1. Jewish Holidays

2. Shabbat Origins: God rested on the 7th day of creation
Begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until sunset on Saturday
Jews are required to refrain from many activities: driving, answering the phone, writing, turning on an electric light etc.
A day of worship and celebration
A time to study Torah
The traditional purpose of the Sabbath was a compassionate one: it was to allow everyone, even slaves and animals, regular rest.

3. Rosh Hashanah Jewish New Year Is observed for two days
A religious event involving both festivities (big meal) and serious contemplation
Reflection on the deeds of the past year and on the need for redemption
Rosh Hashanah
The shofar (ram’s horn) is blown
It produces a solemn tone of warning to remind people that they stand before God
A time to pay off debts
A time to make apologies to people

4. Yom Kippur Day of atonement= community ritual
To atone means to make up for one’s faults
This day has traditionally been kept by prayer and strict fasting, with no food or drink during the entire day
It emphasizes repentance through confession of sin to God
Confessions are said as a group or made silently to avoid shaming people publicly

5. Succot Reminder of the harvest
In early days it was common for families to sleep outdoors in the fields during the autumn harvest season-
which enabled them to begin work in the fields early, to stay late, and to protect what they have harvested
Eating or sleeping in the shelters came to symbolize the period of wandering in the desert, before the Israelites reentered the land of Canaan
A sukkah (Hebrew for shelter) is a shelter made of light wood
it is set up in or near the home
it is commonly decorated with branches and fruits
Family eats in the sukkah for a week
Succot

6. Hanukkah Commemorates the Jews (Macabees) overcoming the Syrians
Feast of Lights
Rededication of the temple
Menorah-a candelabrum
Tradition says that oil that should have lasted only one day miraculously kept burning for eight days

7. Purim Recalls the story of Ester Aka Feast of Lots
Ester becomes a queen
She finds out that Haman is turning the king against the Jews
Haman wants the king to kill the Jews
Ester risks her life when she goes to the king’s court without permission
She saves the Jewish people from the destruction
Aka Feast of Lots
Customary to have carnivals and masquerade parties
Purim

8. Pesah Lasts for a week Commemorates the Exodus from Egypt Aka Passover
the blood of a lamb was placed over the doors of the Hebrews keeping the angel of death from entering their homes while the power of God “passed over” Egypt
First & Second nights celebrated at a Seder
a special feast where Jews retell the story of the exodus from Egypt
lots of symbolic foods (matza, charoset, bitter herbs, hard-boiled egg, etc.)