The Jewish New Year for trees - For religious accounting purposes all
trees have their anniversaries on this festival, regardless of when they
were planted.
Purim commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in Persia were
saved from extermination by the courage of a young Jewish woman called
Esther.
Monday 21 March
Shushan Purim
In some places Purim is celebrated one day later. In this case it is
called Shushan Purim.
Monday 18 April
Fast of the Firstborn
Observed only by firstborn males, on the day before Passover. This fast
celebrates the survival of Jewish firtborn sons from the 10th Plague of
Egypt.
The start of the season of Passover when Jews commemorate the liberation
of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses. Work is not
permitted on the first two and the last two days of Passover.
Shavuot is a two-day festival that marks the time when the first harvest
was taken to the Temple. Also known as the Festival of Weeks. Work is not
permitted for the duration of the festival.
A solemn day that commemorates a series of tragedies that have befallen
the Jewish people over the years, many of which have coincidentally happened
on this day.
Sukkot or The Feast of Tabernacles, commemorates the years that the Jews
spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, and celebrates the
way in which God took special care of them under impossible conditions.
Sukkot lasts for seven days, and work is not permitted on the first two
days.
Wednesday 19 October
Hoshanah Rabbah
The 7th day of Sukkot.
Thursday 20 October
Shemini Atzeret
Shemini Atzeret can be translated as "the assembly of the eighth
(day)." In Israel the festival is combined with Simchat Torah.
Friday 21 October
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." This holiday
marks the completion of the yearly cycle of weekly Torah readings.
Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights and marks the restoration of the
temple by the Maccabees in 164 BCE. Hanukkah is celebrated at roughly the
same time as Christmas, but there is no connection at all between the
festivals.
The Jewish New Year for trees - For religious accounting purposes all
trees have their anniversaries on this festival, regardless of when they
were planted.
Wednesday 7 March
Fast of Esther (Taanit Esther)
A fast in commemoration of the fast of Mordechai and Esther. This is not
a major Jewish fast.
Purim commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in Persia were
saved from extermination by the courage of a young Jewish woman called
Esther.
Friday 9 March
Shushan Purim
In some places Purim is celebrated one day later. In this case it is
called Shushan Purim.
Friday 6 April
Fast of the Firstborn
Observed only by firstborn males, on the day before Passover. This fast
celebrates the survival of Jewish firtborn sons from the 10th Plague of
Egypt.
The start of the season of Passover when Jews commemorate the liberation
of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses. Work is not
permitted on the first two and the last two days of Passover.
Shavuot is a two-day festival that marks the time when the first harvest
was taken to the Temple. Also known as the Festival of Weeks. Work is not
permitted for the duration of the festival.
A solemn day that commemorates a series of tragedies that have befallen
the Jewish people over the years, many of which have coincidentally happened
on this day.
Sukkot or The Feast of Tabernacles, commemorates the years that the Jews
spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, and celebrates the
way in which God took special care of them under impossible conditions.
Sukkot lasts for seven days, and work is not permitted on the first two
days.
Sunday 7 October
Hoshanah Rabbah
The 7th day of Sukkot.
Monday 8 October
Shemini Atzeret
Shemini Atzeret can be translated as "the assembly of the eighth
(day)." In Israel the festival is combined with Simchat Torah.
Tuesday 9 October
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." This holiday
marks the completion of the yearly cycle of weekly Torah readings.
Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights and marks the restoration of the
temple by the Maccabees in 164 BCE. Hanukkah is celebrated at roughly the
same time as Christmas, but there is no connection at all between the
festivals.
The Jewish New Year for trees - For religious accounting purposes all
trees have their anniversaries on this festival, regardless of when they
were planted.
Purim commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in Persia were
saved from extermination by the courage of a young Jewish woman called
Esther.
Monday 25 February
Shushan Purim
In some places Purim is celebrated one day later. In this case it is
called Shushan Purim.
Monday 25 March
Fast of the Firstborn
Observed only by firstborn males, on the day before Passover. This fast
celebrates the survival of Jewish firtborn sons from the 10th Plague of
Egypt.
The start of the season of Passover when Jews commemorate the liberation
of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses. Work is not
permitted on the first two and the last two days of Passover.
Shavuot is a two-day festival that marks the time when the first harvest
was taken to the Temple. Also known as the Festival of Weeks. Work is not
permitted for the duration of the festival.
A solemn day that commemorates a series of tragedies that have befallen
the Jewish people over the years, many of which have coincidentally happened
on this day.
Sukkot or The Feast of Tabernacles, commemorates the years that the Jews
spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, and celebrates the
way in which God took special care of them under impossible conditions.
Sukkot lasts for seven days, and work is not permitted on the first two
days.
Wednesday 25 September
Hoshanah Rabbah
The 7th day of Sukkot.
Thursday 26 September
Shemini Atzeret
Shemini Atzeret can be translated as "the assembly of the eighth
(day)." In Israel the festival is combined with Simchat Torah.
Friday 27 September
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." This holiday
marks the completion of the yearly cycle of weekly Torah readings.
Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights and marks the restoration of the
temple by the Maccabees in 164 BCE. Hanukkah is celebrated at roughly the
same time as Christmas, but there is no connection at all between the
festivals.
The Jewish New Year for trees - For religious accounting purposes all
trees have their anniversaries on this festival, regardless of when they
were planted.
Charles Henderson
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you want to talk with someone in person, please feel free to call: 917-439-2305
The Rev. Charles P. Henderson is a Presbyterian minister and author of Faith, Science and the Future, published in 1994 by CrossCurrents Press. He is also the author of God and Science (John Knox / Westminster, 1986) which he is now rewriting to incorporate more recent developments in the conversation taking place between scientists and theologians. He has also written widely for such publications as The New York Times, The Nation, Commonweal, The Christian Century and others.