The Rituals &Holidays &Traditions &Customs &Celebrations of Judaism

byZackMortimer

For my final project, I have decided to explore history of the Jewish religion. I myself am Jewish, deeming it a very appropriate and personal topic.

The main purpose of this project will be to educate viewers on the topic of the Jewish religion, specifically discussing the various rituals, celebrations, customs traditions, and holidays that the Jewish people partake in during the year. There is a very long list, so my final project will focus primarily on the ones most known and most celebrated.

The production of my final project will feature an infographic, music, animation, text, and narration.

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In the simplest terms, being Jewish means to practice the Jewish religion. Judaism has been active for over six thousand years, and just like any other race or religion, being Jewish becomes part of your identity.

Of course, not everyone has the same experience with Judaism. Some Jewish people believe in God, some do not; some are Kosher and orthodox, others are not. There is no one way to practice Judaism. The meanings and stories behind Judaism encourage people to lead an honourable life, bond and connect with fellow Jews, feel a strong pride for Israel, and to think in ‘Jewish ways’.

My family does not celebrate every single Jewish holiday, nor do we follow the Kosher and orthodox rules. However, we still consider ourselves part of the Jewish community in our neighborhood.

What does it mean to be Jewish?

theHolidaysChanukah&Passover&Yom Kippur&Rosh Hashana&Purim&Sukkot&Shabbat

The list of Jewish holidays is endless. Not to many peoples’ knowledge, the Jewish calendar is completely different than and not synced with our modern Western one.

Chanukah, Passover, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashana, Purim and Sukkot are the most widely celebrated holidays in the Jewish religion, and are celebrated differently, all with their respective rituals, feasts, fasts, etc.

Some of these holidays happen once every year, and others happen on a weekly basis.

ChanukahThe Festival of Lights&PassoverLiberation from Egypt &Yom KippurDay of Atonement&Rosh HashanaThe New Year&PurimLiberation from Haman&SukkotFestival of Ingathering&ShabbatThe Day of RestEach of these holidays has a completely different reason as to why it is celebrated, whether it be the liberation of Jewish people at a certain point in time, mourning the death and suffering of the Jews in the past, the beginning of a New Year, or simply resting after a long week. For some of these holidays, Jewish people attend synagogue, which is essentially the Jewish equivalent of a Christian Church. Instead of a pastor, the synagogue is run by a rabbi.

JewishCustoms&Celebrations&RitualsBeing Jewish comes with responsibility. There are certain ‘rules’ to follow when it comes to following Jewish customs. Some of these rules are stated in what are called the ten commandments, said to be inscribed by God on two stone tablets and given to the Israelites at the biblical Mount Sinai. These commandments include instructions to worship the one and only God, keep the Sabbath, and discourage murder, blasphemy, theft, and dishonesty among other things. These ten instructions are at the core of the Jewish religion, and are valued quite intensely by some.

Another Jewish custom is to wear a kippa or a yamulka, which is a small round cap that is worn in order to separate you from God. It is worn at all times by orthodox Jews.

Orthodox Jews have many more rules when it comes to practicing Judaism, having to abide by the many orthodox Jewish laws. Some of these rules and laws include wearing a very specific outfit, only driving and using electricity at certain times of the day or week, and eating a kosher diet.

A Kosher diet dictates what you can eat as well as how it is prepared. Some people choose to be Kosher simply because the Torah says so. The primary rule of a Kosher diet forbids eating certain animals, mainly meats, especially if not all of the blood has been drained in a very specific ways. There are many other obscure rules that have to be followed.

JewishCustoms&Celebrations&RitualsPart of being Jewish is to perform an action called a mitzvah, of which there are infinite possibilities. A mitzvah essentially means to do a good deed, which could be to feed the homeless, volunteer your time, help the elderly, anything as long as it’s an honourable act. Being an honourable and humble human being is a big part of the religion.

Similarly, there is also a celebration called a bar or bat mitzvah, which is a celebration of a Jewish man or woman coming of age - becoming an adult. For a man, the bar-mitzvah typically happens at the age of thirteen, and for a woman the bat-mitzvah occurs at the age of twelve. One is allowed to have a bar or bat mitzvah at any time in their lifetime, although this is rarely done over the age of twenty years old. During this celebration, there is a ceremony and a celebration afterwards. During the ceremony, the boy or girl will read a portion of the Torah scroll in Hebrew, which is the language of the Jewish and Israeli people. This portion is read after a thorough learning of Jewish culture and the Hebrew language, and of course the memorization of the portion. Afterwards, a celebration ensues, typically in the prescence of family and friends.

For a male Jew, getting circumcised very soon after birth is a Jewish custom. Circumcision is not done only by the Jewish people, but other religions and races as well.

The reason why Jews circumcise the male genetilia is for the simple reason that it is stated in, not the Torah, but the Bible.

“This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; every man child among you shall be circumcised” (Genesis 17, 10-14)

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