The shofar is a polished ram’s horn used in Jewish services at certain times of the year; in ancient times, it was used to summon

Apples and honey On Rosh HaShanah it is customary to eat apples dipped in honey. The apples remind us of the roundness of the year

What is Rosh HaShanah and when do we celebrate it? Looking for a page written for children? Please see our page Rosh HaShanah Explained for

‘Tisha b’Av’ means ‘the 9th of Av’ (a month in the Jewish calendar). It is a major fast day and marks the end of the

The 17th of Tammuz marks the beginning of the ‘Three Weeks’, a period of semi-mourning lasting until Tisha b’Av (the 9th of Av). It falls

The second of the three Pilgrim Festivals, Shavuot, is celebrated for 2 days outside Israel (and in Israel for 1 day). The name ‘Shavuot’ means ‘weeks’

WHAT IS YOM YERUSHALAYIM AND WHEN DO WE CELEBRATE IT? Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, falls on 28 Iyar. It commemorates what is, in our era,

What is Yom HaAtzma’ut and when do we celebrate it? The name ‘Yom HaAtzma’ut’ means ‘Independence Day’. On the fifth of Iyar, 5708, which corresponded

Below is a selection of poems by Israelis written in commemoration of particular battles or wars. These poems are often read on Yom HaZikaron.  POEMS

What is Yom HaZikaron and when do we observe it? The name ‘Yom HaZikaron’ means ‘remembrance day’. It is the day on which we remember those

The Fast of the Firstborn (Ta’anit B’chorot) commemorates the horrific tenth plague that God inflicted on Pharaoh and the Egyptian people.  After Pharaoh had again

How Pesach is Observed There are three central observances connected with Pesach. These are the eating of matzah, the prohibition against eating or even owning