A holiday is basically a day set apart by law or custom, where normal everyday activities, particularly work or school including church, are either suspended or completely reduced. In general, holidays are meant to let people to commemorate or celebrate an occasion or of religious or cultural significance. This article will tell you more about the popular traditional holidays that we observe around the world.
We can start with the Jewish New Year. The first four and half days of the New Year are particularly important for Jewish people, as it commemorates the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem by the enemy during the reign of the Jerusalem Emperor Hisham and his murder by Pilate. It is also the first day that the Jewish laws of Kashrut are observed. The other major traditional holiday in the Jewish calendar is the festivals of Passover and Shavuot.
The Christian church celebrates the entire season of Lent, which is considered to be four and a half weeks of fasting and prayer. They use this time for works like giving of charity and teaching the Word of God. On Passover, the Jews are allowed to eat unleavened bread as well as unleavened matzo. On Shavuot, they are allowed to eat dairy products like milk and cheese, but not eggs.
Thanksgiving is one of the most popular traditional holiday meals. It is considered to be a part of America’s Thanksgiving traditions, which began when Europeans immigrated to the Americas. Since the early settlers did not have corn, their only source of food was thanksgiving of their own ancestors. Thanksgiving is the best day for a family gathering, as well as celebrating thanksgiving of the nation and of course eating together.
The United States also has its own Thanksgiving tradition, which is celebrated during mid-November thanksgiving. This is usually a time for sharing meals and gifts, as well as get-togethers for different groups of people, like relatives and friends. The New Year’s holiday known as New Year’s Eve also falls on Thanksgiving. Both the religious and the secular traditions of thanksgiving originate from the same roots as the early settlers of the US were blessed by the creator of the universe with a gift every year – a year of good cheer.
These are some of the important dates and times of the Jewish New Year, Shavuot, and Thanksgiving. Of course, there are many more holidays throughout the year, including those in the Christian calendar and those in the Islamic calendar. However, no matter when the Jewish New Year, Shavuot or Thanksgiving rolls around, they all share a common theme: giving thanks to G-d, the Creator. Regardless, of what your beliefs are about the holidays – traditional, eclectic, liberal, or even eclectic Jews will find something to celebrate in the holiday season.