Jewish Living
Jewish Holidays - Winter / Spring 2018 ( 5778 )
Hanukkah December 13 – December 20 Hanukkah ( alternately spelled Chanukah ), meaning “ dedication ” in Hebrew , refers to the joyous eight-day celebration during which Jews commemorate the victory of the Maccabees over the armies of Syria in 165 B . C . E . and the subsequent liberation and “ rededication ” of the Temple in Jerusalem . The modern home celebration of Hanukkah centers around the lighting of the hanukkiyah , a special menorah for Hanukkah ; foods prepared in oil including latkes ( potato pancakes ) and sufganiyot ( jelly doughnuts ); and special songs and games .
Tu B ’ Shevat January 31 Tu B ’ Shevat or the “ New Year of the Trees ” is Jewish Arbor Day . The holiday is observed on the 15th ( tu ) of the Hebrew month of Sh ’ vat . Scholars believe that originally Tu BiSh ’ vat was an agricultural festival , marking the emergence of spring . In the 17th century , Kabbalists created a ritual for Tu BiSh ’ vat that is similar to a Passover seder . Today , many Jews hold a modern version of the Tu BiSh ’ vat seder each year . The holiday also has become a tree planting festival in Israel , in which Israelis and Jews around the world plant trees in honor or in memory of loved ones and friends .
Purim March 1 & 2
Purim is celebrated with a public reading — usually in the synagogue — of the Book of Esther ( Megillat Esther ), which tells the story of the holiday . Under the rule of King Ahashverosh , Haman , the king ’ s prime minister , plots to exterminate all of the Jews of Persia . His plan is foiled by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai , who ultimately save the Jews of Persia from destruction . The reading of the megillah typically is a rowdy affair , punctuated by booing and noisemaking when Haman ’ s name is read aloud .
Purim is an unusual holiday in many respects . First , Esther is the only biblical book in which God is not mentioned . Second , Purim , like Hanukkah , traditionally is viewed as a minor festival , but elevated to a major holiday as a result of the Jewish historical experience . Over the centuries , Haman became the embodiment of every anti-Semite in every land where Jews were oppressed . The significance of Purim lies not so much in how it began , but in what it has become : a thankful and joyous affirmation of Jewish survival against all odds .
Passover March 31 – April 7 Pesach , known as Passover in English , is a major Jewish spring festival , commemorating the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago . The ritual observance of this holiday centers around a special home service called the seder ( meaning “ order ”) and a festive meal ; the prohibition of chametz ( leaven ); and the eating of matzah ( an unleavened bread ). On the fifteenth day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar , Jews gather with family and friends in the evening to read from a book called the haggadah , meaning “ telling ,” which contains the order of prayers , rituals , readings and songs for the Passover seder . Today , the holiday is a celebration of freedom and family .
Yom HaShoah April 12 Yom HaShoah , also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day , occurs on the 27th of Nisan . Shoah , which means catastrophe or utter destruction in Hebrew , refers to the atrocities that were committed against the Jewish people during World War II . This is a memorial day for those who died in the Shoah . The Shoah is also known as the Holocaust , from a Greek word meaning “ sacrifice by fire .”
Yom Ha ’ atzmaut April 19 Since the establishment of the State of Israel , four new holidays have been added to the Jewish calendar - Yom HaShoah ( Holocaust Remembrance Day ), Yom HaZikaron ( Memorial Day ), Yom HaAtzmaut ( Independence Day ), and Yom Yerushalayim ( Jerusalem Day ). In Israel , these holidays are observed as national holidays . The Israeli Knesset established the day before Yom HaAtzmaut as Yom HaZikaron , a Memorial Day for soldiers who lost their lives fighting in the War of Independence and in other subsequent battles .
Yom HaAtzmaut , Israeli Independence Day , marks the establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948 . It is observed on or near the 5th of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar , which usually falls in April .
Shavuot May 19 – 21 Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “ weeks ” and refers to the Jewish festival marking the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai , which occurs seven weeks after Passover . Shavuot , like many other Jewish holidays , began as an ancient agricultural festival that marked the end of the spring barley harvest and the beginning of the summer wheat harvest . In ancient times , Shavuot was a pilgrimage festival during which Israelites brought crop offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem . Today , it is a celebration of Torah , education , and actively choosing to participate in Jewish life .
31 Weinstein JCC | 2018 Winter - Spring Activity Guide