Most people in Northwest Philadelphia will probably have turkey as their main course for dinner on Thanksgiving Day. One group that will not is the Northwest Philadelphia-based Vegan Spirituality Group of Philadelphia, who will have their Annual “Vegan ThanksLiving Potluck Dinner” at the Chestnut Hill Meetinghouse, 20 E. Mermaid Lane, on Thursday, Nov. 27, 4–6 p.m. It is open to the public.
“We welcome everyone with an interest in veganism,” said Zipora Schulz, an art instructor at Allens Lane Art Center and Mt. Airy Leaning Tree who formerly taught at Germantown Friends School. Schulz, a longtime resident on the West Mt. Airy/West Germantown border, co-founded the Vegan Spirituality Group of Philadelphia with husband Jim Harris and friend Lisa Levinson. “We welcome those considering veganism and those struggling to maintain or adopt a vegan lifestyle. We are active on our Facebook page posting articles and events, both in person and virtual.”
Guests are asked to bring a vegan dish — main meal, side dish, dessert, vegan bread or beverage — to share with at least five people. No animal products — meat, dairy, eggs or honey — are permitted. The fee is $10, but no one is turned away. Collections go to the space rental and operating costs.
Schulz, Harris and Levinson co-founded the Vegan Spirituality Group of Philadelphia 20 years ago and started their “ThanksLiving” potluck dinner two years later. For several years, the holiday gathering was at the Seventh Day Adventist Church at the top of the Hill, but in recent years the dinners have been at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting. According to Schulz, “Vegans say ‘ThanksLiving’ because no animals were harmed!
“About 50 people normally show up, and they come from all over. We have had visitors from Ireland, Germany, Maryland, New Jersey, etc. We have great vegan food from soup to nuts, with the ingredients on cards. You don’t have to be vegan to join us, but you do have to bring vegan food for the potluck.”
Every year guest musicians and authors come to the event, and every year they dedicate the event to a special animal activist. This year, the dinner will be dedicated to the life of Jane Goodall, and a short video about her will be shown. There is also a holiday singalong with a piano player, and a microphone is passed around so guests can introduce themselves and say where they’re from.
“And I want to say that we have a team of longstanding members from the Vegan Spirituality Group who help brainstorm and make the event happen yearly,” Schulz said. “Volunteers are also appreciated to help us set up after 3 p.m. and break down after 6. Our motto is: ‘Veganism is good for people, the animals and the planet.’”
According to GoodHousekeeping.com, “There is abundant, well-researched literature on the health disadvantages of having too much meat or processed foods in our diet. Multiple recent studies have shown the health benefits of switching to a plant-based diet, including the much-reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
“The consumption of plant-based foods continues to grow as people become more and more conscious about their health and environmental sustainability. According to a report from Bloomberg Intelligence, the plant-based foods market is expected to grow 450% by 2030. Plant-based and vegan celebrities including Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Venus Williams and Ariana Grande, among others, have helped to fuel the popularity of this trend, too. No matter what your current diet consists of, adding more plants and gravitating towards a more whole-food, plant-based diet will always be beneficial.”
The Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting, where the dinner will be held, is a congregation of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). First meeting in 1924, they were the first “United” monthly meeting, reconciling Philadelphia Quakers after the schism of 1827, which involved two groups, one much more conservative than the other. The original meetinghouse, built in 1931, was located at 100 E. Mermaid Lane in Chestnut Hill. It was replaced in 2012-2013 by the current meetinghouse at 20 E. Mermaid Lane, which incorporates a Skyspace designed by Quaker light artist James Turrell. The 2012-2013 Quaker meetinghouse was the first to be built in Philadelphia in 80 years.
For more information, email publiceyephilly@gmail.com or call/text 267-847-6553 or 215-834-4140. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com.
