Jewish Observances
We celebrate with our Jewish sisters and brothers.
During Hanukkah we celebrate with our Jewish Sisters and Brothers: It’s an eight-day festival of lights commemorating the rededication of the Temple after purifying it from the idolatrous activities that defiled it in the second century BCE. Hanukkah includes special blessings, prayers, songs, and the nightly lighting of the Menorah....
Yom Kippur 2023 begins at sundown on Sunday, September 24th. This is the holiest day of the year for our Jewish brothers and sisters. Yom Kippur ends the 10 days of reflection and repentance (the days of awe) which began with the feast of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year). ...
Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the universe. The Rosh Hashanah actually means Head of the Year. This is one of Judaism’s holiest days and it marks the beginning of a 10-day period of a call to repentance and reconciliation which culminates on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)....
Tisha B’av is an annual fast day in Judaism celebrated on July 17-18, 2021. It is a holy day of remembrance, commemorating the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. Many groups in 2021 are using it to lament U.S. treatment of migrants and refugees....
Passover begins this Thursday evening. During this time of Covid, the celebrations may be different but the prayer of this festival time is more important than ever. We pray with our Jewish brothers and sisters for an end to the slavery and suffering of these days....