Holidays & Festivals

Shavei Israel communities from different parts of the world shared photos with us of them at services and in mourning for the destruction of the Temples and remembering other tragedies in Jewish history that happened on Tisha B’Av, the annual fast day on the 9th...

The ‘Three Weeks’ on the Jewish calendar, which begin on the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz and end on the 9th of Av, is a period of mourning and introspection commemorating the destruction of the first and second Jewish Temples.  The Bnei Menashe, while...

It is customary to read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot. In that book, Ruth says to Naomi (1:16): “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” On Shavuot...

Lag Ba’omer is a minor holiday that occurs on the 33rd day of the Omer, the 49-day period between Passover and Shavuot. A break from the semi-mourning of the Omer, key aspects of Lag Ba’omer include holding Jewish weddings (it’s the one day during the...

Israel recently marked Holocaust Remembrance Day. As with any Jewish organization, the horrors of the Holocaust are usually not more than a few steps removed from any Jewish people.  We decided to film the testimonies of some people who are near and dear to the greater...

Yom Ha'atzmaut is Israel's national Independence Day commemorating the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. The day is marked by official and unofficial ceremonies and observances throughout Israel and the Jewish world. Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day is always...

Like in previous years, this Passover our communities all over the world enjoyed the holiday. Eating matza and other special foods, gathering for the seder, taking day trips and having family time.  Now Pesach is over – the matzah is finished, the special Passover dishes put...

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Shavei Israel communities all over the world celebrated Purim this week and we know they had a great time because we have the photos to prove it! In particular, we have received many, many photos and videos from some of our beloved 'emerging' communities throughout Latin...

The recent holiday of Tu B'Shevat, which is usually a day of nature and planting, was actually a day of rainy weather this year in Israel, causing many of the usual activities to be postponed or even canceled. Thanks to Odaya, a National Service girl, who...