Arrival Day

Who knew, and my wife is Jewish. I'm gonna give her hell for not knowing about this, she remembers the million or so other Jewish holidays throughout the year. From The Head Heeb:

One month to Arrival Day
Eleven months ago on September 7, 2003, The Head Heeb celebrated the first annual Arrival Day, a secular commemoration of the first American Jews' landing in New Amsterdam in 1654:

Arrival Day is different from other Jewish holidays in that it is a purely secular occasion - a celebration of the Jewish ethnic group rather than the Jewish religion. As such, non-Jews are allowed, and indeed encouraged, to participate. Just as everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, on Arrival Day everyone is Jewish.

The occasion was marked with a blogburst featuring 16 essays on the American Jewish experience, preceded by a series of discussions on the past and present of the American Jewish community.

This September 7 will be the second Arrival Day. I'd like to at least match last year's participation, and as before, both Jews and non-Jews are welcome to take part. I ask only that the entries touch somehow on Jews, Judaism, Jewish thought, perceptions of Jews or interaction between Jews and gentiles. Because this year is the 350th anniversary of the American Jewish community, I also ask - although I won't require - that the essays focus on a common theme: the Jewish future. Between now and September 7, I will post a weekly series of articles on that subject; all those who want to join in, please let me know.