Q. See questions 3390, 91, 92 above. 3) Often my parents invite a neighbor family to join our Thanksgiving party. They are Frum people born in Latin America and they said that in their tradition they celebrate Columbus Day. Is there a problem inviting them?
A. In Latin American counties such as Mexico Thanksgiving is not celebrated. For decades, Native American groups and their allies have protested the holiday. But much like Columbus Day, Thanksgiving is also controversial and considered by some to be a “national day of mourning” or a celebration of the genocide of Native Americans by colonizers. Therefore, there should not be any problem with inviting friends from those countries.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a