America’s 250th birthday arrives at a time when things have been especially lousy for Jews. But gratitude is a great Jewish value, so we’ve created a very special birthday present: an e-book with 250 reasons to be grateful for America.
We are two Jews in love with America. We’re also friends. We’re also writers.
We bond over many things, one of them being an aversion to whining.
We can always find reasons to whine about anything. There are a million reasons, for example, to whine about America, just as there are a million reasons to whine about France, Spain, Israel or Greece.
Given that America is celebrating its 250th birthday this year, we thought we’d offer you a whine-free zone and share 250 of our favorite reasons to be thankful for America
We picked reasons that move us. You’ll have your own. The point is not to have an exhaustive list but to take a time-out to thank our country.
You can read about America’s faults everywhere.
In this book you’ll find nothing but gratitude, sometimes hard-earned, always well-deserved.
That is our birthday present, 250 years in the making.
Jewish Mexican chef Pati Jinich brings her multicultural perspective to every recipe she creates, blending the traditions, ingredients and stories that have shaped her cooking.
When England took a 1-0 lead early in the second half, I felt a sense of cosmic justice. Sixty years is a long time. Argentina won it the last time. Maybe it was England’s turn.
Restaurants, gift shops, hotels and car rental companies have all been hit hard by the ongoing war. The blow to the economy is evident almost everywhere you go.
Do you want to convince Jews, and the world, that Zionism is a cause worth supporting? Explain what “Zionism” is, and perhaps it will turn out that the world is actually on our side.
Miniature, polite gestures of memorialization serve neither as insurance against future catastrophes nor as tributes to the victims. So should we stop to acknowledge them?
250 Reasons to Thank America
Gil Troy and David Suissa
We are two Jews in love with America. We’re also friends. We’re also writers.
We bond over many things, one of them being an aversion to whining.
We can always find reasons to whine about anything. There are a million reasons, for example, to whine about America, just as there are a million reasons to whine about France, Spain, Israel or Greece.
Given that America is celebrating its 250th birthday this year, we thought we’d offer you a whine-free zone and share 250 of our favorite reasons to be thankful for America
We picked reasons that move us. You’ll have your own. The point is not to have an exhaustive list but to take a time-out to thank our country.
You can read about America’s faults everywhere.
In this book you’ll find nothing but gratitude, sometimes hard-earned, always well-deserved.
That is our birthday present, 250 years in the making.
CLICK HERE FOR FULLSCREEN VERSION
Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.
Editor's Picks
Israel and the Internet Wars – A Professional Social Media Review
The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC
What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
You’re Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House
No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center
Latest Articles
Censoring Global Jewry
Israel Bonds Holds LA Events, 2026 Milken Scholars Include Local Jewish Students
Rabbis of LA | Being a Pioneer Is Not a Smooth Path
Mili Avital Never Let Hollywood Rewrite Her Script
Why JD Vance Awkwardly Dances Around Israel
Rahm Emanuel and the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism
All the Words — A poem for Parsha Devarim
I’m taking that phrase back – The river and the sea . . .
Democratic Jews Will Criticize their People, But Why Not Their Party?
Criticizing their political party would mean betraying the identity that has defined most American Jews since the days of FDR.
A Bisl Torah — Low to High, High to Low
Our constant battle is teetering from low to high, high to low, and back to high again.
Moses the Thoughtful Judge
Print Issue: City of Lost Angels? | July 17, 2026
A Jewish Angeleno looks back several decades and wonders whether the golden age of LA Jewry is behind us.
Unbreakable Bond: From Einstein’s $500 Bond to $57 Billion in Israel Bonds
Throughout Israel’s history, in moments of crisis and uncertainty, the Jewish Diaspora has stood alongside the country through Israel Bonds.
Kitchri—Comfort and Culture in a Bowl
For me, and probably every other Iraqi Jew, kitchri is the quintessential meal of the Nine Days.
Everyone Screams for Ice Cream in July: Culturally and Creamy Rich Recipes from Pati Jinich
Jewish Mexican chef Pati Jinich brings her multicultural perspective to every recipe she creates, blending the traditions, ingredients and stories that have shaped her cooking.
Great Grilled Grub for National Grilling Month
Whether you’re planning a backyard barbecue, a casual weeknight dinner or a Shabbat meal on the patio, the possibilities are endless.
A Moment in Time: On Sabbatical
Table for Five: Devarim
Justice For All
Letter from Los Angeles
A Jewish Angeleno looks back several decades and wonders whether the golden age of LA Jewry is behind us.
Dear England: Don’t Cry for Thee Argentina
When England took a 1-0 lead early in the second half, I felt a sense of cosmic justice. Sixty years is a long time. Argentina won it the last time. Maybe it was England’s turn.
The Admirable Epstein: ‘Mr. Moonlight: Brian Epstein and the Making of the Beatles‘
The Beatles’ manager’s life makes “a wonderfully inspiring and terribly sad story.”
Summer in Israel: Still Waiting for Tourists to Return
Restaurants, gift shops, hotels and car rental companies have all been hit hard by the ongoing war. The blow to the economy is evident almost everywhere you go.
Rosner’s Domain | Can You Be a Zionist Without Zionism?
Do you want to convince Jews, and the world, that Zionism is a cause worth supporting? Explain what “Zionism” is, and perhaps it will turn out that the world is actually on our side.
The Story This Moment Needs
In this moment of rising antisemitism, I’ve noticed that the way I remember, and retell, my own childhood has changed too.
The Jewish Tree of Life and American Tree of Liberty
The Kristallnacht Monument and the Question of Whether to Stop
Miniature, polite gestures of memorialization serve neither as insurance against future catastrophes nor as tributes to the victims. So should we stop to acknowledge them?
Jewish Donors: Don’t Walk Away
Do not give up on institutions — but do not disengage from the responsibility to hold them accountable.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.