Jewish Holidays: A Year of Celebration
Learn more about the Jewish holidays and how we observe and celebrate them at Temple Anshe Sholom. Explore the customs and traditions of Reform Jews throughout North America to learn how we weave celebration and tradition into our communities. We are pleased to share this information with you and wish you a chag sameach!
S’lichot
S’lichot are special penitential prayers recited in preparation for the High Holy Days. We begin these prayers on the Saturday night before Rosh HaShanah. The service, often held late at night, is a time for reflection, introspection, and seeking forgiveness. It sets a spiritual tone as we prepare to enter the Days of Awe.
Rosh HaShanah
Rosh HaShanah (רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, literally meaning the “head of the year”), the Jewish New Year, marks the beginning of the High Holy Days. We celebrate with festive meals, including apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year, and attend synagogue services featuring the blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn), which calls us to reflection and renewal.
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. We observe this solemn day with fasting, prayer, and repentance, seeking forgiveness for our sins. Our services include the moving Kol Nidre prayer and a concluding Neilah service as we reflect on our actions and seek to improve in the coming year. In preparation for Yom Kippur, it has become customary to seek forgiveness from friends and relatives that may have been wronged throughout the year.
Sukkot
Sukkot, the Festival of Booths, commemorates the Israelites’ journey through the desert. We build and dwell in a sukkah (temporary shelter) decorated with fruits and greenery, and we hold festive meals inside. Services include prayers for rain and the waving of the lulav and etrog, symbolizing unity and our connection to nature.
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah marks the conclusion and restarting of the annual Torah reading cycle. We celebrate with joyous dancing and singing as we read the final verses of Deuteronomy and the beginning of Genesis.
Chanukah
Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. We light the menorah for eight nights, adding one candle each night. Celebrations include singing traditional songs, playing dreidel, and enjoying foods fried in oil, such as latkes and sufganiyot (jelly donuts).
Tu B’Shvat
Tu B’Shvat, the New Year for Trees, is a day to honour and celebrate nature. This day can be celebrated by planting trees, participating in environmental activities, and enjoying a special seder that includes fruits and nuts associated with the land of Israel.
Purim
Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia, as told in the Book of Esther. We celebrate with a festive Spiel, featuring readings of the Megillah (Scroll of Esther), during which we boo the villain Haman. The holiday is marked by costumes, carnivals, hamantaschen (three-cornered pastry), giving gifts of food (mishloach manot), and tzedakah (charitable giving). At TAS, we use boxes of macaroni and cheese as our groggers and then donate them to the Hamilton Food Bank afterwards!
Pesach (Passover)
Passover celebrates the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. We observe this holiday with a seder meal, where we retell the story of the Exodus, eat symbolic foods such as matzah and bitter herbs, and follow a ritual order of prayers and songs. The holiday lasts for eight days, during which we refrain from eating chametz (leavened products containing wheat, spelt, oats, barley, and rye). TAS usually hosts a second-night Community Seder on the second night of Pesach, a tradition that is unusual amongst Reform congregations, but allows us to gather together as friends and celebrate together.
Yom HaShoah
Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, is dedicated to remembering the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. We hold solemn services, light memorial candles, and listen to the testimonies of survivors, ensuring that we never forget this tragic chapter in our history.
Yom HaZikaron
Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, honors the soldiers who have fallen in defense of Israel and victims of terrorism. We observe this day with ceremonies and moments of silence, reflecting on the sacrifices made for the State of Israel.
Yom Ha’Atzmaut
Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, celebrates the founding of the State of Israel. We mark this day with festive gatherings, singing, dancing, and community activities that express our pride and joy in Israel’s achievements and our hopes for its future.
Lag B’Omer
Lag BaOmer commemorates the end of a plague that afflicted Rabbi Akiva’s students and the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. We celebrate with outdoor activities, bonfires, and picnics, enjoying the spirit of camaraderie and joy.
Shavuot
Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Traditionally, this holiday is observed with all-night study sessions (Tikkun Leil Shavuot), reading the Book of Ruth, and enjoying dairy foods such as cheesecake and blintzes. The holiday is a time of learning and spiritual renewal.
Tisha B’Av
Tisha B’Av, the Ninth of Av, commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. We observe this day with fasting, reading the Book of Lamentations, and reflecting on historical tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people. It is a solemn day of mourning and remembrance.
These holidays provide a rhythm to our year, each bringing its own themes and customs that enrich our community life. We invite you to join us in these celebrations and observances, as we connect with our heritage and each other.