Jewish Holidays
Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, Pesach, Shavuot, Tisha B'Av — dates, mitzvot, and meaning.
On what date does Rosh Hashanah fall?
1st-2nd of Tishrei.
How many days is Rosh Hashanah?
Two days.
What is the main mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah?
Hearing the blowing of the shofar.
What is eaten on Rosh Hashanah eve?
Simanim (symbolic foods): apple dipped in honey, pomegranate, fish, dates, and more, each with a special prayer.
What is Tashlich?
A custom of going to a body of water and symbolically 'casting away' sins, done on the first day of Rosh Hashanah.
On what date does Yom Kippur fall?
10th of Tishrei.
What is the Kol Nidrei prayer?
A special prayer recited at the onset of Yom Kippur to annul vows.
How many prayers are there on Yom Kippur?
5 prayers: Arvit (Kol Nidrei), Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, Ne'ilah.
What does the sukkah symbolize during Sukkot?
The booths in which the Israelites dwelt on their way to the Land of Israel.
How many days is Sukkot?
7 days.
What are the Four Species?
Lulav (palm), Hadas (myrtle), Arava (willow), and Etrog (citron).
How many days is Hanukkah?
Eight days.
On what date does Hanukkah fall?
25th of Kislev.
What miracles did God perform for Israel on Hanukkah?
1.
What are the main mitzvot of Hanukkah?
1.
On what date does Purim fall?
14th of Adar.
What are the mitzvot of Purim?
1.
Which scroll is read on Purim?
The Scroll of Esther (Megillat Esther).
Why is the holiday called Pesach (Passover)?
Because God's angel 'passed over' (pasach) the Israelites during the Plague of the Firstborn before the Exodus.
On what date does Pesach fall?
15th of Nisan.
How many days does Pesach last?
7 days.
What are the mitzvot of Pesach?
1.
What is Sefirat HaOmer (Counting of the Omer)?
A Torah commandment to count 49 days from the second day of Pesach until the eve of Shavuot.
Why is the holiday called Shavuot?
Because we count the Omer for 7 weeks from Pesach to Shavuot.
What is Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)?
28th of Iyar, the day Jerusalem and the Western Wall were recaptured and the city was reunified during the Six-Day War in 1967.
What happened on Tisha B'Av?
Both the First and Second Temples were destroyed.
Which scroll is read on Tisha B'Av?
The Book of Lamentations (Megillat Eicha).