1. JEWISH HOLIDAYS & RITUALS

2. Jewish Holidays to know
Pesach
Purim
Rosh Hashanah
Shavout
Sukkot
Yom Kippur
Chanukah
Shabbat
                    

3. Pesach – aka Passover Significance Observance
Remember the Exodus from Egypt
Thank G-d for “passing over” the homes of the Jews when he sent the plagues on Egypt
Observance
Avoid all bread
Retell Exodus story
Ritual dinner called a seder
7-8 days, March & April

4. Purim Significance Observance
Remember the Jews being saved from extermination in ancient Persia
Purim = “lots” for the lottery system used to determine their deaths
Observance
Eat, drink, & be merry (like Halloween & Mardi Gras combined)
Retell story of salvation in Persia and boo villain
Ritual dinner called a seder
1 day, March & February

5. Rosh Hashanah Significance Observance Jewish New Year
Reflection back on previous year & resolutions for future
Observance
Sound shofar (ram’s horn)
Eat apples dipped in honey
2 days, September

6. Shavout – Festival of Weeks
Significance
Remember the giving of the Torah and the redemption of the Jews
Fall harvest celebration
7 full weeks after Passover
Observance
Study the Torah & pray
Eat meal of dairy only
2 days, May & June

7. Sukkot – Festival of Booths
Significance
Commemorates the wandering in the desert by the Jews for 40 years after the Exodus
Fall harvest celebration
Observance
Build a temporary booth (sukkah) & eat & pray in it
Wave branches in all directions symbolizing G-d is everywhere
7 days, Sept – Oct

8. Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement
Significance
Day of fasting and repentance to reconcile with G-d over the mistakes made in the past year
Fall harvest celebration
Observance
No work, fast, attend synagogue services
25 hours, Sept – Oct

9. Chanukah – Festival of Lights
Significance
Commemorating rededication of the Temple after a revolt against the Greeks
Miracle of the 8 day oil
Observance
Light candles
Eat fried foods, play with dreidel
8 days, Nov & Dec

10. Shabbat – Sabbath Significance Observance Most important of all
A weekly day of joyful rest and spiritual enrichment
Observance
Two commandments – remember & observe
Pray in synagogue & eat with family
Weekly starting sundown to Saturday at sundown

11. Jewish Rites / Rituals brit milah / brit hayyim
bar mitzvah / bat mitzvah
Marriage
Death
Dietary Laws – Kosher
Prayer

12. brit milah / brit hayyim
Brit milah - commonly called the bris
Ritual circumcision of Jewish males on 8th day of life
Following commandment of G-d given to Abraham
Brit hayyim
Naming ceremony for Jewish female babies, also on 8th day of life

13. Bar Mitzvah – son of the commandment
Age 13, Jewish boys become responsible to follow the Torah and commandments
Transition to adulthood in Jewish community

14. Bat Mitzvah – daughter of the commandment
Age 12, Jewish girls become responsible to follow the Torah and commandments
Transition to adulthood in Jewish community

15. Marriage Judaism believes in soul mates
Companionship, love, and procreation are primary reasons
The ceremony
Under a canopy, bride circles groom, prayers are said, groom smashes glass with right foot (symbolizes destruction of the Temple), rings exchanged

16. Death
Not a tragedy in Judaism, but natural process and part of G-d’s plan
Dead are never left alone
No autopsies, embalming, or cremation; must be buried
Body is cleaned & wrapped in linen & put in a simple coffin
No open coffin
Mourning occurs in stages
Gravestones are customary

17. Dietary Laws - Kosher
Kosher – Food that has been properly prepared and animals properly slaughtered by an expert according to Jewish dietary laws
May not eat pork, shellfish, birds of prey
May not mix milk & meat
All blood drained from meat
Utensils cannot contact non-kosher foods

18. Prayer Emphasis on group prayer 3x daily at synagogue/temple
Basic Service
The Amidah
A group of salutations and prayers of praise to G-d
The Sh’ma
Pledge of faith – “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One.”
The Aliyah
The public reading of a passage in from the Torah