From a publication of the Jewish Education Council of Greater Montreal (Canada), 1980. Authors: Phyllis Pinchuk, Sylvia Stipelman, Batia Bettman, Tova Shimon et Shlomo Shimon.
| Transliterated name | Hebrew name | Literal translation | When | Concept | Rules and customs |
|---|
| Elul | אֱלוּל | [Month of] Elul | August / September | Jews enter a state of Techuva (return). They review sins of omission and commission through introspection and evaluation of past actions. They ask for help in their prayers, and for the means to correct bad deeds committed between themselves and others, between themselves and God. | With the exception of Saturday and the day before Rosh Hashanah, the arrival of the New Year is prepared for by blowing the shofar in the synagogue every morning at the end of the service. Throughout the month, Sephardim pray for forgiveness (Seliḥot), while Achkenazim pray from 4 to 10 days before Rosh Hashanah (except on Shabbat). We exchange vows, apologize to those we've offended, try to make amends. We give charity (Tsedaqa) to the poor and visit the graves of loved ones and illustrious rabbis. |
| Rosh Hashanah | רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה | Head of the year | Tishrei 1 and 2 - September / October | It's here that the Jewish calendar begins and the days of fear and repentance begin. According to tradition, this is the date of the creation of fashion. It's a personal rebirth and a time to start afresh. The sound of the shofar horn is a call to repentance (Shofarot) and remembrance (Ziḥronot) of God's sovereignty (Malḥouyot). | As the Jewish "day" begins at sundown, the eve of Rosh Hashanah is marked by a feast. A special bread (ḥala) is served, either round to symbolize the cyclical year, braided to represent the ladder leading to God, or shaped like a bird as a sign of God's mercy. Pieces of ḥala or apple are dipped in honey to make the year good and sweet. At the synagogue, we hear the shofar horn, 100 notes in all, during and after the morning service. We wash away our sins symbolically, with the Tachliḥ ceremony during which a stream of living water is emptied over us. |
| Yom Kippur | יוֹם כִּפּוּר | Day of Atonement | Tishrei 10 - October | The highest pinnacle of self-evaluation (Techuva) and responsibility. We ask that men forgive men, and that the distribution of wrongs be accomplished through acts of justice and charity (Tsedaqa). We then turn completely to God through fasting and prayer (Tefilot), asking for forgiveness and help, offering praise and thanksgiving, while submitting to God's judgment, which will be sealed at nightfall. | We give charity before Yom Kippur (Tsedaqa). Some people perform an ancient rite known as "kaparot", during which a live fowl is held above the head and twirled around, or replaced by a bag containing money, as a scapegoat for our sins. The fowl or bag is then given to those in need. Before sunset, a large family meal is served, followed by 25 hours of fasting. You can't eat or drink, wash or wear leather shoes. You can't use cosmetics or have sexual relations. Prayers begin at sundown with the supplication for absolution from all offenses against God ("Kol Nidre"), and end the next day after dark with the closing ceremony (Ne'ila); the fast ends in an atmosphere of joy - then begins the obligation (Mitsva) of building a sukkah (see Sukkot - below). |
| Sukkot | סֻּכּ֛וֹת | Booths | Tishrei 15-21 - October | The sukkah is a small hut covered with branches that reminds Jews of how their ancestors lived in the desert after the exodus from Egypt. In the days of the Great Temple, the harvest festival was celebrated with pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Hospitality (Haḥnasat Orḥim) extended to family and friends visiting the sukkah. Here, rich and poor alike are able to feel the temporality of material possessions. | It is an obligation (Mitsva) to reside in the sukkah, which is often decorated with harvest motifs, and to bless the 4 species: the palm branch (loulav), the citron (etrog), the myrtle (hadas) and the willow ('arava). Ouchpizin is performed, symbolically receiving one of 7 high-ranking guests each day - representing the good leadership of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and King David. |
| Hosha'na Raba | הוֹשַׁעְנָא רַבָּה | Great supplication | Tishrei 21 - seventh day of Sukkot: October | Unfinished judgments on Yom Kippur are finalized. | On the seventh day of Sukkot, worshippers carry the 4 species 7 times around the synagogue, commemorating the ancient Temple services. |
| Shemini 'Atzeret | שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת | Eighth [day] of Assembly | Tishrei 22 - October | God's judgment on the coming year's rains is celebrated. The purpose of this festival is to show the unique link between water and life. | A special prayer is recited for abundant rain in the Land of Israel (Tefilat Gechem). |
| Simḥat Tora | שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה | Joy of the Law | Tishrei 23 - October | We rejoice in the Torah (Law), which is the fundamental document of Jewish belief. Torah study is a lifelong endeavor, a guide to individual and social conduct. | The reading of the Torah is completed for the year and begins again. All Torah scrolls are removed from the Ark and carried around the synagogue 7 times. Children follow with apple flags and join the congregation in song and dance. |
| Ḥanouka | חֲנֻכָּה | Dedication | Kislev 25 - Tevet 2 or 3 - December | Also known as the "Festival of Lights", Hanukkah commemorates the recapture and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BC. A small group of Jews led by the Makabi (Hasmonean family) revolted against the Greco-Syrian king Antochius to put an end to the forced Hellenization of the people. Hanukkah
