1. Jewish Festivals and Celebrations

3. Pesach Meaning of name? When does it take place?
What is it celebrating?
How is it celebrated?
Passover
At the beginning of Spring
Freedom from slavery in Egypt
The exit and rush for a new home
With a ritual meal called “sedar”
The Sedar celebrates Jews freedom from Egypt
Each item on the table is a reminder of their liberation

4. Shabbat Meaning of name? When does it take place?
What is it celebrating?
How is it celebrated?
Holy days of Sabbath
Every Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown
The 4th Commandment
“keep the Sabbath day”
Dinner with family
Prayer
Reading the Torah
NO WORK!!!
(the extent depends on what type of Judaism is practiced)

5. Sukkot Meaning of name? When does it take place?
What is it celebrating?
How is it celebrated?
Booths = name cam from the huts that they built in the desert during the Exodus
Sukkot takes place in the fall and represents a time of rejoicing at the harvest
The Hebrews dependence on God when they were in the desert and dependence on the harvest
On the last day of Sukkot they complete the annual reading of the Torah
A new cycle begins

6. Hanukkah Meaning of name? When does it take place?
What is it celebrating?
How is it celebrated?
It recalls the fight for political independence under the Maccabees
The Maccabees win back the temple but there is only enough oil to light a lamp for one night…the miracle is that it lasted 8 nights!
In December
Has become a gift giving time because it falls in line with the Christian celebration of Christmas
Political independence under Maccabees
8 candles are lit for 8 successive nights
A time for gift giving and retelling of the story