Your Guide To The Jewish Holidays

Recent years have seen an increased interest in Jewish life, its culture, and its celebrations. There are many new students of Judaism, often potential converts or members of interfaith families who are seeking to learn more about the religion and its rituals. Unfortunately, many of the existing texts that examine the Jewish holidays are written in a dry, unexciting way, making it difficult for the reader to retain much information. For those seeking to learn more about Jewish celebrations, Cantor Matt Axelrod has written Your Guide to the Jewish Holidays: From Shofar to Seder. Intended for the reader who has no prior knowledge about the Jewish holidays as well as the reader who knows the basics about the holidays but wants to understand the holidays on a deeper level, Axelrod’s book takes a humorous, light-hearted look at the 11 most important Jewish holidays. Instead of simply explaining that Jews are obligated to observe in a certain way because of a biblical text, Axelrod shows where each holiday, along with its rituals, came from in a historical context. He provides a humorous retelling of the biblical passages relating to the holiday, explorations of rituals associated with each holiday, and descriptions of traditional foods. Your Guide to the Jewish Holidays also features special sections labeled “In Depth” or “Perfect for Families” that expand upon elements of each holiday in ways that provide greater understanding of traditions or that invite the reader to get the rest of the family involved.

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

The coeditor of the enormously popular Jewish Catalog "help[s] readers understand more fully the meaning of our holidays and thereby to observe these festivals . . . with a greater devotion and joy."--Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler

A comprehensive guide to the practice and meaning of Jewish holidays. Includes readings and inspirational commentary.

The coeditor of the enormously popular Jewish Catalog "help[s] readers understand more fully the meaning of our holidays and thereby to observe these festivals . . . with a greater devotion and joy."--Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler

Why is Chanukah celebrated close to Christmas one year, but closer to Thanksgiving another year? Why do Jews exchange presents on Chanukah? What is Purim, and why do Jews dress in costumes when they go to synagogue on that day? And what are the Four Questions anyway? After reading The Non-Jew's Guide to Jewish Holidays, you will know the answers to these questions and more. This book will explain why the Jewish holidays are observed and the rituals that are followed during the observances. You will also learn why the holidays are celebrated on different days on the secular calendar each year. Written by best-selling author Elizabeth Reynolds, this book is the one to buy if you want to learn more. It covers the Jewish holidays in chronological order beginning with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. The holidays included in this book are Shabbat (Sabbath), Days of Awe - Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), Shemini Atzerit (Eighth Day of Assembly) and Simchat Torah (Joy of the Torah), Chanukah (Festival of Lights), Tu B'Shevat (New Year for Trees), Purim (Feast of Lots), Pesach (Passover), Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Shavuot (Festival of Weeks), and Tisha B'Av (The Fast of Av).

A guide to the Jewish holidays, including why and how each holiday is celebrated, each holiday's origin and history, and its relevance and value today.

A survey of the sacred days of the Jewish yearly cycle providing detailed guidance on observing the Sabbath and the Jewish holidays, including Yom Ha-shoah (Holocaust Day) and Yom Ha-Atsmaut (Israeli Independence Day). Provides historical background, essays, a 25-year calendar of holidays, extensive notes, bibliography, glossary and index.