Fun Fact 1: What are the names of some Jewish celebrations and festivals? The Jewish people have many different festivals, they include; Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Hanukkah
Fun Fact 2: One of the most important festivals in the Jewish year is called Passover (called Pesach in Hebrew). Passover is celebrated in springtime on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. Passover is a time when the Jewish people remember how their ancestors escaped from Egypt more than 3000 years ago
Fun Fact 3: During Passover different festive foods are eaten. A Seder is a traditional plate of food, each item on the plate has a symbolic meaning to remind the Jews of the Pesach story
Fun Fact 4: Foods in a traditional Seder meal include; a bitter herb, a paste of apple and walnuts, parsley or celery dipped in salt water, meat (traditionally a roasted lamb or goat bone, chicken wing or chicken neck) a baked egg, 3 separate matzot (yeast-less bread), and a bowl of salty water
Fun Fact 5: Passover lasts for seven days in Israel and eight days in other countries
Fun Fact 6: What is Hanukkah? Hanukkah is a celebration of historical Jewish military and religious triumphs
Fun Fact 7: Hanukkah is a winter festival; it begins on the 25th day of the Jewish calendar month of Kislev and lasts for eight days and nights
Fun Fact 8: The most important Hanukkah tradition is the lighting of the nine branched candlestick - the Menorah. Each night a candle is lit and a special blessing is given. The ninth candle is used to light the others it is called the Shamash or the servant candle
Fun Fact 9: Traditional Hanukkah foods are often cooked in oil, common Hanukkah foods include latkes which are like potato pancakes
Fun Fact 10: Rosh Hashanah is the traditional Jewish New Year celebration, which is also known as the Feast of Trumpets. Rosh Hashanah is Hebrew it means ‘Head of the Year’; it is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd days of the seventh Jewish month Tishrei
Fun Fact 11: During Rosh Hashanah a traditional trumpet made from a ram's horn (called a shofar) is blown in the synagogue. It is a tradition to eat apples dipped in honey to represent a sweet new year
Fun Fact 12: Yom Kippur (also called the Day of Atonement or the Sabbath of Sabbaths) is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is a day that people think about any wrong things they may have done and to try and make them right; it is a day to ask for forgiveness
Fun Fact 13: There are various customs and traditions linked to the Yom Kippur Jewish festival; one is to wear the color white which represents purity and Godliness, sometimes people wear a traditional white robe which is called a kittle
Fun Fact 14: During Yom Kippur five specific things are traditionally not allowed; drinking and eating for 25 hours, washing yourself, wearing oils, perfume and makeup, wearing leather shoes and kissing or hugging
Fun Fact 15: Every week the Jews celebrate Shabbat. Shabbat starts at sunset Friday when a traditional family meal takes place, the following day, Saturday, is a day of rest, joy and celebration |