Rosh Hashanah – The Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah – The Jewish New Year

Almost all countries around the world follow the Gregorian calendar, and thus, celebrate the New Year every the first day of January. However, there are many countries that celebrate the Western New Year and then observe their own New Year. It’s because they follow their own traditional and religious calendars that are … Read more

Simchat Torah – The Joyful Jewish Holiday

Simchat Torah – The Joyful Jewish Holiday

Simchat Torah (Hebrew for “rejoicing with/of the Torah”) is a Jewish holiday that marks the end of the annual cycle of public Torah reading and the beginning of a new cycle. Simchat Torah is a part of Shemini Atzeret, which takes place immediately after the week-long Sukkot festival. Shemini Atzeret literally means … Read more

The Festival of Sukkot

sukkot

If you’re currently visiting Israel or planning to visit there in the future, knowing all about the Jewish holidays and customs can be a rewarding experience. It allows you to understand how Israelite Jews cherish and value these enduring traditions, a big part of why Israel is such a unique and beautiful … Read more

Yom Kippur – The Holiest Day for the Jews

Yom Kippur – The Holiest Day for the Jews

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year; thus, it is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. It is also known as the “Day of Atonement,” with its central themes being atonement and repentance. It falls on the 10th day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Jewish … Read more

Pesach or Passover – What You Need to Know

Pesach or Passover – What You Need to Know

Knowing and understanding about the major and minor holidays in Israel will help you appreciate the country’s culture and traditions better. It also allows you to be informed about what to expect and do whenever these holidays occur, especially if you’re a foreigner visiting Israel. Pesach or Passover is one of the … Read more

Customs and Rituals During Shavuot

Customs and Rituals During Shavuot

Shavuot is one of the biblically recognized Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It is one of the important Jewish holidays that occurs on the sixth of Sivan of the Hebrew calendar (falling seven weeks after Passover or Pesach at the end of the counting of the Omer), or somewhere between May 15 and June … Read more

Underground Jerusalem: A Visit to the Western Wall Tunnel

Underground Jerusalem

It may sound a little biased, but there are countless reasons why everyone should visit Israel, from the most visited spots to the often-ignored gems to rising tourism stars. Jerusalem is often the first stop for people visting Israel, especially for first-time tourists. It is the holiest city in the world, and … Read more

Blood Moons and Their Signficance to Judaism

Blood Moons and Their Signficance to Judaism

Usually, the moon has a pale white or yellowish color. But did you know that the moon can have other colors as well? There’s also the “blue moon.” A blue moon is defined as the second of two full moons in a single calendar month, or the third of four full moons … Read more

The Solar Eclipse and What It Means to Judaism

The Solar Eclipse and What It Means to Judaism

We learned about solar eclipse in school, and we have witnessed it ourselves before our eyes (of course, with the help of solar filters and even only a pair of dark sunglasses). A partial solar eclipse happens more often compared to a total solar eclipse, which is a rarer phenomenon.  In a … Read more