festivals and commemorations

• yom hashoah

  • holocaust memorial day
  • to ensure nothing similar happens again
  • honours the memory of those who suffered
  • a silence at 11 o'clock
  • six candles are lit to symbolise that more than six million jews were murdered
  • ceremonies are often held in synagogues with speakers who survived the holocaust
• rosh hashanah

  • a new year festival
  • the day god created the world
  • to remember how god judges all of humanity for deeds carried out in the past year
  • services are held in the synagogue on the eve of rosh hashanah
  • jews will apologise to anyone to whom they have done wrong
  • special foods like pomegranate, apple and honey are eaten to symbolise a sweet new year ahead
• yom kippur

  • day of atonement - most sacred day
  • to reflect on the past year and ask for forgiveness
  • 10 days after rosh hashanah
  • continuous prayer in the synagogue and jews will confess their sins to god
  • fasting for 25 hours
  • often food and money are given to help the poor
• pesach

  • celebrates the freedom from slavery in egypt, led by moses
  • often called passover
  • god commands that the festival should be held each year in exodus
  • prayers are said each year for people who are not free