By: Abbie John & Emma Hourdakis

Rosh Hashanah & How it OriginatedRosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. It means “head of the

year” or “first of the year.” It is one of Judaism’s holiest holidays. It begins on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar which is either in September or October.

The origin of Rosh Hashanah begins with the Tanakh. It is written that God says “Speak to B'nei Yisrael ("the House of Israel" in Hebrew, referring to the Hebrew people), saying, 'In the seventh month, on the first of the month, shall be for you a day of rest, a remembrance of the sounding of the shofar, a holy convocation.”

Prohibited On Rosh Hashanah it is custom that you refrain from sleep

during the day. The Talmud Yerushalmi writes “If one sleeps at the years beginning, his good fortune likewise sleeps.”

Another thing that is not allowed on Rosh Hashanah is eating nuts. The Hebrew word for “nut” “egoz” is the same as the Hebrew word for “sin.”

Foods On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, people eat a fruit that new to the

season. A popular choice is pomegranate because, according to legend, a pomegranate contains 613 seeds, one for every mitzvah, or good deed.

They eat the pomegranates as hope that they will do 613 good deeds in the upcoming year.

Another popular custom on this holiday is eating honey-dipped food. They are a symbol of the wish for a sweet new year.

ShofarIn tradition, on Rosh Hashanah, the people use ram’s

horns to make a shofar. They blow into the shofar 100 times each day.

What is Yom Kippur?Yom Kippur is known as the Day of Atonement. It

marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe. According to tradition it is the day that God decides each person’s fate, so Jews are encouraged to ask for forgiveness for sins they have mad in the past year. Both Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are known as Judaism’s “High Holy Days.”

Clothes Yom Kippur is a day of forgiveness, therefore you are pure, like angels. It is custom to wear white on Yom Kippur, to appear like angels.

EatingIt is custom that people fast on Yom Kippur. This is

because today is a day to be like angels, and angels do not eat. However, it is forbidden to fast on Erev Yom Kippur, the day before Yom Kippur. Jewish law actually states that they must feast the day before Yom Kippur.

What is Passover? Passover is an eight day festival that

celebrates the early spring. It celebrates their freedom from the Egyptians.

Days of PassoverOn the first two and the last two days of Passover,

candles are lit at night. The Jews don't work, drive, etc.

During the middle four days, though, most work is permitted.

Text of PassoverThe text of Passover is written in a book called

the haggadah. The haggadah tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt and explains some of the practices and symbols of the holiday.

CustomsOne tradition is that a child hides the afikomen

( special bread) while the adult must find it and then vice versa. Which ever child finds it first, gets to keep the reward.

To honor the people who escaped Egypt, the people do not eat leavened grain—any food or drink that contains even a trace of wheat, barley, rye, oats.

What is Hanukkah?Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight

days and eight nights. It starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which coincides with late-November late-December on the secular calendar.

The Story of HanukkahA long time ago, Greeks took over the region of the

Jews. They worshipped Zeus and made the people worship him too. They made the Jews worship idols and to eat pig's meat. Both these things are against Judaism. Mattathias, a priest, was being forced to do these things. Mattathias refused. A villager said that he would do it for Mattathias. He got mad and killed both the Greek and villager. Mattathias went to hide. Later, they got control of the lands.

Hanukkah OilHanukkah oil is celebrated every year

when Jews light a special menorah for eight days. One candle is lit on the first night of Hanukkah, two on the second, and so on, until eight candles are lit.

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