Holiday |
Date |
Description |
Jewish Value |
Food Tradition |
Gift Giving Ideas |
Tu B’Shvat |
1/25 |
Known as Jewish Arbor Day; a day to honor trees, nature and the earth |
Thanks to nature and a higher being that can always remind us to be grateful and humble |
Fresh fruits and nuts or any food made with them |
Fresh fruit baskets, dried fruit and nuts |
Purim |
2/24 |
A day for parties and dancing, Purim commemorates Queen Esther’s heroic saving of the Jews from the evil Haman. As she used a disguise as part of her plan, Purim parties often include masquerade. Parties are noisy and rowdy. |
Freedom, Strength of Women, Ability to stand up to adversity |
Hamentashen!
This triangle shaped cookie symbolizes the 3 cornered hat worn by Hamen |
Shalach Manot; food baskets shared with friends and family and for the poor. Baskets are filled with both food and drink including wine, grape juice, hamentashen and other baked goods, candies and noisemakers. |
Passover |
3/25 |
This 8 Day holiday honors the freedom and exodus of Jewish slaves who fled from Egypt after 200 years of slavery. |
Freedom, and importance of sharing history and repeating the Passover story as a reminder of humility and the need to be strong vigilant |
During Passover we eat only unleavened foods as remembrance for the Jews who did not have time for their bread to rise as they fled Egypt. Matzo is the most popular Passover food. |
Passover Gift Baskets that include all items that are kosher for Passover (do not include any leavening). |
Shavuot |
5/15 |
During this 2 day holiday, we celebrate the Torah that was given to Moses at Mt Sinai. |
Appreciation specifically for Torah and more generally for the beauty of having vision for your life |
Dairy foods such as blintzes, quiche or any dairy meal. In the biblical description of this event (left), Israel is described as the “Land of Milk and Honey,” providing the reason why we eat Dairy foods on Shavuot. |
Cheesecake, plain or exotic |
Rosh Hashana |
9/4-9/5 |
Jewish New Year according to the Hebrew calendar |
Celebrating the sweet and unending cycle of life |
Apples and honey to ensure a sweet New Year and round challah to signify the unending cycle of life |
Gift baskets that include apples and honey other sweet treats |
Yom Kippur |
9/13 |
Day of Atonement |
Humans make mistakes and forgiveness is key. On this day we are forgiven for the sins of the previous year and are ready to start the new year with a clean slate. |
After fasting from sundown to sundown we break the fast with dairy foods (easier than meat to digest). Lox, bagels, noodle kugel are favorites |
Gift Baskets of assorted cheese, fruit and more |
Sukkot |
9/18 |
Commemorates the harvest as well as how the Jews worked in the fields under the hot sun while tending to their agriculture. They build temporary structures called Succahs to provide shade for a longer work day. |
Appreciation and gratitude for the abundance of gifts |
Foods from the earth such as fruits and nuts |
Fresh fruit baskets, dried fruits and nuts |
Hanukkah |
11/27 |
This 8 day festive holiday commemorates the miracle of the oil that lasted 8 days instead of the expected 1. after the Temple was all but destroyed and the Jews attempt to purify the Temple by burning of ritual oil in the menorah. |
Miracles happen! With hard work, commitment and goals that are pure, miracles can happen |
|
|
Note: Holidays begin at sundown on the date listed.
