Jewish Holidays Spring 2025 ( 5875 ) March – June 2025
JEWISH LIVING
Jewish Holidays Spring 2025 ( 5875 ) March – June 2025
Purim
March 13 – 14 , 2025
Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar , 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 Achashverosh , Haman , the king ’ s prime minister , plots to exterminate all 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 because 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
April 12 – 20 , 2025
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 23 – 24 , 2025
Yom Ha ’ atzmaut
April 30 – May 1 , 2025
Yom HaAtzmaut , Israeli Independence Day , marks the establishment of the modern State of Israel . It is observed on or near the 5th of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar , with adjustments made if the date falls on the Sabbath , to accommodate restrictions on festivities for some observant Jews . This Hebrew date corresponds with the original date of May 14 , 1948 . The day is marked with festivities such as a parade and in Israel by a torch lighting ( hadlakat masuot ) ceremony , which marks the country ’ s achievements in all spheres of life . While not a religious holiday to most , Yom Ha ’ Atzmaut is a celebration of triumph for the Jewish people in that we were granted legitimacy in our ancestral indigenous homeland .
Shavuot
June 1 – 3 , 2025
Shavuot is a springtime holiday that is one of the three pilgrimage festivals during which the ancient Israelites brought crop offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem . In modern times Jews celebrate it as one of the most important moments for the Jewish people , the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai . The term Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “ weeks ” and it always occurs seven weeks after Passover . It is the only Jewish holiday without an actual date . Shavuot is the culmination of the 49-day period known as the Omer , a period of semi-mourning as well as spiritual progression from slavery to revelation . Today , it is a celebration of Torah , education , and actively choosing to participate in Jewish life .
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 HaZikaron
April 29 – 30 , 2025
The Israeli Knesset established the day before Yom HaAtzmaut as Yom HaZikaron , a Memorial Day for fallen soldiers , lost in the War of Independence and subsequent wars . The message of linking these two days is clear : Israelis owe their independence — the very existence of the state — to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it . During the day , a siren is heard throughout the country twice , during which the entire nation observes a two-minute moment of silence with all traffic and activities coming to a standstill . Yom Hazikaron is not conceived as a religious commemoration by most Israelis , but as part of the civil culture . The siren sound seems to inspire awe and sanctity no less than any traditional religious ceremony .
10 Weinstein JCC • 2025 Spring Activity Guide