| |
Jewish holidays
go back
thousands of years, and their traditions begin in the dawn of history itself.
What follows is a brief description of most of the holidays and their dates for
the coming year.
Fast of
Tammuz
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
17
Tammuz
A day of fasting to
commemorate the day that Moses broke the first
Tablets of the Covenant. This day also
memorializes the Jerusalem's destruction.
|
Tisha B'Av
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
9
Av
A day of fasting and mourning
memorializing the destruction of the First and
Second Temples. During the ceremony, the Book of
Lamentations is read.
|
Tu B'Av
Monday, August 2, 2004
15
Av
This holiday has several meanings.
It commemorates the day that the tribes of Israel
were permitted to intermarry, and at one time may
have been an agricultural holiday. It is called
the Festival of Love and the Holiday of Unity. It
is a gift giving holiday.
|
Rosh
Hashanah
Thursday, September 16, 2004
- Friday, September 17, 2004
1-2
Tishrei
A celebration set aside to
motivate one's thoughts of past, present, and
future activities. The unity and flavor of the new
year is celebrated with the traditional Challah
bread, apples and honey. This day also marks the
beginning of the Ten Days of Awe, ending on Yom
Kippur.
|
Yom Kippur
Saturday, September 25, 2004
10 Tishrei
This is one of the
holiest days in the Jewish year. Jews are
encouraged to ponder their relationships with God
and man, and to make right the things they have
done wrong. All this is done in the midst of
fasting and prayer. The sound of the ram's horn
(shofar) at sunset brings the day to an end.
|
Sukkoth
Thursday, September 30, 2004
- Tuesday, October 5, 2004
15-21
Tishrei
Sukkoth commemorates the
entry of the Israelites into the Promised Land
after 40 years wandering in the desert. A sukkah
(a small hut made of branches) is built to
represent the huts the Israelites used for homes
in the desert. Branches of willow, palm and myrtle
are placed together to make the lulav, which is
shaken as part of the celebration.
related
links |
Shemini
Atzeret
Thursday, October 7, 2004
22 Tishrei
Tishrei is celebrated the day
after Sukkoth, and is a time of prayers for rain (tefillat geshem)
recited
during services -- a practice that continues until
Pesach.
|
Simchat
Torah
Friday, October 8, 2004
23 Tishrei
This holiday
celebrates a yearly reading of the Torah. When the
last sentence of Deuteronomy is read, the Torah is
paraded around the synagogue 7 times. Then a new
cycle of reading begins with Genesis.
|
Chanukah
Thursday, December 9, 2004 -
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
25
Kislev - 2 Tevet
This holy day
celebrates the victory over the Syrians and a
miracle during the rededication of the Temple when
a day's amount of lamp oil burned for 8 days. The
candles of a chanukia, a 9 branched candleholder,
is lighted. Then there are potato pancakes to eat,
games of dreidel spinning tops and gifts.
|
Tu
B'Shevat
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
15 Shevat
A celebration of spring
and renewal by planting trees and eating
fruit.
|
Purim
Friday, March 25, 2005
14
Adar
This holiday commemorates the rescue of the Jews by Queen Esther and her uncle
Mordecai from Haman. When the story is read
aloud people shout and use noisemakers to drown out
the name of Haman. The celebration is accompanied
by dances, gift giving and parties. A 3 cornered
fruit pastry is traditional to the event. Some
Jews fast the day before to symbolize the fast of
Esther's time.
|
Pesach
Sunday, April 24, 2005 -
Sunday, May 1, 2005
15-22 Nissan
A celebration of the freedom from
slavery in Egypt. A special Seder meal is prepared
with the symbolic foods of the Exodus. Unleavened
bread (matzah) is eaten during the 8 days of
Passover to represent the hurried departure of the
Israelites from Egypt. Texts about the Exodus are
read.
|
Lag B'Omer
Friday, May 27, 2005
18
Iyar
A celebration of Bar Kochba
recapturing Jerusalem from the Romans. There are
picnics and outings.
|
Shavuot
Monday, June 13, 2005
6-7
Sivan
This day commemorates the
presentation of
the Torah at Sinai, and also the spring harvest.
During this holiday the Jews read the Ten Commandments and
the Book of Ruth.
|
|
|
