Holidays

Purim

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Written by: Erin Parfet
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Set in the land of the Persian city of Shushan, located in modern-day Iran, the story of Purim (“Festival of Lots,” as derived from the ancient Persian language) depicts the Book of Esther and Haman’s plot to exterminate all the Jewish people living in the Persian Empire.

Rosh Hashanah

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Written by: Erin Parfet
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Rosh Hashanah, translating to "head of the year" or "first of the year," is commonly known as the Jewish New Year, occurring on the first and second days of Tishri. Commencing Yamim Nora’im (the High Holidays), this is a day dedicated to prayer, to joyous proclamations of God’s sovereignty as the King of the Universe, to festive gatherings of friends and family for meals, and to coming closer to God. It is a day of asking the Lord for a sweet new year filled with peace, blessings, mercy, and prosperity.

Shavuot and the Decalogue

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Written by: Daniel Gordan
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One of the events that is traditionally commemorated during the Shavuot celebration is the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Strictly speaking, it was not the entire Pentateuch but rather the Ten Words or the Decalogue that was given at that time. It was the sign of the covenant between God and His people.

Simchat Torah

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Written by: Erin Parfet
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Simchat Torah ("rejoicing of the Torah"), most likely of medieval origins, is observed by the Jewish people on the last day of Sukkot. The overall theme of Simchat Torah is the spirited joy that the Jewish people feel toward Torah observance, an affirmation of the foundational role of the Torah in Jewish religious life, and the celebration of completing the annual cycle of Torah readings. which starts with Genesis 1 (Bereishit) and concludes with the final liturgical passage (parashah) of Deuteronomy 34 (Devarim), then the cycle repeats again starting with Genesis 1.

Sukkot

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Written by: Erin Parfet
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sukkot articleTransitioning from one of the most solemn to one of the most festive holidays, the weeklong Sukkot (Booths, Harvest Festival, or Feast of Tabernacles) celebrations begin each year five days after Yom Kippur, on the 15th Day of Tishri, based on Leviticus 23:24.