Holidays & Festivals

Observance deepens and strengthens our connection to our heritage, to each other and to Judaism, across the centuries and across the miles. Participatory celebrations are creative, enlightening and engaging for adults and children; we focus on bringing the message of the holidays to life through social justice activities.

S’lichot – S’lichot, a Hebrew word meaning "forgiveness," refers to the special penitential prayers recited by Jews throughout the High Holy Days. Jews recite the S’lichot beginning late at night on the Saturday before Rosh Hashanah and continue each morning on the days between the New Year and Yom Kippur.

At Stephen Wise, we will gather for Havdalah, the ceremony to separate Shabbat from the new week with the sight of a flame, the taste of wine, the smell of spices, the sounds of prayer and music, and the warm touch of family and friends.

Rosh Hashanah – Although Rosh Hashanah is a solemn day, the day on which the books of judgment are opened, it has a joyous aspect, reflected in our prayer that states, "This is the birthday of the world." In celebrating Creation, we are reminded of our role in helping God create a better world.

The standard daily liturgy is expanded to include the themes of the holiday. Avinu Malkenu, "Our Father, our King," signals our desire to repent and be forgiven. Unetanah Tokef, with its symbolism of the shepherd accounting for each sheep and its powerful music, announces the Day of Judgment–"who shall live and who shall die."

The Rosh Hashanah Service is punctuated by the sound of the shofar–it is heard one hundred times during the Ten Days of Awe–and we are commanded to hear it. There are three blasts–tekiah, shevarim, and teru’ah–announced as they are sounded.

The blowing of the shofar is built on three themes of the holiday–Malchuyot (Sovereignty), Zichronot (Remembrance), and Shofarot (Revelation). After the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah morning, we hear the notes that declare. "This is the day of the birth of the world," our affirmation of renewal.

Yom Kippur – Yom Kippur is the "Day of Atonemet" and refers to the annual Jewish observance of fasting, prayer, and repentance. This is considered to be the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. On Yom Kippur many people wear white, the symbolic color of purity.

At Stephen Wise our clergy wear white, and the Torahs are dressed with white covers.

Sukkot – Sukkot, a Hebrew word meaning “booths” or “huts,” refers to the Jewish festival of giving thanks for the Fall harvest as well as the commemoration of the forty years of Jewish wandering in the desert after Sinai.

At Stephen Wise, we observe the festival with a sukkah constructed in our sanctuary and another on our rooftop. We sing Hallel, a compilation of psalms. We gather for a festival meal and all in the community are welcome to join the clergy on the bimah for the shaking of the lulav and etrog.

Atzeret/Simchat Torah – Simchat Torah celebrates the completion of the annual reading of the Torah. It is a joyous festival, in which we affirm out view of the Torah as a tree of life and demonstrate a living example of never–ending, lifelong study. Torah scrolls are taken from the ark and carried or danced around the synagogue seven times. During the Torah service, the concluding section of Deuteronomy is read, and immediately following, the opening section of Genesis, or B'reishit as it is called in Hebrew, is read.

At SWFS, we enhance our Shabbat music with great sounds of joy and we celebrate with an Ice Cream Sundae Oneg following. The morning Service provides an opportunity to acknowledge and consecrate all our new students.

Chanukah – Chanukah, meaning “dedication” in Hebrew refers to the joyous eight-day celebration during which Jews commemorate the victory of the Macabees over the armiesof Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation and “rededication” of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Tu Bish’vat – Tu Bish’vat or “New Year of the Trees” is the Jewish Arbor Day. This holiday is observed on the fifteenth of Sh’vat.

Purim – Purim is celebrated by reading from the Scroll of Esther, which relates the basic story of Purim. It celebrates Queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai who saved the Persian Jews from destruction by Haman. The reading is typically a rowdy affair, which is punctuated by booing and noisemaking when Haman’s name is read aloud.

Pesach/Passover – Pesach, or Passover as it is known in English, commemorates the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The ritual observance of this holiday centers around a special home service called the seder and a festive meal; the prohibition of chametz (leaven); and the eating of the matzah (unleavened bread). In the course of the festival, the story of the Exodus is read.

SWFS Women’s Seder – An inspirational evening shared with mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, & friends celebrating the rich Biblical tradition of strong, proactive women.

Yom Hashoah – Yom Hashoah is known as Holocaust Remembrance Day and occurs on the 27th of Nissan.  “Shoah,” which means catastrophe or utter destruction is Hebrew, refers to the atrocities that were committed against the Jewish people in World War II. This is a memorial day for those who died in Shoah.

Yom Ha’atzma–ut – Yom Ha’atzma-ut, Israel Independence Day, marks the establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948. The common tradition of many Israelis on this day is to meet for a “Mangal” or barbeque.

Lag Ba’omer – Lag Ba’Omer is celebrated to commemorate the day a plague ended in which thousands of student of Rabbi Akiba, a Talmudic scholar died during the Counting of the Omer. The period of counting is traditionally observed as a period of mourning. The mourning, however, is set aside on Lag Ba’Omer, making it a special day of joy and festivity.

Shavuot – Shavuot dates from biblical times and helps to explain the holiday’s name, “Weeks.” The Torah tells us it took precisely forty-nine days for our ancestors to travel from Egypt to the foot of Mount Sinai where they were to receive the Torah. Special customs on Shavuot are reading from the Book of Ruth, which reminds us that we too can find an continual source of blessing in our tradition.

Tishah B’av – Tishah B'Av, which means the "Ninth of Av," refers to a traditional day of mourning the destruction of both ancient Temples in Jerusalem. In contrast to Orthodoxy, Reform Judaism has never assigned a central religious role to the ancient Temple. Therefore, mourning the destruction of the Temple in such an elaborate fashion did not seem meaningful. More recently, in Reform Judaism Tishah B'Av has been transformed into a day to remember many Jewish tragedies that have occurred throughout history.