Yom Kippur (Jewish)
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn day of the Jewish year and is observed on the tenth day of Tishri. It is a day of fasting, reflection and prayers.

Yom Kippur is a day of “NOT” doing. There is no blowing of the Shofar and Jews may not eat or drink, as fasting is the rule. It is believed that to fast on Yom Kippur is to emulate the angels in heaven, who do not eat, drink, or wash.

On Yom Kippur the Book of Life is closed and sealed. Those that have repented for their sins are granted a good and happy New Year.

Visit our celebration of the the Jewish High Holy Days for more information on - Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur (Jewish)
Beginning at sundown tonight*, Jews begin their observance of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Yom Kippur is the most solemn day of the Jewish year and is observed on the tenth day of Tishri. It is a day of fasting, reflection and prayers.

By Yom Kippur the 40 days of repentance, that begin with the first of Elul, have passed. On Rosh Hashanah G-d has judged most of mankind and has recorded his judgement in the Book of Life. But he has given a 10 day reprieve.

On Yom Kippur the Book of Life is closed and sealed. Those who have repented for their sins are granted a good and happy New Year.

Visit our celebration of the the Jewish High Holy Days for more information on - Yom Kippur

*The Hebrew calendar begins at sundown, consequently all Jewish Holidays also begin at sundown.

Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)
Today is Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the Jewish New Year, and Jews worldwide are celebrating.

While Rosh Hashanah is widely known and celebrated as the New Years Day of the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah actually has a fourfold meaning - It is the Jewish New Year, the Day of Judgement, the Day of Remembrance, and the Day of Shofar Blowing.

It is the Day of Judgement
As Jews worldwide examine their past deeds and asks for forgiveness for their sins

It is the Day of Shofar Blowing
As the Shofar (the rams horn)is blown in temple to herald the beginning of the 10 day period known as the High Holy Days

It is the Day of Remembrance
As Jews review the history of their people and pray for Israel

And of course it is New Year’s Day
Celebrated with it’s holiday greeting cards, special prayers, and festive and sweet foods (to ensure sweetness in the New Year)

For more information visit our celebration of the Rosh Hashanah - High Holy Days on the Net

Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)
Beginning at sundown tonight*, Jews begin their celebration of the High Holy Days, which are observed during the 10 day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the most important of all Jewish Holidays and the only holidays that are purely religious, as they are not related to any historical or natural event.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated the first and second days of Tishri. It is a time of family gatherings, special meals and sweet tasting foods.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn day of the Jewish year and is observed on the tenth day of Tishri. It is a day of fasting, reflection and prayers.

Join us for our celebration of the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - High Holy Days on the Net

*The Hebrew calendar begins at sundown, consequently all Jewish Holidays also begin at sundown.

Shanah Tova!
Happy New Year!

With the Jewish season of the High Holy Days upon us, we are delighted to invite you to come join our High Holiday Day celebrations at Holidays on the Net.

The Jewish High Holy Days refer to the ten-day period between the first day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, when Rosh Hashanah begins, and the tenth day of the month, when Yom Kippur falls.

These two holidays are the most significant in the Jewish calendar, a time rich in religious, spiritual and historical symbolism. On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish people celebrate the beginning of a new year. The holiday is commemorated with special services, such as Tashlich (casting off of one’s sins), and the blowing of the shofar (and here). Rosh Hashanah is also a sacred time for ritualized family gatherings and sweet festive meals. And make your celebration a sweet and tasty one with our delicious holiday recipes.

Get the little ones interested in the holiday with our selection of fun and entertaining Rosh Hashanah crafts and holiday related coloring pictures. Send holiday greetings to your friends and family with our Rosh Hashanah eGreeting Cards.

Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the Days of Awe. During this ten-day period, the Jewish people stand before G-d, praying for forgiveness for their sins and hoping to be inscribed in the Book of Life. Then on Yom Kippur, which is also called the Day of Atonement, the Jewish people fast for 25 hours, during which they atone for their sins.

We hope that you will find something at Holidays on the Net that will help you better enjoy and appreciate these High Holy Days. We really look forward to seeing you at our High Holy Days celebration!

Happy Holidays and Shanah Tova!

Holidays on the Net

Shavuot (Jewish - began last night at sundown)
Today continues the observation of the Jewish holiday commemorating the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

Also known as the Feast of the Weeks, which celebrates the harvest season in Israel. Shavuot, which means “weeks”, refers to the timing of the festival which is held exactly 7 weeks after Passover.

For more information visit our Shavuot celebration - Shavuot on the Net

Shavuot (Jewish - begins at sundown)
A Jewish holiday commemorating the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

Also known as the Feast of the Weeks, which celebrates the harvest season in Israel. Shavuot, which means “weeks”, refers to the timing of the festival which is held exactly 7 weeks after Passover.

