text=(Tishri 1) - The Jewish New Year, observed for two days in Israel as well as the Diaspora, marks the commencement of the Ten Days of Penitence which reach their climax on Yom Kippur. An important observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar (ram's horn).(CRLF)(CRLF)Rosh Hashanah is also known as 'Yom Hadin,' the day of judgment, since, according to tradition, on Rosh Hashanah, mankind is judged by God for its actions during the past year.
[2]
name=FAST OF GEDALIAH
spell=Fast of Gedaliah
text=(Tishri 3) - Observed in memory of Gedaliah ben Ahikam, the Jewish governor of Judea appointed by Nebuchadnezzar (Sixth Century B.C.E.) to govern the conquered Judean territory. Gedaliah achieved much for those of his people who had remained in the country. When he was assassinated (on Tishri 3), Nebuchadnezzar exiled more of the surviving population to Babylonia. These calamitous events shattered the last Jewish hopes for a peaceful restoration.
[3]
name=YOM KIPPUR
spell=Yom Kippur
text=(Tishri 10) - The Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Marked by fasting and prayer, it is the day to ask forgiveness from man and from God and to offer restitution for any wrongdoing. According to tradition, one's fate for the coming year is sealed on this day.
[4]
name=SUKKOT
spell=Sukkot
text=(Tishri 15) - The Festival of Tabernacles or Booths (Hebrew 'sukkot'). One of the three pilgrim festivals (the others being Passover and Shavuot) when, in ancient times, Jews made pilgrimages to the Temple in Jerusalem. It derives its name from the 'sukkah' or booth, a temporary structure in which time is spent during the holiday to commemorate God's protection of the Children of Israel during their 40 years in the wilderness.(CRLF)(CRLF)The first two days (in Israel the first day) are full holidays. The following five intermediate days,'Hol Hamoed,' (six in Israel) are partial holidays.(CRLF)(CRLF)Sukkot is also a harvest festival since it is the time of the ingathering of crops in Israel. During the entire Sukkot festival, the Four Species (citron, myrtle, palm, and willow) are carried around the synagogue during portions of the service.
[5]
name=HOSHANAH RABBAH
spell=Hoshanah Rabbah
text=(Tishri 21) - The seventh day of Sukkot, a half holiday, is marked by the recitation of many 'hosha-na' ("help us, we pray") prayers recited by worshippers carrying bundles of twigs from willow trees (which usually grow along river banks) as they make seven circuits of the synagogue. This practice is related to the tradition that on Hoshana Rabbah, final Heavenly judgment on the amount of rainfall to insure bountiful harvests is rendered.
[6]
name=SHEMINI ATZERET
spell=Shemini Atzeret
text=(Tishri 22) - The "Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly", the festival observed the day after Sukkot. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret also marks the completion of the annual cycle of Torah reading (see Simchat Torah) in the Diaspora.
[7]
name=SIMCHAT TORAH
spell=Simchat Torah
text=(Tishri 23 in the Diaspora, Tishri 22 in Israel) - The holiday of 'Rejoicing in the Torah' on which the year-long cycle of Torah (the Pentateuch) reading is completed and re-started.
[8]
name=HANUKKAH
spell=Hanukkah
text=(Kislev 25) - The 'Festival of Dedication' also called 'The Festival of Lights' commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E and the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem which had been defiled by them. Each night of the festival an additional candle is lit until on the last night, eight candles are burning. According to tradition, when the Temple was re-captured, only one small vessel of consecrated oil -- enough for just one day -- was found. Miraculously, it sufficed for eight days until new oil could be prepared and the festival was established for this length of time to commemorate the miracle.
[9]
name=FAST OF TEVET 10
spell=Fast of Tevet 10
text=(Tevet 10) - Commemorates the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (586 B.C.E.). This siege was the prelude to the destruction of the First Temple and the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people.
[10]
name=TU B'SHEVAT
spell=Tu B'Shevat
text=(Shevat 15) -'Tu' is made up of the two Hebrew letters 'Tet' (9) and 'Vav' (6), which have the combined numerical value of 15. It is called the 'New Year of the Trees' in the Talmud since it is the date from which the tithing year of fruit trees is calculated. In contemporary Israel it is marked by the planting of trees, and, hence, is often called 'the Jewish Arbor Day.' It is customary to parttake of the fruits of the land of Israel on Tu B'Shevat.
[11]
name=FAST OF ESTHER
spell=Fast of Esther
text=(Adar 13) - Commemorates Esther's fasting before pleading with King Ahasuerus to spare the Jewish people (See Purim).
