SABBATH
The Sabbath is the Jewish Holy day. It is a central part of the Jewish family and Jewish life. Family and friends gather together for meals, prayer and relaxation. It lasts from sunset on Friday to nightfall on Saturday. It is a reminder that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. The Sabbath is a day of rest for the Jews and no work is done on this day.

It begins at home with the lighting of candles and a family meal. Many Jews visit the synagogue during the Sabbath.

ROSH HASHANAH
Jewish New Year is celebrated in September or October with the festival of Rosh Hashanah. It commemorates the anniversary of the creation of mankind. It is believed that God passes judgement and decides the fate of all mankind during the two days of Rosh Hashanah. Worshippers pray for God’s mercy, forgiveness and hope to be spared. They also pray for a year good in terms of health, happiness, peace & prosperity

YOM KIPPUR
Yom Kippur is believed to be the day when God forgave the Jewish people. It happens ten days after Rosh Hashanah. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement during which Jewish people undertake fast, pray and atone for their sins, asking God for forgiveness for wrong doings. It is believed that on Yom Kippur Day one can avert severe decrees, already inscribed by God on Rosh Hashanah, through repentance, prayer and charity.

CHANUKAH/HANUKKAR
This is a festival of lights. It is held in late November or December. The story of this festival goes like this. The Greeks, as and act of revenge against the Jews destroyed all the pure oil used toJews to light the menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum) but the Jews found enough pure oil to kindle the menorah for one day. (It took seven days to create pure oil). It was here that the miracle occurred. The menorah burned for eight days, allowing them to prepare more pure oil.

Now a days, candles are lit for eight days, one for each day of the miracle and prayers are said.

PESACH -Passover
Pesach is the most important festival in the lives of the Jews. It lasts for eight days during late March or early April. On this day the Jews celebrate the escape of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. The first evening of Passover is marked by a ceremony called Seder.

Pesach is a most special time in Jewish homes, when families & friends gather together for Seder meals. During the meal the Passover story is read from a book called Haggadah. It is called Passover because on this day the Jewish children were saved from being killed by God who was punishing the Egyptians for not releasing the Jews. Their doors were marked in Lamb’s blood and so were "passed over" i.e. The Almighty literally "passed over" Jewish homes, sparing Jewish children.

Passover food is a special meal, which has items having special meanings for the Jewish people. Bitterherbs, for e.g., are a reminder of the misery of slavery, and eggs symbolize a new life. Thus it holds an important place among all Jew festivals.