they are all married and provided for, while dealing with the changes in his life that are brought on by the Russian Revolution and the Jewish pogroms. Throughout the movie (and the play), he talks to the audience, including them in his inner dialogue about whatever situation he might be in. As you will see, pretty much anyone can relate to his thoughts.

You may ask, “How did this tradition get started?” I’ll tell you……. I don’t know. But it’s a tradition, and because of our traditions, every one of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do…

Every family has traditions. Ok, some of them might be weird and make no sense, but you do them because it gives your family a sense of “togetherness.” Every year, when I was little, it was a tradition for my dad to make me fly like an airplane around the house while we listened to “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.” Strange? Yes. A fantastic memory? Absolutely.

To us and our good fortune / Be happy, be healthy, long life / And if our good fortune never comes / Here’s to whatever comes…..

At Thanksgiving dinner, somebody is definitely going to give a toast. But why do we toast a person, event, or something abstract like good health? It’s because we are thankful that we have those things. Toasting is just a way to honor and celebrate them. They deserve recognition, and we all need the reminder of the blessings we have in life. It’s also a way to look on the bright side. Life is hard enough, so it helps us to bear it better when we can find the glimmers of hope and happiness.

I don’t remember growing older, when did they? Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers, blossoming even as we gaze….What words of wisdom can I give them? How can I help to ease their way?

This Thanksgiving, let’s try to look at our parents and grandparents with respect. They have walked where we are now, and whether they say it or not, odds are they are proud of how we have grown and what we have learned. At the same time, they want to give us whatever advice they can to prevent us from making the mistakes they once made. Life doesn’t get easier, and they know that. So when someone starts telling you what it was like “back in the day,” just have some patience. Who knows? You might gain some valuable life tips, and understand your relative in a whole new light.

Can I deny everything I believe in? On the other hand, can I deny my own daughter? On the other hand, how can I turn my back on my faith, my people? If I try and bend that far, I’ll break.

Just so you know, it is at this point in the film/play that Tevye is asked by his daughter to accept her and her non-Jewish husband, and he consequently suffers from a crisis of conscience. This scene of the movie is really poignant. Trying new things is a very healthy and beneficial practice, but sometimes, when it comes down to what is really important to you, you shouldn’t compromise your values. Changing that drastically on something so vital to who you are, can actually make you snap, and you lose yourself in the mess. Stay true to who you are.

Traditions, traditions… Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof!

Traditions may seem too mainstream for some of us, but there is something uniquely comforting about knowing what to expect. Tradition stabilizes us, and gives us a sense of routine that is, dare I say it, fun? Even traditions that don’t always hold much excitement are usually missed if they are left out. That is the whole point of tradition. It glues a society together through common ties, whether that is social, cultural, or religious. If you take that away, then life is not as grounded as it was before. It may become light as a feather due to the lack of pressure to act or do things a certain way, but the important things like love, family, and compassion for others, might just get blown away on the nearest wind.

So this Thanksgiving, try not to get lost in the Macy’s parade and the turkey dinner. We’ve got a lot more to think about. The dinner may be the same every year, but at least you have a wonderful meal, unlike so many others. The family may get annoying, but be thankful that they are still with you, because it may not always be that way. And when you toast to good health, and family, and love, make it a heartfelt one. I invite all of my readers to raise a glass in the spirit of gratitude to all of the good and true things in life, and most of all, “to life” itself!