Set 6 Flashcards
What type of cycle does the Jewish calendar follow?
A lunisolar cycle, with months following the moon and years adjusted to the solar cycle.
What is Tisha B’Av and what does it have in common with Yom Kippur?
A fast day commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples. Both are solemn days of fasting.
What is Rosh Hodesh?
The beginning of a new Hebrew month, marked by a minor festival.
How many months does the Jewish calendar have?
12 or 13 months; a 13th month is added 7 times in a 19-year cycle to keep the calendar in sync with the solar year.
Which is the first month of the year?
Nisan in the religious calendar; Tishrei in the civil calendar.
How many different New Years does the Jewish calendar have?
Four: 1) Rosh Hashanah, 2) Tu B’Shvat, 3) the first of Nisan, 4) the first of Elul (for tithing animals).
What is Tu B’Shvat?
The New Year for trees, a day typically associated with ecological awareness and tree planting.
What is the Omer?
A 49-day period between Passover and Shavuot during which Jews count each day, commemorating the offering of the omer during Temple times.