Different cultures have holidays similar to American Thanksgiving; in Judaism, they celebrate Sukkot, Germans celebrate Erntedankfest, and Koreans celebrate Chuseok. While these holidays have many differences, they all hold the core value of being thankful.

Bringing family and friends together, these holidays mean spending time with each other while eating, playing games, and carrying out traditions that show respect and thanks, such as during the Korean holiday Chuseok, Jennifer Lee, Korean Language and Family Liaison, said. Chuseok differs from Thanksgiving because it often includes visiting ancestors’ graves to show respect and take care of the tombs.

“Families gather together to honor their ancestors, and then they hold a memorial service called Charye to express gratitude to past generations,” Lee said.

Chuseok takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Lunar calendar, usually in either September or October. During Chuseok, family and friends share food, such as songpyeon, which is similar to a rice cake, made by steaming and kneading dough, and partake in traditions such as ssireum (similar to sumo wrestling) and ganggangsullae (a traditional dance).

“The different things are the traditional games we play and the food we share,” Lee said. “We do have a different type of food to make and celebrate for family gatherings, and the games are different for Thanksgiving.”

In Judaism, Sukkot is a week-long holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the Hebrew month Tishrei, which typically falls around September or October, which celebrates gratitude for God’s protection of the Israelites during their escape from Egypt, sophomore Dylan Drake said. Both Sukkot and Thanksgiving have a shared focus on gratitude and hospitality and turn food into a celebration, Drake said.

“A lot of things that my family eats are stuffed vegetables, like stuffed cabbage,” Drake said. “We also have a lot of dumplings and pastries.”

The central tradition of Sukkot is building a sukkah, a three-walled hut-like structure normally made with materials like bamboo or palm branches, Drake said. The idea of the open space, in which families share seven days of meals together, reflects themes of bringing together community, according to a perpsective shared by Rabbi Sandra Lawson, in an article in Reconstructing Judaism.

Also having the central value of gratitude, Erntedankfest is a German harvest festival celebrated on the first Sunday in October, German Teacher Lauren Haugh said. Erntedankfest is deeply rooted in Catholic and Protestant religions, thanking God for the year’s harvest, Haugh said.

“The main difference is Thanksgiving brings the family together, while Erntedankfest is about the community coming together,” Haugh said.