For more information visit our Shavuot celebration - Shavuot on the Net

Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday)!

Holidays on the Net invites you to join us for our celebration of the Jewish festival of Shavuot.

Shavuot is celebrated exactly seven weeks after the second day of Passover, which explains the name of the holiday — it literally means “weeks”. Commemorating the ancient harvest of the first fruits, Shavuot also has important religious significance for the Jewish people: The holidays marks the anniversary of G-d giving the Israelites the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Join us at Holidays on the Net to learn more about the unique religious customs and legends of Shavuot, including the tradition of eating dairy foods. Share the spirit of this early summertime holiday with your children, by making together Shavuot-themed crafts or cooking up a Shavuot feast in your kitchen.

This year, Shavuot will be celebrated from sundown on Sunday, June 8th until sunset on Tuesday, June 10th. In Israel, the holiday will conclude at sunset on June 9th.

We look forward to seeing you this Shavuot at Shavuot on the Net

Happy Holidays,
Holidays on the Net

Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day)
The sun has set on Israel ??s 60th Independence Day celebrations, but my ears are still ringing from the fireworks shows last night ?? and my belly is still stuffed from the barbeques today.

Last night, at 8 p.m. Israel officially said goodbye to Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) and kicked off the start of the 60th Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day) in grand fashion. Every municipality across the country hosted multiple fire works shows ?? in fact, from my rooftop balcony, I was able to catch at least 4 different displays from neighboring towns.

The rest of the night was like one big traveling band: Israel ??s favorite pop artists from today and yesteryear headed out on their annual one-night-only tour. Popular singers like Danny Sanderson and Gidi Gov knocked out 30-minute sets and then quickly moved on to the next city ?? which I guess is one of the advantages of being a super star in a country where 80 percent of the population lives within 2.5 hours or each other.

Today, every single soul in Israel celebrated independence in precisely the same fashion: With a barbeque. Not the most vegetarian-friendly holiday, Yom HaAtzmaut is universally celebrated over a plate of charred skewers. (My barbeque host ironically called today ??The Festival of Beef ? .) While many patriots prefer elbowing with their fellow countrymen for space at one the country ??s national parks, I took the cushier route and accepted an invitation to a cookout in someone ??s backyard.

Earlier in the day, there were parades and more concerts ?? and even a fun local exhibition of the Tank Corps. Soldiers let kids clamor up to the top of their armored vehicles and demonstrated krav magah techniques.

Whether you ??re a die-hard patriot or not, the 60th Yom HaAtzmaut was undoubtedly a moving day ?? filled with the comraderie that comes from being a part of something bigger than yourself. That, and eating too many hotdogs.

Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day)
At 8 o ??clock tonight, a piercing minute-long siren jarred me out of my daydreaming as I washed up the dinner dishes. That siren, like the one last week on Yom HaShoah, is intended to do just that: Jar us. Startle us. Drown out every distraction so that we focus our minds and hearts on the personal pain and national tragedy of Israel ??s fallen soldiers.

The Yom HaZikaron siren reconnects Israel ??s 7 million citizens with the loss of the 22,437 soldiers who have been killed in combat. Since last Yom HaZikaron, 132 more soldiers have been killed.

Regardless of your politics, the reality of loss is at times staggering. I don ??t know a single person here who is untouched by it. Everyone knows someone ?? a friend, a colleague, a parent, a sibling, a child ?? who has been killed or wounded in the army.

In Israel, all 18 year-olds, boys and girls alike, are conscripted into the army. Men serve for three years of active duty ?? and another 20 years of reserve duty. Women serve at least two years. The country has fought seven wars in its 60 years of existence.

This Yom HaZikaron, more than around one and a half million people will visit a military cemetery ?? that ??s one in every seven citizens (an astonishing statistic for me, as an American, who grew up so removed from the fundamental message of Memorial Day.)

Tomorrow at 11 am, the nation will honor another two minutes of silence, after which 40-some memorial ceremonies will take place at each of the nation ??s military cemeteries. Television and radio stations dedicate their programming tonight and tomorrow to remembering the fallen soldiers. Entertainment venues are closed. There is an air of mournful respect for all ?? profound personal loss for many.

At 8 pm tomorrow night, Memorial Day will come to a close and Israel will begin celebrating its 60th Independence Day. This transition ?? from mourning to rejoicing ?? reminds the nation that from death comes life. For 25 hours, Israelis mourn their fallen soldiers. And then they allow themselves to celebrate the gift of national independence.

photo credit: flickr