Jewish Holidays

Question 1

Rosh Hashanah

Answer 1

A High Holy Day that is Jewish New Years Day. Celebrated around the fall equinox.
For 30 days prior, church services includes blowing a ‘shofar’ (ram’s horn) to remind the people they stand before God.

Question 2

Ten Days of Awe

Answer 2

Directly after Rosh Hashanah. People are meant to change inwardly and repent for sins of the last year.
Part of the High Holy Days

Question 3

Yom Kippur

Answer 3

Last High Holy Day
Ask forgiveness and make reparations to people that’ve been wronged in the last year, and everyone shares what sins they have committed in the last year. When the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Jerusalem, historically.

Question 4

Sukkot

Answer 4

7-day Fall harvest festival. A sukkah (dwelling place for seven days, built and decorated by hand) that orthodox Jews live in for those seven days to show that their real home is God.
A bundle of palm branches, myrtle and willow twigs (lulav) is held in one hand, the other having a etrog which is just any citrus fruit. These are waved towards the cardinal directions, along with up and down.

Question 5

Simhat Torah

Answer 5

Day after the seven-day Sukkot festival, ending the cycle of Torah readings from Creation to the death of Moses, and starting over again.

Question 6

Hanukkah

Answer 6

Feast of Dedication.
Eight nights, eight candles on a menorah. Give gifts, play with dreidel. Eight nights burning candle in old church.

Question 7

Tu B’shvat

Answer 7

End of winter, appreciate plants, sometimes plant trees.

Question 8

Purim

Answer 8

Full moon of month before spring. Dress in costumes and joke about scriptures, gift money to poor and food to friends/family,

Question 9

Pesach

Answer 9

AKA Passover, celebrates freedom from Egyptian slavery. Seder dinner, eating of unleavened bread (matzah) and bitter herbs. Charoset (sweet fruit/nut mix. Reminder of the mortar that the enslaved Israelites made into bricks), and salt water (tears) into which is dipped parsley or another plant (reminder of spring life). Originally with the sheep blood on the doors.

Question 10

Haggadah

Answer 10

Scripts for the Seder, prayers?

Question 11

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Answer 11

Sing old Yiddish song, countrywide minute of silence where everything stops.

Question 12

Shavuot

Answer 12

Identified as giving the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai, in early summer.

Question 13

Three weeks of mourning for the Temples of Jerusalem.

Answer 13

Fast and avoid happy activities.