jewish Flashcards
jewish
describe history of Hannukah
Hanukkah commemorates a historical event that took place in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE, when the Seleucid Greek empire was the ruling power. In 168 BCE, the king Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed Jewish practice and defiled the Jewish Temple in the city by installing an altar to Zeus Olympios and sacrificing pigs.
A small army of Jews, known as the Maccabees, rebelled against this religious persecution. They regained control over the Temple, removed the symbols of Zeus and built a new altar so they could once again offer sacrifices in keeping with Jewish law.
what does the menorah symbolize
n Hebrew, the word menorah means “lamp.” The ancient menorah had seven branches—one for each day of Creation—and it burned in the Temple in what was then Judea, a small area caught in the middle of conflict between the Egyptian empire and the Greek-Assyrian empire. It was an everlasting light, an oil lamp that was never supposed to go out. Those two empires clashed in 167 B.C.E., and under the ruler Antiochus IV, Judea became Hellenized. Antiochus outlawed Judaism. The Jewish people were told they could not keep the Sabbath, they could not keep kosher, and the Temple was desecrated. A small group of people rebelled, and they became known as the Maccabees. Over several years, they were able to take back the Temple and relight the menorah. As the story goes, one day’s worth of oil miraculously lasted for eight days. That’s why the Hanukkah menorah has nine candles: one for each of the eight days, and one to light the rest
what is Tu B’shvat
Tu BiShvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בִּשְׁבָט, romanized: Ṭū bīŠvāṭ, lit. ’15th of Shevat’) is a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat (in 2024, Tu BiShvat begins at sunset on January 24 and ends in the evening of January 25). It is also called Rosh HaShanah La’Ilanot (ראש השנה לאילנות), literally “New Year of the Trees”. In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration.
Etymology
The name Tu BiShvat is originally from the Hebrew date of the holiday, which occurs on the fifteenth day of Shevat. “Tu” stands for the Hebrew letters Tet and Vav, which together have the numerical value of 9 and 6, adding up to 15.[2] The date may also be called “Ḥamisha Asar BiShvat” (חמשה-עשר בשבט, ‘Fifteenth of Shevat’).[3]
what is meaning of purim and how celebrated
english feast of lots joyous festival commemorating the survival of jews who in the 5th century were marked for death by persian rulers. to make sure we do not overlook those in need in our community celebrated by hearing the book of Esther attending a festive meal or carnival and some send food gifts some perform skits
mishloach manot
purim basket gifts of food or drink sent to family friends on Purim meant to ensure everyone has enough food for purim feast and increase love and friendship
seder
a jewish ritual service and ceremonial dinner for the first night or first 2 nights of passover. the literal meaning is “order” Order and ritual are very important in the Seder.
pesach
jewish term for passover festival means to “skip or omit” meaning God passed over the homes of the jews when he was killing the firstborn sons of egypt meaning is commemorating the exodus of the jews from slavery and captivity in Egypt and is celebrated by having a seder plate telling the story as it is explained in the torah and eating matzo a special unleavened bread.
Seder Plate
5-6 items symbolizing the passover story.
Karpas
Karpas-parsley dip in salt water or vinegar to taste the hope of new birth and tears that the israelite slaves shed over their condition
haroset
sweet fruit paste symbolizing mortar mix of fruits,wine,and honey symbolizing mortar that israelite slaves use to construct buildings for pharaoh
maror
bitter herb often horseradish allows us to taste the bitterness of slavery might also be bitter lettuce or chicory, you dip the maror in the haroset to associate the bitterness of slavery with the work that caused the bitterness
hazeret (2nd bitter herb)
usually romaine or another bitter green some do not use this at all
zeroa
shank bone, symbolizes the lamb that jews sacrificed as the special passover offering when the temple stood in jerusalem serves as a visual reminder
haggadah
the text recited at the Seder on the first 2 nights of the jewish passover including a narrative of the exodus, celebrates the central jewish story of redemption when got led israelites out of slavery in egypt into the promised land
beitzah
egg roasted or hard boiled symbolizes the hagigah sacrifice roundness of egg represents cycle of life even in most painful times there is hope of a new beginning