thus celebrates the heroic victory of a minority group over oppression. According to tradition, the story goes that the small reserve of purified oil used for the Menorah (7-branched candelabrum), which is usually consumed in a single day, lasted 8 days. This enabled the Jews to prepare a new supply of oil. | These miracles are celebrated by lighting candles or lamps on an 8-branched candelabra (ḥanouka) plus an extra candle (chamach) which is lit first and used to light the first candle on the first evening, two candles the following day and so on. The ḥanouka is often placed in front of a window to announce the miracle. Praises to God and thanksgiving are sung, and there are eight evenings of celebration with family and friends. Meals include dishes cooked in oil, such as potato pancakes among Achkenazim and doughnuts among Sephardim. Children receive money (ḥanouka-gelt) and gifts, and spin a 4-sided spinning top (dreidl) engraved with symbols meaning "A great miracle happened there". In Israel, the word "there" becomes "here" (Nes Gadol Haya Cham/Po). |
| Tu Bishvat | ט״ו
בִּשְׁבָט | 15th of Shevat | Shevat 15 - January / February | The New Year of Trees: Jews re-evaluate their relationship with nature (ecology). They review their role in the care and maintenance of trees, and their responsibility to keep the land flourishing. Particular attention is paid to forestry development, draining swamps and enhancing the Land of Israel. | It's during Tu Bichvat that the age of trees must be established; e.g., a tree must be at least 3 years old before its fruit can be eaten. When tasting the first fruit of the year, we recite a special blessing (cheheḥeyanou). We prefer the fruits of Israel: figs, dates, carobs, olives, pomegranates, etc. If the weather is kind, tree seedlings are planted, and Jews around the world contribute to forest enrichment in Israel through the Jewish National Fund, for example. Sephardim in synagogue sing "Fruits of the beautiful tree". |
| Purim | פּוּרִים | Lots | Adar 14 - February / March | Festival of Jewish survival. It commemorates the triumph of Mordecai and Esther over Haman, who wanted to wipe out the Jews of the Persian Empire, by choosing a day by lot (Purim). This story illustrates the problems of life in Galut (outside Israel). There are, for example, questions of social rank (degree of tolerance / persecution), hidden or free identity, reaction to the authority of the country inhabited. | The Purim fast is observed the day before. In the evening, the Book of Esther (Megila) is read, to be repeated the following morning. To drown Haman's name in noise, rattles are played. At least two meals are to be prepared (Michloaḥ Manot) and sent to relatives and friends, along with gifts for the poor (mattanot la-evyonim). Triangular-shaped cakes (hamantachen) are eaten to remember Hamn. In the afternoon, a festive meal (se'ouda) is served. In Israel, it's carnival (adloyada), with masquerades and parodies (pourim chpil). Strolling actors (pourimchpiler) are rewarded with gifts and refreshments. |
| Pesaḥ | פֶּסַח | Passover | Nisan 15-21 - March / April | Family gatherings where the story of the Exodus from Egypt, when the Jews were enslaved, is told and re-told. The story is told of how they freed themselves and formed a monotheistic nation. The emphasis is on the need to understand the stranger and the oppressed. It's a spring festival and, in the days of the Temple, the whole nation made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. | Preparing for this feast requires homes to be free of ḥamets (food containing leaven, and therefore unsuitable for Passover meals, as stipulated by Jewish law). On the first evening of the festival (and the second outside Israel too), there's a ceremonial meal (seder), during which the story of the Exodus is read from a book called the Hagada. The table is carefully laid with matzot (unleavened bread) and a Passover plate on which symbolic dishes are placed, such as maror (bitter herbs) to simulate the bitterness of slavery. A glass of wine is set aside for the prophet Elijah as a sign of future redemption. As free men, the guests relax and drink 4 glasses of wine during the seder. They sing melodious hymns. Some people wear historic garments; Achkenazim wear white robes (kittels) and Sephardim carry packages on their backs as if leaving Egypt. Throughout the holiday, only kosher food may be eaten for Pesaḥ. |
| Sefirat HaOmer | סְפִירַת הָעוֹמֶר | Counting of the Omer | Nisan 16 - April / May | On the second day of Passover begins the Omer count (literally a measure for grain), which covers a period of 49 days between the barley harvest (in Pesaḥ) and the wheat harvest (in Shavu'ot). It's a link between the Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Torah (see Shavu'ot). This period is one of half-mourning in memory of the various misfortunes that befell the Jews in the 2nd century; for example, the death of Rabbi Akiva's students. | Every evening, a special prayer is recited to count the days. During these 49 days of half-mourning, there are 33 days when marriage and joyful gatherings are not permitted. |
| Yom HaShoah | יוֹם הַשּׁוֹאָה | Shoah or Holocaust Day | Nisan 27 - April / May | Official day of remembrance of the Holocaust of the Second World War, the concentration camps and Jewish resistance (e.g. the Warsaw ghetto uprising). We remember that anti-Semitism in all its manifestations called for active resistance, and that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. | During community commemoration services, 6 candles are lit in memory of the 6,000,000 Jews who were massacred. Holocaust experiences are read and recounted. |
