Two Jewish Festivals

Hanukkah

• Hanukkah is a celebration of Jewish people gaining freedom. It is the most well known Jewish festival, but not the most significant as it is not written in the Torah.
• It is celebrated for eight days and nights.
• It begins on the 25^th of the  Jewish month of Kislev (late November/December)
• In Hebrew the word “Hanukkah” means “dedication.”
• Some of the Hanukkah traditions include: lighting the hanukkiyah, spinning the dreidel and eating fried foods.

·         Jews celebrate Hanukkah in replace of Christmas because they do not believe the Jesus is the Messiah.

·         Hanukkah means “Festival of Lights.”

·         This festival is observed for eight days, during which candles are lit

·         One on the first evening, another on the second, adding one more for every day in succession until eight candles are lit on the last day.

·         These lights symbolize growing faith.

Passover

·         Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. It is the first of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance. Agriculturally, it represents the beginning of the harvest season in Israel, but little attention is paid to this aspect of the holiday.

·         The primary significance of Passover is to commemorate the story of Exodus, in which ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.

·         Passover is celebrated for seven or eight days, and is one of the most widely celebrated holidays.

·         You are not allowed to eat foods that contain yeast.