When Ami Doshi, a new immigrant from India, attended her first Thanksgiving as a middle schooler, she was taken aback by the concept of eating a rare bird as the centerpiece of the celebration. “I actually had no idea what a turkey was,” Doshi, now in her early 40s, recalled. Her concerns, however, went beyond unfamiliarity, rooted in her moral beliefs. “When you kill a bird, they can feel it, they can see it… Why is a pet’s life more important than a bird’s life?” she asked.
Doshi, a lifelong vegetarian and follower of the Jain faith, adheres to the principle of ahimsa, or nonviolence. This fundamental tenet involves avoiding harm to all living beings in thought, word, and action. Many Jains also refrain from eating root vegetables, such as onions and garlic, out of respect for the insects and microorganisms disrupted during harvesting. To Doshi, it seemed paradoxical to express gratitude with a meal that involved the loss of a life.
For Jains in the U.S., who number around 200,000, participating in the quintessentially American Thanksgiving holiday required adaptation. Over the years, Jains have redefined the occasion, creating a unique tradition of temple prayers for lives lost, community service, and vegan feasts.
“We figured out a place for us,” said Nirva Patel, a second-generation Jain American and executive director of the Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School. For Patel, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to emphasize gratitude, family, and mindfulness, all aligned with Jain values. “We kind of pulled the good from that holiday, and we’re doing it in our own curated way,” she explained.
Patel, who produced the 2018 vegan documentary The Game Changers, hosts a plant-based potluck each year. A plastic turkey centerpiece at her table sparks meaningful discussions about traditions and values. Reflecting on her childhood in suburban Massachusetts, she shared that Thanksgiving often felt alien. “It was very, very foreign… to see kids and teachers celebrating a turkey, coloring printouts of turkeys, and then talking about carving them up and eating them,” she said. “You just kind of stayed silent in the back of the classroom.”
Her experiences at Farm Sanctuary, where she served as chair of the animal advocacy group, deepened her connection with turkeys. The sanctuary’s “Celebration for the Turkeys” featured meals prepared for rescued birds, offering an alternative perspective on these creatures. “It really makes you think about this beautiful creature that is being so exploited,” Patel noted.
For Patel, encouraging others to embrace her values is less about persuasion and more about embodying compassion. “Getting people on board is really about having convictions of your own beliefs and being unapologetic about it, but also not being harsh,” she said. “The best thing we can do is just be as compassionate as possible in our thoughts, in our actions, and realize that everything starts with what’s on your plate.”
Rahul Jain, a Washington-based consultant who moved to the U.S. 25 years ago, observed that Jains initially approached Thanksgiving cautiously. Some practiced Ayambil, a ritual fast involving simple, bland foods to foster spiritual discipline. Others attended temple services, chanting mantras to seek forgiveness for the 50 million turkeys slaughtered annually.
Over time, younger Jains have embraced the holiday, aligning it with the Jain festival of Paryushana, where gratitude for friends and family is central. “If you put the food aside, the concept of giving thanks is quite remarkable,” said Jain. He drew parallels between Thanksgiving and aparigraha, the Jain principle of nonattachment. “You’re saying, ‘I am grateful for what I have. I don’t need more.’”
Celebrations today often combine vegetarian feasts, prayer, and even backyard football. Rahul Jain emphasized the importance of coexistence. “I can’t change every single human being in the world to match with my ideas… As long as we can all live in harmony and peace is what Jainism stands for.”
Sulekh Jain, a retired aerospace engineer and Jain community leader, recalled his experiences arriving in the U.S. in the 1960s. Back then, there were few Jains, no organized community infrastructure, and no temples. He co-founded JAINA, the Federation of Jain Associations in North America, in 1980 to build a support network.
Over the years, he has seen Jain values gain broader acceptance, partly due to the growing popularity of veganism and environmental awareness. “Every day has gotten easier and easier to follow Jain values,” Sulekh Jain remarked. However, he lamented the increasing commercialization of Thanksgiving, which he believes detracts from its essence. “When we say ‘Happy Thanksgiving,’ let’s make that happy Thanksgiving a reality, and save this environment and save this planet,” he said, pointing out that meat production is a major contributor to climate change.
Manish Mehta, chair of JAINA’s diaspora committee, highlighted the community’s focus on sustainability. Jains are mindful of their “carbon footprint and karmic footprint,” organizing vegan food drives throughout the year to serve the needy. These efforts, which distribute hundreds of thousands of meals, also prioritize eco-friendly practices, such as using biodegradable cutlery and minimizing food waste.
Mehta emphasized that Jain values guide every aspect of their lives, including Thanksgiving. “Jains are trying to evolve practices and adapt to a North American lifestyle,” he said, adding that their traditions are preserved while they contribute to American society. “For us, compassion is kind of in our DNA.”
Thanksgiving has become a meaningful occasion for Jains in the U.S. By integrating their core beliefs into the holiday, they demonstrate that gratitude and compassion transcend cultural boundaries. From vegan feasts and prayer services to sustainability initiatives, their approach reflects a harmonious blend of American traditions and Jain principles, offering a unique perspective on what it means to give thanks.
