Understanding Jewish Holidays And Customs

Poetry. LGBT Studies. "A work of rich clear sensual language, of 'thermal tremble and juice,' these poems and photos pull the weaver's threads together, bring focus to 'wherein we can be a root to the sea.' Sinewy lines are constantly 'quoting my biology back to me as vow' and display a 'multi-creative musculature' we desperately need and desire. j/j is the real deal, reclaiming a space for engendered anarchy, opening Pandora's secret treasure trove, playing with fire, sound and love"—Anne Waldman.

Describes and gives the background of traditional Jewish holidays, customs, and symbols.

Presents the major Jewish holidays, focusing on established traditions and the creation of new customs and rituals.

A window into Judaism’s sacred days—throughout history and today. Written especially for Christians. Holy days and holidays provide the peak experiences of Jewish life. These moments speak deeply to the Jewish soul and animate Judaism’s culture. They encourage Jews to participate in their shared historical experience, which reflects their covenantal relationship with God, and articulate Jewish values that have allowed for the survival of the Jewish people. But what can they mean to Christians seeking to understand their own faith? In this special book, Rabbis Olitzky and Judson guide you through the major Jewish holidays and what they mean for the Jewish people. Each chapter explores a different holiday and explains the origin, historical background, customs and rituals that are part of observance and the holiday’s Christian parallels. Examining observance in both home and synagogue—and in all Jewish denominations—this easy-to-use guide to the Jewish holidays will be a valuable resource for your own understanding of Jewish sacred time throughout the year. And by linking the Jewish holidays to familiar Christian holidays and practices, you will be better able to appreciate the roots of Christianity and how the fundamentals of Judaism relate to and reflect your own spiritual foundation. Rosh Hashanah–New Year Yom Kippur–Day of Atonement Sukkot–Feast of Booths (Fall Harvest Festival) Simchat Torah–Rejoicing in the Torah Hanukkah–Rededication Purim–(Festival of Survival) Pesach–Passover Shavuot–(Receiving the Torah) Tisha B’Av (Mourning and Commemoration) and Other Special Days Shabbat (Day of Rest)

Discusses the significance and the customs of various Jewish holidays including Sukkot, Purim, and Yom Hashoah. Provides activities and crafts for each holiday.

We always tried to celebrate the Jewish Holidays as a family. Starting when our children were young, it soon became apparent to us that it was much better and much more meaningful if as part of our celebration, we discussed each holiday with each other, talking about why the holiday is celebrated, its origin and history, how it is celebrated and very importantly its meaning, relevance and value to us today and what we can learn and use in our everyday lives. We wanted the children to feel and understand that the holidays were important for them and each holiday had meaning and value for them and should be celebrated by them for its own sake, not just because they wanted to please their parents and grandparents. Over time we wrote up these discussions and added information for each holiday for our family use. At the urging of many family members and friends who have since seen and liked this material, we would now like to share it and make it available, with this book, for others to use. In the book, emphasis is placed on purpose, meaning, value, joy and inspiration for each holiday and our daily lives. We feel confident that the reader will find this material as valuable and useful as we have for helping to celebrate and getting the most out of the Jewish Holidays.

In the Old Testament, God gave His people days of feasting and celebration. He gave them as days of remembrance. Many of our modern-day Jewish holidays are those same days of remembrance that we read of in the Bible. The Christian faith is deeply rooted in the Old Testament tradition. Jesus and His Apostles were practicing Jews who faithfully observed all of the days of feast and celebration that we now know as Jewish holidays. As they observed the holidays, Jesus and His Apostles were intimately familiar with their symbols, and with their significance (both historical and spiritual). The same cannot be said for many if not most of our Lord's modern-day followers. Should Christians Celebrate Jewish Holidays?The short answer is no. The Bible places no requirement upon Christians to celebrate Jewish holidays. There is, however, a beauty, a richness, and a historical and spiritual understanding that comes from them. As Christians, while we are not bound to Judaism, we do well to at least understand and respect the traditions that Our Lord Himself observed.As you read you will not only discover the rich tradition in each of these Jewish holidays, you will realized that, as Christians, you may already be observing some of them without even realizing it.