[12]
name=PURIM
spell=Purim
text=(Adar 14) - Commemorates the deliverance of Persian Jewry from their intended destruction by Haman, the chief minister of King Ahasuerus (circa Fifth Century B.C.E.). The holiday is marked by the reading of the Megillah (The Biblical Book of Esther) which recounts the details of how Queen Esther and Mordecai managed to thwart Haman's plot.(CRLF)(CRLF)Because of its uniquely joyful nature, Purim is the occasion for parties and other festivities. It is customary to send food gifts ('mishloach manot') to friends and to distribute charity to the poor. A special festive meal ('purim seudah') is held on Purim afternoon.
[13]
name=PASSOVER
spell=Passover
text=(Nisan 15) - Eight-day observance (seven in Israel) commemorating the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. The first two and last two days (in Israel, the first and seventh days) are full holidays. The intermediate days, 'Hol Hamoed,' are half holidays. Matzah, unleavened bread, is eaten during the entire holiday period.
[14]
name=YOM HASHOAH
spell=Yom Hashoah
text=(Nisan 27) - Initiated in 1950 to commemorate the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust.
[15]
name=YOM HAZIKARON
spell=Yom Hazikaron
text=(Iyar 4) - Day of Remembrance commemorating those who died during Israel's Wars of Liberation and defense. Always the day before Yom Ha'Atzmaut.
[16]
name=YOM HA'ATZMAUT
spell=Yom Ha'Atzmaut
text=(Iyar 5) - Initiated in 1948 as Israel's Independence Day.
[17]
name=LAG B'OMER
spell=Lag B'Omer
text=(Iyar 18) - The'Omer" was the offering of new barley brought to the Temple on the second day of Passover. Fifty days were counted from the day after the omer offering to determine the date of the Shavuot festival. Lag B'Omer is the 33rd day in the Omer counting period. 'Lag' represents the combined numeric value of two Hebrew letters,'lamed'=30 and 'gimel'=3.(CRLF)(CRLF)On this day the plague that had decimated Rabbi Akiva's disciples during the Second Century C.E. came to an end. Because of the tragic events of this period, semi-mourning is observed. On Lag B'Omer, however, marriages are performed and other mourning observances relaxed.
[18]
name=YOM YERUSHALAYIM
spell=Yom Yerushalayim
text=(Iyar 28) - Jerusalem Unification Day commemorates retaking the Old City of Jerusalem from the Jordanians during the Six Day War in 1967.
[19]
name=SHAVUOT
spell=Shavuot
text=(Sivan 6) - One of the three pilgrim festivals (the others being Passover and Succot) which were marked by pilgrimages to Jerusalem to participate in the special Temple celebrations. It is known as 'The Feast of Weeks' because it falls seven weeks after Passover. It is also called 'The Festival of First Fruits.' Shavuot is a two-day observance (one in Israel). In Jewish tradition it commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai which took place on this date.
[20]
name=FAST OF TAMMUZ 17
spell=Fast of Tammuz 17
text=(Tammuz 17) - A day of fasting commemorating the breach made in the defense wall surrounding Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. This led to the capture of the city and the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, three weeks later and the exile of the Jews to Babylonia.
[21]
name=FAST OF TISHA B'AV
spell=Fast of Tisha B'Av
text=(Av 9) - A day of fasting commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples.
[22]
name=SHABBAT
spell=Shabbat
text=- Weekly sabbath observance begins with candle lighting Friday evening before sunset and ends Saturday at nightfall.(CRLF)(CRLF)Differences of opinion exist as to how much time elapses between sunset and nightfall. Specific times may be set in Preferences from the Main Menu.
[23]
name=ROSH HODESH
spell=Rosh Hodesh
text=- New Month/New Moon celebrated on the first day of each lunar month. If the previous month has 30 days, the thirtieth day is celebrated as the first day of Rosh Hodesh, and the actual first day of the new month, as the second day of Rosh Hodesh. However, the beginning of the month is always counted from the second day of Rosh Hodesh if Rosh Hodesh is observed for 2 days.
[24]
name=SHUSHAN PURIM
spell=Shushan Purim
text=(Adar 15) - The day on which Purim is celebrated in Jerusalem and other walled cities since the days of Joshua because at the time of the events of Purim, the Jews of Shushan were given an extra day to vanquish their enemies.
[25]
name=PURIM KATAN
spell=Purim Katan
text=(Adar I 14) - Observed to duplicate in Adar I of a leap year those precepts observed in Adar. Since Purim and Passover should be observed close together, Purim Katan is only a partial observance without fasting.
[26]
name=PESACH SHEINI
spell=Pesach Sheini
text=(Iyar 14) - Observed to indicate a one month grace period for those who could not deliver the Paschal lamb at the required time for Passover.
[27]
name=L'OMER
spell=L'Omer
text=- Count of the days from the second day of Passover until Shavuot, when the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai.
[28]
name=SHEMINI ATZERET / SIMCHAT TORAH
spell=Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah
text=(Tishri 22) - The "Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly", the festival observed the day after Sukkot. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret also marks the completion of the annual cycle of Torah reading (Simchat Torah).
