1. Jewish Holy Days Basics/Corrections

2. Overview of Holy Days The Jewish calendar is lunar, meaning…it follows the cycle of the moon, so holy days do not fall on the same date every year. Each holy period has a distinct emotion associated with it: Happiness Sadness Repentance Gratitude

3. Rosh Hashanah (say: “rawsh-hawsh-awe-nah”) What: Jewish New Year/ Day of Judgment/ Day of Remembrance Recalls creation of the world Remembrance of Jews as special people When: Happens in Fall How to celebrate: Reflect on misdeeds/sins/debts of the past year and prayers of forgiveness ***Shofar = ram’s horn blown every day of the month prior to Rosh Hashanah to signal new year and remind people that they stand before God

4. Yom Kippur (say: “Yohm Key-poor”) What: The Day of Atonement Most important and sacred It is a day of intense reflection When: 10 days after Rosh Hashanah How to celebrate: Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, God judges deeds and decides the fate of your next year Prayers for forgiveness and asking forgiveness from those you have wronged Fasting, abstaining from pleasures Mood is solemn and serious

5. Sukkot (say: “sue coat”) What: Commemorates the years the Jews spent in the desert on the way to the Promised Land (Canaan) Used to be more associated with the harvest and God’s bounty When: Not long after Yom Kippur How to celebrate: Sukkot = “shelters” Building of flimsy booth/hut to remind self that only source of real security is God (sukkah) Also reminds Jews of conditions faced in desert Rejoicing with citron, palm branch, myrtle branch, and willow branch

6. Simchat Torah (say: “sim-hhhot tore-ah” with throaty h”) What: Celebrates the Torah When: 8 th /Last day of Sukkot How to Celebrate: Torah scrolls are carried around with singing and dancing Signifies the end of the cycle of reading the Torah that took place all year Now readings can begin from beginning again

7. Hanukkah (say: “Hhhhhhanooka” or “..-nucka”) What: Hanukkah means rededication “Miracle of Light” When temple was defiled then rededicated, a candle needed to remain burning. Oil for one night, burned for 8 When: Early winter (sometimes late fall) 8 day celebration How to celebrate: One candle, each night is lit on a menorah Games played with children (dreidel) Small gifts are given to children each of the 8 nights

8. Tu B’Shevat (say: “too beesh'vat”) What: New Year for Trees Related to tithing/finding out age of trees When fruit trees are planted, can’t eat fruit for 3 years, 4 th year goes to the Temple When: July/August How to celebrate: Eating of fruits Planting of trees

9. Purim (say: “Poor-im”) What: Celebrates time when Jews in Persia were saved from extermination by Esther (the queen) Marks the end of the reading of the book of Esther When: late winter How to celebrate: Happy festival Carnival-like celebrations Reading of Book of Esther and reenacting it through plays

10. Pesach/Passover (say: “Pey-sachhhh”) What: Commemorates the liberation of the children of Israel who were saved out of Egypt by Moses When God sent plagues upon Egypt, one was to kill the firstborn of every household. Jews smeared lamb’s blood over door frame for the angel of death to know to skip that house or to “passover” the house When: first lunar month/spring (usually around the Christian holy day of Easter) How to celebrate: Seder = memorial meal Unleavened bread (matzah) is important (Jews didn’t have time to let bread rise before they had to leave Egypt) Lamb Salad of nuts and fruits During meal, story of the Exodus is told

12. Yom Hashoah (say: “Yohm ha-show-ah”) What: memorializes the Shoah (Holocaust) New holiday When: April or May How to celebrate: Very sad Theme is “never again!” Rituals still being worked out…most focus on services to honor those who died

13. Shavuot (say: “Shah-voo-oat”) What: Began as a celebration of the harvest (“Feast of Weeks”) Now a day to renew the covenant with God Day of gratitude for the Torah given to Moses When: 50 days after Passover How to celebrate: Dairy products eaten Ruth celebrated (foreigner committed to the Torah) Some have confirmation ceremonies when teens reaffirm their Jewish beliefs

14. Tishah B’Av (say: “Teesha beh-ahv”) What: Commemorates a series of tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people on or around this day Destruction of 1 st and 2 nd temples in Jerusalem Beginning of Holocaust When: 9 weeks after Shavuot (May-June) How to celebrate: Very sad Prayers and fasting Not widely observed after the creation of Israel