Importance of Jewish Holidays & Festivals

What are Jewish Holidays?• Jewish holidays are observed by Jews during a year. Every year, these are

celebrated with full of joy and happiness.

• These holy days are beautiful in the sense that God gave them to Israel in order to relate with him.

• Believers can relate to these holidays because they foreshadow what God is going to do in the future.

What are Jewish Holidays?• Jewish holidays are observed by Jews during a year. Every year, these are

celebrated with full of joy and happiness.

• These holy days are beautiful in the sense that God gave them to Israel in order to relate with him.

• Believers can relate to these holidays because they foreshadow what God is going to do in the future.

Hanukkah

It is popularly known as Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the re-dedication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabees Revolt against the Seleucid Empire of the 2nd century BCE. The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched menorah or hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night.

• Origin: God rested on the 7th day of creation• Begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until sunset on Saturday• Jews are required to refrain from many activities: driving, answering the

phone, turning on an electric light etc.• A day of worship and celebration • A time to study Torah and provide services • Special foods are prepared before the onset of the Sabbath• The traditional purpose of the Sabbath was a compassionate one: it was to

allow everyone, even slaves and animals, regular rest.

• Jewish New Year• Is observed for two days• A religious event involving both

festivities and serious contemplation• Reflection on the deeds of the past

year and on the need for redemption• The shofar, ram’s horn, is blown• It produces a solemn tone of warning

to remind people that they stand before God.

Rosh Hashanah

• Day of atonement = community ritual • To atone means to make up for one’s faults• This day has traditionally been kept by prayer

and strict fasting, with no food or drink during the entire day

• a day deeply personal and solemn• It emphasizes repentance through confession

of sin • Confessions are said as a group= Unity

• Reminder of the harvest• Festival of Booths (shelters)• In early days it was common for families to sleep outdoors in the fields during the

autumn harvest season- • which enabled them to begin work in the fields early, to stay late, and to protect what

they have harvested • Eating or sleeping in the shelters came to symbolize the period of wandering in the

desert, before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan• A sukkah (Hebrew for shelter) is a shelter made of light wood • it is set up in or near the home• It is commonly decorated with branches and fruits

• Recalls the story of Ester• Ester becomes a queen• She finds out that Haman is turning

the king against the Jews • Haman wants the king to kill the Jews • Ester risks her life when she goes to

the king’s court without permission • She saves the Jewish people from the

destruction• Aka Feast of Lots• Customary to have carnivals and

masquerade parties

• Aka Passover• Commemorates the Escape from Egypt• The blood of the lamb killed for the Passover meal was placed over the doors of the

Hebrews keeping the angel of death from entering their homes while the power of God “passed over” Egypt

• Jewish Pentecost• Aka feast of weeks • Moses receives the 10

Commandments • Birthday of the Jewish religion

Shavuot = Pentecost

MJBI is one of the oldest and highly reputed institute offering various academic programs with a strong emphasis in Theology studies. The Messianic Jewish Bible Institute (MJBI) was formed in 1995. For the Jew follower its good to be in touch with MJBI. They have a lot of information and arrangements to spend your great holidays at religious places of Jews and Christians. Learn about the Jewish holiday including its meaning, dates and giving of Torah. Rejoice the ancient festival custom for the continuation and preservation of religious observance. For more information, explore our website now.

PO Box 610105 Dallas Texas 75261Call us: (817)864-9300Fax: 817.864.9304 http://mjbi.org/