Jewish holidays

Jewish holidays are bright and colorful in Dnipro.
About 10 tons of matzah are distributed in the Dnipro region for the Pesach holiday. Everyone can buy both regular and matzah shmurah at the Central Synagogue at a symbolic price, and the elderly and low-income people receive the necessary amount of matzah for the holiday for free. On the eve of the holiday there is a special program for those who want to learn more about the holiday Pesach and its rules. Thousands of Jews take part in public Seders, which are held in most Jewish organizations of the Jewish Community of Dnipro. On the Lag-Ba-Omer holiday, mass children’s parades are held in Dnipro. At the end of the parade there are concerts prepared both by amateur art groups of Jewish educational institutions and with active participation of artists, as well as drawing of children’s lottery prizes.
And the Golden Rose Central Synagogue is crowded on the major Jewish holidays of Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur.
Every year more Jews come to synagogue to hear the recitation of the 10 Commandments or the trumpet sound of the Shofar, more people fast on the day of Yom Kippur.
For the holiday of Sukkot, a huge tent is placed in the courtyard of the Central Synagogue to house a kosher cafe. Of course, charitable meals are organized for the elderly and low-income people. The community, as one big family, celebrates the holiday of Sukkot, as it is customary in Jewish tradition.

Jewish holidays are deeply meaningful and rich with traditions, symbols and rituals. Here are the major holidays in order, beginning with Rosh Hashanah, which follow the Jewish calendar based on the lunar-solar cycle.

Rosh Hashanah

Time: beginning of the month of Tishrei (usually in September or early October)

Meaning: the Jewish New Year, the day of the creation of the first man, the day of judgment on the world.

Traditions:

– The sounding of the shofar (ram’s horn) symbolizes the call to repentance.

– Serve apples with honey on the table to wish for a sweet and successful year.

– It is customary to congratulate each other with the words “Shana tovah” (“Have a good year!”) and to reflect on the past year, beginning a period of spiritual purification.

Yom Kippur

Time: 10 Tishrei, 10 days after Rosh Hashanah

Meaning: Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar

Traditions:

– Fasting for 25 hours without food or drink.

– A time for prayer, repentance and cleansing from sins.

– It is customary to pray in synagogue and think about forgiveness and reconciliation.

Sukkot

Time: 15 Tishrei, 5 days after Yom Kippur (lasts 7 days in Israel, 8 outside Israel)

Meaning: Feast of Tabernacles, thanksgiving for the harvest

Traditions:

– Building sukkahs (tents) where they eat and spend time remembering the wanderings of the Jews in the desert.

– The fulfillment of the commandment of the four plants – etrog, lulav, adas and aravah – as a symbol of unity and gratitude.

Simchat Torah

Time: on the 8th day of Sukkot (Shmini Atzeret)

Meaning: Completion of the annual Torah reading cycle

Traditions:

– Festive reading and joyful dancing with the Torah in the synagogue.

– Jews celebrate the completion and renewal of the Torah reading cycle.

Hanukkah

Time: 25 kislev ( 8 days )

Meaning: A festival of lights commemorating the miracle of Hanukkah, when the temple liberated from the Greek conquerors was consecrated.

Traditions:

– Lighting the Chanukah menorah (hanukiah) for 8 days.

– It is customary to play dreidl (wolf), eat doughnuts (sufganiyot) and dishes cooked in butter to commemorate the miracle.

Tu bishvat

Time: 15 Shvat

Significance: New Year of the Trees.

Traditions:

– Planting trees and eating fruits, especially those for which the land of Israel is famous.

– Sometimes a seder (a meal with symbolic meaning) is held where the fruits of the earth are eaten.

Purim

Time: 14 Adar.

Significance: A holiday commemorating the rescue of the Jews in Persia according to the Scroll of Esther

Traditions:

– Reading the scroll of Esther in the synagogue.

– Presenting treats and gifts to friends.

– Carnival costumes and masks symbolizing a change of fortune.

– Helping those in need.

Passover

Time: 15 Nisan (7-8 days)

Significance: Feast of Liberation, commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt.

Traditions:

– They have a Pesach seder, a special dinner with the reading of the Haggadah, a symbolic meal, and a story about the Exodus.

– Eating matzah instead of bread and giving up leavened bread (hametz) on all days of Pesach.

Shavuot

Time: 6 sivan

Significance: The Feast of the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai

Traditions:

– Reading the book of Ruth in the synagogue.

– It is customary to eat dairy products and decorate the synagogue with floral arrangements.

– Torah study on the night of the holiday.

Tisha be-Av

Time: 9 av

Significance: A day of mourning commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem

Traditions:

– Fasting and observance of mourning, refraining from entertainment.

– The reading of the Kinot (Lamentations) in the synagogue.

These holidays form the basis of the Jewish spiritual calendar, each with its own special meaning and unique traditions that have been preserved for centuries, and are the foundation of Jewish life.