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Jewish Festivals, Rituals, Practices
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Jewish Festivals days begin at nightfall lunar month:
Nature is the key (not clocks and calendars) days begin at nightfall lunar month: 29 1/2 days solar year (365 1/4 days) festivals follow seasons
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Jewish Calendar Name Month Length Gregorian
of Month Number of Month Equivalent Nissan 1 30 days March-April Iyar 2 29 days April-May Sivan 3 30 days May-June Tammuz 4 29 days June-July Av 5 30 days July-August Elul 6 29 days August-September Tishrei 7 30 days September-October Cheshvan 8 29 or 30 days October-November Kislev 9 29 or 30 days November-December Tevet days December-January Shevat days January-February Adar or 30 days February-March Adar II days March-April
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Jewish Festivals days begin at nightfall lunar month:
Nature is the key (not clocks and calendars) days begin at nightfall lunar month: 29 1/2 days solar year (365 1/4 days) festivals follow seasons Sabbath (and New Moon) Pilgrim Festivals “Days of Awe” Fast Days
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Pilgrim Festivals Name Commemorates Spiritual Agricultural Pesach
(Passover) spring the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt God is the redeemer, go from slavery to Egypt to serving God (alone) Spring, barley harvest Shavuot (Pentecost) early summer Giving of the ten commandments on Sinai Revelation of Torah (completes Exodus experience) Wheat harvest/ first fruits Succot (Tabernacles) autumn God protected Israelite in the desert God is our protector; symbolized by leaving homes and dwelling in tents The final Harvest Festival Source: Norman Solomon, Judaism.
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“Days of Awe” Rosh Hoshana (New Year)-- September 9-10, 2010/5771
New Year’s Eve: food symbolizing sweetness (e.g., bread dipped in honey); pray: “May it be Your will to renew for us a good and sweet year.” Morning Service: four to six hours; focus on God as creator, king and judge; sounding of the shofar (ram’s horn) periodically. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)—September 18, 2010/5771 high attendance (strong cultural celebration) various forms of fasting and restraint are practiced emphasizes Teshuva (repentance) Kol Nidrei (opens synagogue service Yom Kippur eve) Ne’ilah (“closing of the gates”); chanting “Avinu Malkenu” (“Our Father, Our King”)
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Other Festivals Chanukah (rededication of Temple by Hasmoneans in 165 BCE, [also the miracle of the oil, and thus victory of light over darkness]) Purim (rescue of Jews from extermination under Ahasuerus, Esther, carnival atmosphere, distributing alms to the needy, merriment) The New Year for Trees (mentioned in the Talmud but only popular after the “return to the land,” school holiday in Israel, tree planting) Yom Ha-Atzma (Israel Independence Day, somewhat controversial)
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