Jewish Life & Education

TU BISHVAT

February 13, 2025
Tu Bishvat is the day that marks the beginning of a "new year" for trees, and marks the season in which the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.

PURIM

March 14, 2025
The festival of Purim commemorates the Divinely orchestrated salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.” It is celebrated with Megillah readings, gifts of food, charity, feasting, and merriment.

PASSOVER

April 12 - 20, 2025
Passover is celebrated by Jews every year, commemorating the anniversary of our miraculous Exodus from Egyptian slavery, as told in the Bible.

On the first two nights of Passover (just the first night in Israel), we hold a Seder. After candles have been lit, we enjoy a ritual-rich 15-step feast, which centers around telling the story of the Exodus. Some highlights include: Drinking four cups of wine, dipping veggies into saltwater, children kicking off the storytelling by asking the Four Questions (Mah Nishtanah), eating matzah (a cracker-like food, which reminds us that when our ancestors left Egypt they had no time to allow their bread to rise) and bitter herbs, and singing late into the night.

YOM HASHOAH

April 24, 2025
Yom HaShoah is Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed annually to honor the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. It is a day of reflection, remembrance, and education about the atrocities committed during World War II. The day is marked by ceremonies, moments of silence, and the lighting of candles in memory of the victims.

YOM HAZIKARON

April 30, 2025
Yom HaZikaron is Israel's Memorial Day, dedicated to honoring the soldiers who have fallen in Israel's wars and those who have died in terror attacks. It is observed with remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives for the country's security and independence.

YOM HA'ATZMAUT

May 1, 2025
Yom Ha'atzmaut is Israel's Independence Day, celebrated annually to mark the declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. It is a day of national pride, marked by festivities, ceremonies, and events that celebrate Israel's sovereignty, culture, and achievements.

SHAVUOT

June 1 - 3, 2025
Shavuot 2025 (a two-day holiday, celebrated from sunset on June 1, 2025 until nightfall on June 3, 2025) coincides with the date that G‑d gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai more than 3,000 years ago. It comes after 49 days of eager counting, as we prepared ourselves for this special day.

It is celebrated by lighting candles, staying up all night to learn Torah, hearing the reading of the Ten Commandments in synagogue, feasting on dairy foods and more.

ROSH HASHANAH

September 22 - 24, 2025
Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the universe, the day G‑d created Adam and Eve, and it’s celebrated as the Jewish New Year. The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) on both mornings of the holiday (except on Shabbat), which is normally done in synagogue as part of the day’s services.

Rosh Hashanah feasts traditionally include round challah bread (studded with raisins) and apples dipped in honey, as well as other foods that symbolize our wishes for a sweet year. Other Rosh Hashanah observances include candle lighting in the evenings and desisting from creative work.

Together with Yom Kippur (which follows 10 days later), it is part of the Yamim Nora'im (Days of Awe, or High Holidays).

YOM KIPPUR

October 1 - 2, 2025
Yom Kippur fast day is the holiest day of the year—when we are closest to G‑d and to the quintessence of our own souls. It is the Day of Atonement—“For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G‑d” (Leviticus 16:30). 

For nearly twenty-six hours, we “afflict our souls”: we abstain from food and drink, do not wash or anoint our bodies, do not wear leather footwear, and abstain from marital relations. Instead our time is spent in prayer to G‑d.

SUKKOT

October 6 - 13, 2025
The seven days of Sukkot—celebrated by dwelling in the sukkah, taking the Four Kinds, and rejoicing—are followed by Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah.

Sukkot—when we expose ourselves to the elements in greenery-covered huts—commemorates G‑d sheltering our ancestors as they traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land. The Four Kinds express our unity and our belief in G‑d’s omnipresence. Coming after the solemn High Holidays, Sukkot is a time of joy and happiness

The first two days (or one day in Israel) are yom tov, when work is forbidden, candles are lit in the evening, and festive meals are preceded with Kiddush and contain challah dipped in honey. The remainder of the days are quasi holidays, known as chol hamoed. We dwell in the sukkah and take the Four Kinds every day (except for Shabbat, when we do not take the Four Kinds).

SHEMINI ATZERET & SIMCHAT TORAH

October 13 - 15, 2025
Following the seven joyous days of Sukkot, we come to the happy holiday of Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah.

In the diaspora, the first day is known by its biblical name, Shemini Atzeret. We still dwell in the sukkah, but without a blessing. Yizkor, the memorial for the departed, is also said on this day.

The second day is known as Simchat Torah, during which we complete and immediately begin the annual Torah reading cycle. This joyous milestone is marked with dancing, traditionally following seven circuits known as hakafot, as the Torah scrolls are held aloft.

Both days are celebrated by nightly candle lighting, festive meals at both night and day, and desisting from work. In Israel, the entire holiday is compacted into one heady 24-hour period.

CHANUKKAH

December 14 - 22, 2025
Chanukkah is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods.

The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple.