Holidays at ATC
ATC gathers for worship on holidays and special times of the Jewish year, including Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, and Yizkor. Music is a vital part of all our religious services, and members experience worship in a joyful, spiritual way.
SIMCHAT TORAH is the "rewinding" of the Torah. It occurs a week after Sukkot. It's the day Jews finish the annual reading of the Torah and go back to the beginning. Since the Torah is written on a scroll, rather than in a book with pages, it must be rewound. It's a truly joyous day of dancing with the Torah.
CHANUKAH, the festival of lights, celebrates a miracle in the rededication
of the Temple in Jerusalem. It starts on the 25th day of Kislev (late November to late December). Though the holiday is traditionally celebrated at home, there are also celebrations at our synagogue,
such as Chanukah family service.
PURIM is an early spring holiday that occurs on the 14th of Adar and celebrates the events described in the Book of Esther. Queen Esther saved the Jews of Persia from a plot to destroy them by the king's minister, Haman. Children love to drown out the evil Haman's name with their groggers and to eat hamantaschen, cookies shaped like his hat. ATC celebrates the holiday in a traditional way, giving everyone the chance to dress up in a costume and celebrate.
PASSOVER starts on the 15th of Nisan (in March or April). It celebrates God's redemption of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt as described in the book of Exodus. Occurring in the spring, it also celebrates the rebirth of life in that season. The seder (the ceremony and dinner) is traditionally celebrated in the home. ATC offers a special Passover seder for congregants. Also offered is our popular Passover Jazz Brunch.
SHAVUOT is the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to Moses, occurring on the 6th and 7th days of Sivan. It is the birthday of the covenant between God and the Jewish people and it highlights the importance of Torah in Jewish life. Shavuot, which translates to seven weeks, is celebrated on the 50th day after Passover.
Yizkor is a mourning service for those who have lost a member of their immediate family. It occurs four times a year: on Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret (the eighth day of gathering, which is part of Sukkot), the eighth day of Passover, and on the second day of Shavuot.
Sat, December 21 2024
20 Kislev 5785
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