Page 128 - Biblical Backgrounds

Date: late September to early October, exactly 10 days after the New Year.

Tabernacles
Tabernacles (Hebrew: Sukkot) is the time to remember how the Children of Israel walked for 40 years in
the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. A lot of Israelis, especially families with children, build a special
tent (Hebrew: sukka) where, throughout the holiday period, they eat meals, get together, and play
games with their family and friends. The day after Sukkot is called Simchat Torah or Shemini Atzeret,
when the reading of the Torah starts from the beginning (and is read entirely during the course of one
year).
It is also called The Feast of Ingathering. The holiday lasts for 7 days, followed by one day of Simchat
Torah.

Date: October, 14 days after the New Year.

Purim
Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from
destruction. However, it is more a national than it is a religious holiday. In Purim, children as well as
grown-ups masquerade in costume and wear masks (like in Halloween) and take part in colorful, funny,
and happy street parades and street parties. In the evening, the young people hang out on the streets,
while private and public parties are held for a few days before, during, and after the exact date of the
holiday.

During this holiday, it is a tradition to send candy gifts to friends. “Oznei Haman”, which are sweet
triangular pastries traditionally filled with poppy seeds (or other fillings like dates or chocolate), is the
traditional food of this one-day holiday.

Date: around March.
Visitor Tip: The parade in the city of Holon (center of Israel) is the biggest and most famous of all.

Hanukkah (Chanukah)
Hanukkah, the festival of lights, is a popular and well-known holiday where Jews celebrate the victory of
the Hebrew independence over the Roman Empire in the Holy Land around 2000 years ago. The Jews
practice the lighting of the Menorah (Hebrew: hanukiah) candles, playing with a dreidel (Hebrew:
sevivon), and lots of kids' songs. The holiday lasts for 8 days.

Date: late December.

There are a few other non-religious holiday including Holocaust Memorial Day, Tu Bishvat, Lag Baomer,
and Summer Break. When traveling to Israel, be sure to plan your trips with all the holidays in mind, as
they can become a major obstacle in travel and purchasing food. Each year, most of the holidays change
dates, so be sure to check the current calendar for the exact dates of these holidays.

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