| Yom Hazikaron | יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן | Memorial Day | Iyar 4 - April / May | Tribute is paid to the courage, commitment and personal sacrifice of those who defended the State of Israel, and to the value of independence and national survival. | Commemoration programs are held at community centers, where flags are flown at half-mast and a moment of silence is observed. Commemorative prayers are added to regular synagogue services. In Israel, soldiers' monuments and graves are visited. |
| Yom Haatzmaut | יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת | Independence Day | Iyar 5 - April / May | Anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, the result of a decision by the United Nations. This put an end to a century-long struggle to reclaim the land occupied first by the Turks, then by the British. Despite Arab opposition, the Jews eventually created a homeland with national independence, fulfilling the 2,000-year-old dream of returning to Zion. | Services of thanksgiving are offered and the shofar horn is heard in many synagogues to signify the beginning of Jewish redemption. Community celebrations include parades with Israeli flags, dancing and singing in the streets. In Israel, there is a biblical knowledge competition, with finalists from all over the world. The annual Israeli Song Festival is the highlight of the festivities. |
| Lag Ba'Omer | לַ״ג בָּעוֹמֶר | 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer | Iyar 18 - May | A holiday for Torah students commemorating the end of the ban on Torah study, thanks to Bar Koḥba's revolt against the Romans (in the year 135). According to legend, many misfortunes came to an end on this day (e.g., the plague that afflicted Rabbi Akiva's students). (see Sefirat HaOmer above). | The practices of the half-mourning period come to an end for Lag Ba'Omer, and students head for the hills where they picnic, light bonfires and play archery. In Israel, many go to Meron near Safed to visit the tomb of Rabbi Simeon Bar Yoḥai, who is traditionally recognized as the author of the mystical text, the Zohar, and is believed to have died on this day. |
| Yom Yerushalayim | יוֹם יְרוּשָׁלַיִם | Jerusalem Day | Iyar 28 May / June | Anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. The name means "indivisible city" or "city of peace". Divided in 1948, Jerusalem was established as the capital by King David 10 centuries before the modern era, and has been the spiritual center of the Jews ever since. | The holiday is celebrated all over the world, and special prayers are added to synagogue services. In Jerusalem, these prayers are recited at the Kotel (Wailing Wall). Military cemeteries and battlefields of the Six-Day War are visited. |
| Shavuot | שָׁבוּעוֹת | Weeks | Sivan 6 May / June : seven weeks or 50 days after passover | Commemoration of God's gift of the Torah on Mount Sinai. This continues the process of redemption begun with the Exodus. No longer slaves, the Jews accepted the laws of the Torah, which served and still serve as guides to living as free men. In ancient Israel, the people made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and brought the first fruits (bikurim) to the Temple. | In synagogues, Torah readings include the Ten Commandments and the Book of Ruth. This book describes Ruth's acceptance of Judaism and her loyalty to the Jewish people. We stay up all night reading and discussing the Torah. The house and synagogue are decorated with greenery to recall the harvest and greenery of Mount Sinai. Dairy products are eaten. Children perform skits depicting the arrival of bikurim in Old Jerusalem, bringing fruit and wheat. |
| Tisha B'Av | תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב | The ninth of Av | Av 9 - July / August | Day of mourning in commemoration of the destruction of two Temples (the first in 586 before modern era, and the second in 70 of our era). This day marks the beginning of the Jewish exile. Other national tragedies are also commemorated (e.g. the expulsion of Jews from England in 1290, from Spain in 1492, etc.). | We observe a 25-hour fast preceded by a very simple meal consisting of a hard-boiled egg and bread dipped in ash. The Book of Lamentations is read, and the qinot (funeral songs) are recited, seated on small benches in the semi-darkness. Prayers of redemption conclude the qinot. Commemorative customs apply on this day. In synagogues, the decorated curtains of the Ark are removed. In Israel, we visit Rachel's tomb and the tombs of our ancestors, and in Jerusalem, the faithful gather at the Wailing Wall to take part in special services. |
| Shabbat |
שַׁבָּת | Cessation | Every week, from sunset on Friday evening to sunset on Saturday evening | In acceptance of the 4th commandment: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy... for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth... and rested on the seventh day..." (Ex 20:8-11). Jews observe Friday evening and Saturday as a day of rest, joy and spiritual renewal. To make way for Shabbat, candles are lit on Friday before sunset. Blessings (qidush) are recited over wine and hala (special bread). Three festive meals are obligatory. Each Shabbat is named after a portion of the Torah (five books of Moses) read during the Saturday morning service. Shabbat ends as soon as the first Saturday evening star appears, with the havdala (parting service), and a new week begins.
|  The shofar horn is heard |