Jewish Fall Holidays 101

[sharon]

The Jewish holiday season is coming (faster than I am ready for !). Our holiday season is in the fall, when we have 4 holidays in 4 weeks, usually coming in September and/or October.

Rosh Hashanah:
This two and a half day holiday is the Jewish new year. It is a time of reflection of the past year and repentance and apologies for things we have done. Many families go to synagogue 1-3 times over the course of the holiday. Families and friends gather for meals.
A ram's horn, called a Shofar, is blown in synagogue in four specific note combinations. The Shofar is meant to wake us up and call us to prayer and G-d and remind us to reflect on our choices and do better this next year.
Another tradition is to eat apples dipped in honey as a way to start the new year with sweetness. Pomegranates are also a traditional food - traditionally they are said to have 613 seeds, which is the same as the number of commandments that Jews have. (In reality, they don't I've cut one open more than once with my class and counted to check)

Yom Kippur:
This is the Day of Atonement - the conclusion of the reflection that began with Rosh Hashanah. Adults who are physically able fast - no food or drink - for about 26 hours or so. It begins in the evening (as all Jewish holidays do) and people attend synagogue that night and then most of the next day. As evening comes the Shofar is blown one last time and the fast is broken.

Sukkot:
Sukkot is an 8 day holiday that has Sukkot has dual significance: historical and agricultural. Historically, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which our ancestors wandered in the desert after leaving Egypt, living in temporary shelters. Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival, sometimes called "The Jewish Thanksgiving" (since it is where the Pilgrims got the idea for the First Thanksgiving). We build temporary shelters - a little hut called a Sukkah. We eat as many meals as we can in our Sukkah (Or in someone else's if one doesn't have their own) and some even sleep in it, although not as frequently in Minnesota.

Simchat Torah:
This is a one day holiday that completes the holiday season and comes directly after Sukkot. It celebrates the completion of the reading of the Torah is synagogues and the immediate beginning again. A portion of the Torah is read aloud each week in synagogue and at this point in the year the end is reached. We immediate read the first portion because study of Torah never ends. It is a very joyous holiday with a lot of dancing and celebration, with congregants dancing with the Torah itself as well as with each other. Candy is traditional, especially for children, so they can taste the sweetness of Torah.

[sharon]

This year's holiday dates:

Rosh Hashanah: September 16-18

Yom Kippur: September 25-26

Sukkot: September 30 - October 7

Simchat Torah: October 8 - 9

[deannemdm]

thanks for the info Sharon! I hadn't heard of the last two before. I knew a little of the first two, but not all the symbolism and other things-- or how long they lasted.

[sharon]

Heading in to the home stretch. We'll be dancing with the Torahs at synagogue tonight as we celebrate the end of the holiday season. Ian's so excited - it's one of his favorite nights of the year!

[ReneeW]

Thanks for the info, Sharon! I find it very interesting. Especially growing up in small-town Minnesota with a small or nonexistent Jewish community, I love hearing about your religious traditions! On that note, do I say 'Happy Simchat Torah" or "Congratulations on Simchat Torah" ?? Either way, I hope your holiday finds your household filled with joy!

[sharon]

Happy New Year works for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Happy holiday works for Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Thanks for asking!

[sharon]

Funny story - just before Rosh Hashanah there was a computer programmer working in the office at school, updating our computers. As he was doing his work, I was the only one who works in that office that was in there (3 of us share the office) and everyone who came through the office ended every conversation with "Happy New Year!" The confused guy finally said to me, "Can I ask? Why are people saying Happy New Year when it's September?"

[bunsy]

As a Christian who grew up in a small town where a BAPTIST was shocking to meet, I had no knowledge of Jewish Holidays or much of anything else. I enjoy your informative posts.

[sharon]

I had a bit of a forehead slap moment today. Listening to NPR Ian was surprised to hear that Christians read the Bible too. Clearly I have to do a better job of teaching him about other religions. I do try, but I was taken aback that this was new info to him.

[dara1012]

I also appreciate your posts. I really enjoy learning about different religions and religious traditions and appreciate the time you take to provide detailed information on Judaism.

A belated Happy New Year and wishing you a happy holiday! Enjoy your celebration tonight!

[ReneeW]

Hee hee hee!! Sorry, but I think that's kind of funny.

I've talked to my kids about how other faiths have different beliefs, but in overall theme they're very similar and emphasize love, compassion, and peace.

[sharon]

Yes. I mean, his grandparents and my wife's whole side of the family is Catholic, so he definitely has some exposure. But things don't always sink in.

We are talking about going to see them at Christmas this year for the first time and if he was comfortable and interested I think it would be good to take him to church with them. (My mother in law has come to synagogue with us, and visited as we celebrated Jewish holidays at our home) Or if we thought that would be too overwhelming, maybe just a plain old Sunday Mass. He's been to Mass for a wedding and a Baptism, but he was really young and I think he would find it much more interesting now.

[sharon]

The holiday season is coming up quick! It's crazy early this year - Rosh Hashanah is a couple of days after Labor, starting on Wednesday September 4th. We won't have a full week of school in September.