Rosh Hashanah (SHanah ha’Yom), or Jewish New Year, is celebrated joyously, unlike Yom Kippur, which marks an austere day of atonement and repentance.
Sukkot includes Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, two joyful celebrations marking the completion of annual Torah readings. On these holidays, Jews live in temporary huts called Sukkahs, where they enjoy eating oily foods while playing games like Dreidel.
Passover
Passover, or the Festival of Freedom, marks the Israelites’ liberation from Egypt following generations of slavery. Observance usually lasts seven or eight days, depending on personal faith; special family meals known as seders commemorating this event may occur. Special foods during seder include hard-boiled eggs, greens, lamb bones, bitter herbs, and salt water, as well as matzah (pronounced mah-tsoh), which represents their haste in leaving without time for their bread to rise before leaving Egypt – symbolizing hasty departure. Jewish people observe Passover by refraining from eating leavened foods or drinks known as Chametz, which includes cakes, cookies, cereal pasta, or beverages that contain leavened ingredients, including cakes, cookies, and many alcoholic beverages during this eight-day-long celebration.
Purim, or Jewish Mardi Gras, is celebrated each March. This holiday honors their liberation from an evil plot spearheaded by Haman to destroy them. It commemorates this remarkable rescue by dressing up in costumes, eating sweet triangular pastries called hamantashen, and sharing food among family and friends to fulfill a rabbinical mandate that no one is hungry on this joyful celebration of Jewish heritage.
Chanukah, which lasts eight days, marks the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple by lighting candles every night and playing games such as dreidel. Jews also enjoy eating oily foods such as latkes and doughnuts and giving money to charities during Chanukah; on Yom Yerushalayim (reunification day in 1967), special parades throughout Israel commemorating this eventful festival.
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, or Yom Kerem in Hebrew, is one of the holiest days in Judaism and falls during the ten days known as The Days of Awe, which starts with Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year). Yom Kippur marks a day to reflect, repent and ask God and others for forgiveness.
Jewish people typically observe Yom Kippur by fasting for 25 hours beginning the evening before and lasting until sundown on Yom Kippur day, until dusk at sunset. Additionally, during this period, many Jews donate time or money to help those in need while engaging in traditional practices such as Kapparot — swinging a live chicken or bundle of coins over one’s head while reciting prayers as an act of atonement — this tradition.
Yom Kippur is the holiday for repentance, and much of its services focus on it. People come together on Yom Kippur to confess and seek forgiveness for sins they committed over the previous year to ensure their names will be written into the Book of Life for next year.
As well as fasting, most observant Jews also observe a period of restraint with bathing and wearing leather shoes; others will even abstain from marital relations during this period as this time serves to reflect and revitalize themselves.
Yom Kippur begins with the Kol Nidre service, performed in a unique musical style. This legal formula cancels vows made by an individual during the year, except obligations to other people. Many Jews spend this special evening of Yom Kippur asking and receiving forgiveness from friends to express repentance and to show they mean business by amending past behavior.
Yom HaShoah
Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) is an important day to look inward and learn lessons from history. Yom HaShoah provides us an opportunity to remember those we’ve lost and teach future generations the lessons from their loss; at the same time, it offers the chance to consider ways we can work toward personal social justice.
Yom HaShoah commemorates the horrors of Shoah (Holocaust) by celebrating its 27th day, usually falling in April or May, on the Gregorian calendar. This day marks millions murdered due to their faith, ethnicity, or race. It reminds us that its effects continue today as part of an ongoing narrative about human inhumanity and hope.
In Israel, Holocaust Remembrance Day begins with an official state ceremony at Yad Vashem. Six torches, symbolizing the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust and in memory of all those lost during traffic jams during that two-minute siren blast, represent those murdered during WWII and are lit. A national siren brings traffic to a standstill as everyone honors those we have lost through two minutes of silence across Israel as we remember all who perished during that terrible time.
Yom HaShoah may have originally been contentious, but it now forms part of Israeli national identity and is commemorated equally as other significant holidays in Israel. A week later follows Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism; an annual reminder that Israel would not exist if not for those who gave their lives in defense of it, reminding all that the Jewish nation is built on resistance and survival.
Yom HaZikaron
On the fourth day of Iyar in Israel’s Hebrew month, this national day of mourning commemorates its fallen soldiers. There are public and private memorial services held across Israel on this date, with public ceremonies at Western Wall (Kotel) in Jerusalem serving as an anchor. There will also be an official State ceremony held at Yad Vashem; additionally, places of entertainment must close, and flags are lowered to half-staff to observe this day; individuals recite Kaddish, the prayer of remembrance, while lighting candles around their homes or synagogues, on this date.
This holiday holds excellent meaning in Israel, where almost everyone knows someone who has fallen during its wars. As such, it serves as an occasion to remember both their courage and sacrifice for their nation.
On Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), public observances change significantly, with flags being raised to full height and Jews wearing unique stickers called Yizkor remembrance tags to show their joyous celebration. A few days later is Lag Ba’Omer, which marks the 33rd day of Omer. On this festive occasion, many Jews celebrate by having bonfires or parades, honoring Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai who lived an extraordinary and mystic life. Shemini Atzeret commemorates both the feast of weeks and its giving on Mt Sinai, as well as being considered a Jewish Mardi Gras. People traditionally wear costumes and enjoy sweet treats like hamentashen (triangular pastries filled with fruit or poppy seeds). Many Jews do not work on Shemini Atzeret due to a rabbinical decree dictating no work should be completed on this day.
Purim
Purim, or “lots,” is one of the most joyful occasions on our Jewish calendar, commemorating over two millennia of miraculous national salvation over two millennia ago. Held annually on March 14, which falls late winter/early spring (this year, it begins the evening of Monday, March 6, and ends Tuesday, March 7, extending even through Wednesday in Jerusalem). Purim means “lots,” alluding to Haman’s plan to eliminate Jews living within his Persian Empire by randomly drawing lots for when and where to wipe them out.
Esther (known in Hebrew as Hadassah) demonstrated great courage by risking her life to save the Jews of Persia during the fifth century BCE. Ahasuerus wanted Esther to participate in his beauty pageant and reveal her nationality; instead, she decided to keep her Jewish heritage hidden and hide away from Haman, who intended to kill or enslave all Persia inhabitants – including Jews! Mordechai discovered Haman’s plan and informed Esther, who then told Ahasuerus, who ultimately saved his subjects from harm.
Purim’s story can be found in the Book of Esther, part of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). On Purim day, synagogues are customary to read the entire scroll called Megillah aloud during worship service – this practice is called Megillah reading. Additionally, there are other traditions around Purim, such as providing food or money directly to poor individuals (matanot l’evyonim) and performing Purim spiels which blend humor with serious themes; on these difficult days, it serves as an essential reminder to stand up for what you believe in!
