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Jewish Holidays There are a large number of Jewish Festivals, well spaced across the year, that are pivotal events in the calendar for most Jewish families. The generations gather for fulsome meals full of noisy debate and chatter before or after attending services at the Synagogue. Many of the festivals have “signature” meals that reflect either the season or the symbolic nature of the occasion. Rosh Hashonah – “Head of the Year”. The Jewish New Year is the time for families and friends to be together. Celebratory meals will include sweet Lekach – Honey Cake - UK recipe - US recipe
This festival falls during the autumn season. Meals were eaten in ‘succahs’ (booths) open to the sky. Simple rustic country foods became favoured because of their abundance at this time of the year. Holishkes – Stuffed Cabbage Leaves - UK recipe - US recipe Chanukah – Festival of Dedication/ Festival of Lights
Latkes – Grated Potato Pancakes - UK recipe - US recipe Purim – The Festival of Lots Purim is the most festive of
the Jewish holidays and celebrates the end of a plot by the Pesach / Passover This is the oldest Jewish festival and marks the flight of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt into freedom. They left in such a hurry that their bread did not have time to rise, so for eight days a year Jews eat only matzah and The festival is also host to a trio of fantastic biscuits – specially created to allow for the prohibition on leavened flour products. Coconut pyramids , cinnamon balls and almond macaroons are made in virtually every Jewish household. Chocolate Macaroon Cake
- UK recipe - US recipe Shavuot – Pentecost, Festival of Weeks We commemorate Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai by decorating our synagogues and homes with flowers and eating dairy foods.
Shavuot – Pentecost, Festival of Weeks
Old Fashioned Cheese Cake
Other:
Fast of Esther Thursday 20 March 2008 Fast of Tammuz - Sunday 20 July 2008 Fast of Av - Sunday 10 August 2008 Fast of Gedaliah - Thursday 2 October 2008 Erev Yom Kippur, Kol Nidrei Wednesday 8 October 2008 Yom Kippur - Thursday 9 October 2008 Simchat Torah Wednesday 22 October 2008 |
food symbolising the hope for a sweet year to come. Salty and sour foods are left out, and apple and honey are traditionally enjoyed.
Succot – Tabernacles
This winter festival celebrates a great Jewish military victory against the Greek occupiers of the land of Israel as well as a major miracle. When the Jews recaptured the sacred oil in the Temple in Jerusalem there was only enough oil to light the holy candelabra for one day, but amazingly it lasted for eight days until new supplies were brought in. So to commemorate the miracle of the oil we eat fried foods.
King
of Persia’s wicked henchman, Haman, to kill all the Jews of
the land. Queen Esher and her uncle Mordecai discovered his plans
and saved their people. It’s a time of feasting and carnival
– gifts of food are exchanged , people wear fancy dress and
everyone has a ball! The focus is on vegetarian food – including
nuts, seeds and pulses as this was the diet, the Jewish Queen Esther
ate in the non-kosher palace.
unleavened foods. On the first two nights we retell the story of their exodus in a service at home called the Seder which is followed by a meal full of symbolic foods. As part of the ritual, houses are spring cleaned and an atmosphere of freshness and renewal reached. It is an exciting time – especially for children.
Shavuot, the Feast of the Weeks, is the Jewish holiday celebrating the harvest season in Israel. Shavuot, which means "weeks", refers to the timing of the festival which is held exactly 7 weeks after Passover. Shavuot also commemorates the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai.
