Letter from the Editors: Thanksgiving Edition

Happy Thanksgiving, USY!

It’s been 720 hours since we wrote to you last, our beloved USY. Here at Achshav HQ, we’re getting ready for IC because opening session starts in just 25 days. If you couldn’t tell, we are very excited. But since it’s Turkey Day, we want to take a minute to show our gratitude. Jacob might even take a second to look up from whatever misery his Detroit Lions are putting him through right now to give thanks. Then later tonight, he will go drown his misery with Black Friday bargains. There are many things to be thankful for in our lives but today we want to recognize things in USY that we’re thankful for.

We are very, very, very thankful for Facetime. Without Facetime (and other related video call apps) we would never see our friends. With regional conventions only every few months and with International Convention only once a year, there are so few chances to hang out in person that we have to take every opportunity we can to talk to them. We don’t know how USYers of the past survived without seeing their friends’ faces everyday or without those last-minute calls before a convention for help with packing. So Facetime, thank you.

We are also very, very, very thankful for B’kol Echads. Without B’kol Echads we wouldn’t have Ruach and Slowach and all of our various memories associated with those things. There’s nothing like a good Ruach session Friday night of convention, or crying through Sloach at the last convention of the year. Oh, and we can’t forget that B’kol Echads allow for us to learn the hand motions to Birkat Hamazon. So B’kol Echads, thank you.

We are also very, very, very thankful for convention food. Now, it’s not the best thing in the world, but it definitely gives us something to talk to new friends about. And sometimes it surprises you with how good it is. And we never go hungry (because there are always snacks). So convention food, thank you.

We are also very, very, very thankful for long traveling experiences with our chapter/region/random group of people. Let’s be honest, long bus rides can kind of be the worst. But if your bus ride (or plane or train or car ride) is full of your best friends, bus rides can kind of be the best. Dancing and singing to music blasting and sharing snacks is 100 times better when you’re in a moving vehicle. So long traveling experiences, thank you.

Most importantly, as your 2019 Achshav Coordinators, we are very, very, very thankful for cheesy jokes and bad good puns. There’s nothing like a Letter from the Editors without one. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading them as much as we’ve enjoyed writing them, and we hope you’re excited for more. So cheesy jokes and good puns, thank you.

We hope you have a great Thanksgiving USY and we can’t wait to see you all soon!
Catch ya on the flippity flop,
Reena and Jacob

P.S. Who’s never hungry on Thanksgiving? The turkey–he’s already stuffed!