2015 Jewish Holidays

• • Tu B’Shevat: This is the day when the Jewish people try to bond with the nature. To uphold this concept people plant trees, eat fruits and vegetables and drink special Seder. This also marks the beginning of the Spring season.

• • Ta’anit Esther: Commences on the thirteenth day of the month of ‘Adar’ as per Hebrew calendar.

• • Purim: This is the day when Jewish people celebrate with zest the fact that many years ago on this day many Jewish people escaped a conspiracy that was designed to kill the Jews.

• • Shushan Purim:  This is the day to celebrate the happy occasion in the company of friends and family.

• • Ta’anit Bechorot: Observed on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan according to the Hebrew calendar, this is the day of the first born when the first born males of each family fast.

• • Passover: On this day God is believed to “pass over” Jewish homes, for this is the day when Jews were freed of slavery in ancient Egypt.

• • Yom HaShoah: This is the day when Jewish people honor those who were killed in the various Holocausts that happened in the history of time, and also those who were martyred for a noble cause.

• • Yom Hazikaron: The day before the Israeli Independence day honors those martyrs who sacrificed to bring freedom to the nation. A two minute standstill is observed.

• • Yom HaAtzmaut:  Observed on the fifth day of the month of Iyar according to the Hebrew calendar, this marks the Israeli Independence Day. Notable citizens are honored on this day.

• • Second Passover: This is observed on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar.

• • Lag B’Omer: Observed on the 18th day of the month of Iyar according to the Hebrew calendar, this is a joyous occasion that commemorates the end of the Omer, the period of forty nine days when the Jewish people mourn.

• • Yom Yerushalayim: This is a Israeli National Holiday that also goes by the name of Jerusalem Day.

• • Shavuot:  This is the day when the Jews believe that Sinai was revealed as God gave the Torah that contains all Jewish teachings. People read Torah and the Book of Ruth.

• • 17th of Tammuz: On this day, the Jewish people mourn the destruction of Jewish Temples. They fast from dawn to dusk to commemorate it.

• • Tish’a B’Av: Commencing on the ninth day of the month of Tisha, as per the Hebrew calendar, this is the day when Jews commemorate and mourn for all the tragedies that were inflicted upon the Jewish community in the history of time including (but not restricted to) the destruction of The First and The Second Temples.

• • Rosh Hashanah: Thi two day festival commeorates the beginning of the Jewish New Year. People greet each other “Shanah Tovah”, sound shofar (horn) and eat symbolic food.

• • Gedaliah: This is the day that witnessed the assassination of the Judah Governor Gedaliah and the destruction of the First Temple.

• • Yom Kippur: This is the holiest day for the Jews. This is the time for them to connect to their subconscious and repent for sins they may have committed, and also to vow to stay in the path of virtue. This custom has stemmed from the Jewish belief that man’s fate is written by God at the onset of every New Year, and those people who repent for their sins get blessed.

• • Sukkot: This is the time for the Jews to undertake pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerisalem as commemorated on the fifteenth day of the traditional month of Tishrei as per the Hebrew calendar.

• • Hoshanah Rabbah: Observed on the twenty-first day of the traditional month of Tishrei as per Hebrew calendar, on this day people get together for praying.

• • Shemini Atzeret: This is the day when Jews pray for rainfall and is observed on the twenty-second day of the traditional month of Tishrei as per Hebrew calendar.

• • Simchat Torah: This ceremoniously marks end of the season of public reading of the Torah.

• • Hanukkah: This is the day when the Jewish people celebrate their victory to mark the occasion when the Jewish Temples again got dedicated. Lighting the Hanukkah lamp is a tradition that is observed on this day.

• • Tevet 10: This is the day in history when the First Temple of Judah was destructed.

List of Jewish Holidays 2015