Holidays - Congregation Shir Shalom of Westchester and Fairfield Counties

Click on the name of the holiday for more information

High Holy Days

Rosh HashanahВ (literally, вЂњHead of the YearвЂќ) is the Jewish New Year, which marks the beginning of a 10-day period of prayer, self-examination and repentance. This period, known as theВ Yamim NoraimВ (Days of Awe or High Holy Days), is widely observed by Jews throughout the world, many with prayer and reflection in a synagogue. There also are several holiday rituals observed at home.Rosh HashanahВ is celebrated on the first day of the Hebrew month ofВ Tishrei, whichвЂ”because of differences in the solar and lunar calendarвЂ”corresponds to September or October on the secular calendar.
Although the holiday includes elements of joy and celebration,В Rosh HashanahВ is a deeply religious occasion. The customs and symbols ofВ Rosh HashanahВ reflect the holiday’s dual emphasis on both happiness and humility. Customs observed onВ Rosh HashanahВ include the sounding of theВ shofarВ (ramвЂ™s horn) and eating special foods including roundВ challah, which symbolizes the circle of life, and sweet foods for a sweet New Year. It is also customary to extend wishes for a good year. In Hebrew, the simple form of the greeting is “L’shanahВ tovah!
Yom KippurВ means “Day of Atonement” and refers to the annual Jewish observance of fasting, prayer and repentance.В Yom KippurВ is considered the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. In three separate passages in theВ Torah, the Jewish people are told, “the tenth day of the seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: You shall practice self-denial.”(Leviticus 23:27). Fasting is seen as fulfilling this biblical commandment. TheВ Yom KippurВ fast also enables us to put aside our physical desires to concentrate on our spiritual needs through prayer, repentance, and self-improvement.
Yom KippurВ is the moment in Jewish time when we dedicate our mind, body, and soul to reconciliation with God, our fellow human beings, and ourselves. We are commanded to turn to those whom we have wronged first, acknowledging our sins and the pain we might have caused. At the same time, we must be willing to forgive and to let go of certain offenses and the feelings of resentment they provoked in us. On this journey, we are both seekers and givers of pardon. Only then can we turn to God an

Shabbat

When most people think of holidays, they think of annual celebrations, but in Judaism, there is one holiday that occurs every week – the Sabbath. Known in Hebrew asВ ShabbatВ and in Yiddish asВ Shabbos, this holiday is central to Jewish Life. As the great Jewish writer, Adad Ha-Am has observed: “More than the Jewish people has kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept the Jewish people.” The Sabbath truly has been a unifying force for Jews the world over.
For Shabbat at Home, click here.

Sukkot

Sukkot, a Hebrew word meaning “booths” or “huts,” refers to the Jewish festival of giving thanks for the fall harvest, as well as the commemoration of the forty years of Jewish wandering in the desert after Sinai.В SukkotВ is celebrated five days afterВ Yom KippurВ on the 15th ofВ TishreiВ and is marked by several distinct traditions. One tradition, which takes the commandment to “dwell in booths” literally, is to build aВ sukkahВ (a booth or hut) during this festival, and it is common practice for some to eat and even live in these temporary dwellings duringВ Sukkot.

Simchat Torah

Simchat TorahВ is the last Festival of the High Holy Days and is the celebration of the receiving of theВ Torah. It the festival at which the Jewish people dance with the Torahs, and open up the scroll for all to see.
During theВ TorahВ service, the concluding section of the fifth book of the Torah, DвЂ™varim (Deuteronomy), is read, and immediately following, the opening section of Genesis, orВ B’reishitВ as it is called in Hebrew, is read. This practice represents the cyclical nature of the relationship between the Jewish people and the reading of the Torah.
It is a memorable and joyful service for all ages. Come join us each year and rejoice!

Chanukah

ChanukahВ (alternately spelledВ Hanukkah), meaning вЂњdedicationвЂќ in Hebrew, refers to the joyous eight-day celebration during which Jews commemorate the victory of the Maccabees over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation and вЂњrededicationвЂќ of the Temple in Jerusalem. The modern home celebration ofВ ChanukahВ centers around the lighting of theВ Hanukkiyah,В a specialВ menorahВ for this holiday; eating foods cooked in oil includingВ latkesВ (potato pancakes) andВ sufganiyotВ (jelly doughnuts); and special songs and games.

Click here for Chanukah blessings

Tu B'Shvat

Tu B’ShvatВ or the “New Year of the Trees” is Jewish Arbor Day. The holiday is observed on the 15th (tu) of the Hebrew month ofВ Shvat. Scholars believe that originallyВ Tu B’ShvatВ was an agricultural festival, marking the emergence of spring. In the 17th century, Kabbalists created a ritual forВ Tu BвЂ™ShvatВ that is similar to a PassoverВ Seder. Today, many Jews hold a modern version of theВ Tu B’Shvat SederВ each year. The holiday also has become a tree-planting festival in Israel, in which Israelis and Jews around the world plant trees in honor or in memory of loved ones and friends.

Purim

PurimВ is a thankful and joyous affirmation of Jewish survival against all odds. It is celebrated by the reading of the Scroll of Esther, known in Hebrew as theВ Megillat Ester, which relates the basic story of Purim. Under the rule of King Ahashuerus, Haman, the King’s prime minister, plots to exterminate all of the Jews of Persia. His plan is foiled by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai, who ultimately save the Jews of the land from destruction. The reading of theВ MegillahВ is typically a rowdy affair, punctuated by booing and noise-making when Haman’s name is read aloud.

Passover

Pesach, known as Passover in English, is a major Jewish spring festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The ritual observance of this holiday centers around a special home service called theВ SederВ (meaning вЂњorderвЂќ) followed by a festive meal; the prohibition ofВ chametzВ (leaven) and the eating ofВ matzahВ (an unleavened bread) for the duration of the eight-day festival.
On the fifteenth day ofВ NisanВ in the Hebrew calendar, Jews gather with family and friends in the evening to read from a book called theВ Haggadah, meaning вЂњtelling.вЂќ TheВ Haggadahrecounts the story of Passover, as well as provides the order of prayers, rituals, readings and songs for the Passover Seder. Today, this holiday is a celebration of freedom and family.

Shavuot

ShavuotВ is the Hebrew word for вЂњweeksвЂќ and refers to the Jewish festival marking the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, which occurs seven weeks after Passover.В Shavuot, like many other Jewish holidays, began as an ancient agricultural festival that marked the end of the spring barley harvest and the beginning of the summer wheat harvest. In ancient times,В ShavuotВ was a pilgrimage festival during which Israelites brought crop offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem. Today, it is a celebration of Torah, education, and actively choosing to participate in Jewish life.

Special customs onВ ShavuotВ are the reading of the Book of Ruth, which reminds us that we too can find a continual source of blessing in our tradition. The ceremony of Confirmation – for high school students who have continued their studies and Jewish involvement beyondВ bвЂ™nei mitzvahВ – is often held on or nearВ Shavuot. Just as the Jewish people accepted the Torah onВ Shavuot, so do confirmands reaffirm their commitment to the covenant and adult Jewish life.

It is customary to decorate oneвЂ™s home with greens and fresh flowers onВ ShavuotВ as a reminder of the spring harvest and the ancient ritual of bringing the first fruits to the Temple. Many Jews prepare and eat dairy foodsвЂ”often cheesecake orВ blintzesвЂ”onВ ShavuotВ as a reminder of the sweetness of Torah. Often families gather together on the holiday to enjoy a meal that features such dishes.