Jewish Holidays and Occasions

Jewish Holidays

 

Celebrate the Jewish Holidays with a Gift of Judaica

The Jewish holidays are a wonderful time for friends and family to come together for meals and other celebrations. Whether you follow the traditional seder rituals, eat in a hand built sukkah, or gather around the hanukkiah (hanukkah menorah) with the kids, the Jewish holidays are as special as you choose to make them. 

 

If you do value Jewish tradition, Judaica products like pesach plates, hanukkah menorahs, dreidels, a megillah for Purim, an etrog box, or a Rosh HaShanah honey pot can make a holiday meal especially memorable. If you’re visiting friends or family for the Jewish holidays, a gift of handmade Judaica from Jerusalem is a wonderful gesture!

What are the 7 Jewish Holidays?

 

The 7 most popular Jewish holidays are – as with most things Jewish – a matter of debate. Pretty much everyone observes Passover (Pesach) and most families also get together for a Rosh HaShanah (Jewish New Year) or Shavuot meal. If you’ve got kids, Hanukkah, Purim and Sukkot are almost always a big deal. Children aren’t supposed to be spoiled in Jewish culture – but the holidays have their own magic and are a chance to really indulge your kids. Finally, Yom Kippur is a hugely important day in the Jewish calendar, but isn’t really a holiday. 

 

The Jewish holidays follow the traditional lunar calendar and fall on different days every year. Generally speaking, Purim and Pesach are spring holidays and Shavuot is an early summer holiday. Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot come in the autumn and Hanukkah is a welcome winter break. Some years – like 2022 – can see a group of holidays falling together. 

What are the most Important Jewish Holidays?

There are no hard and fast rules about what are the most important Jewish holidays. Religious communities may attach a greater importance to some holidays than secular people, and families with small children often focus on the fun holidays. Most people will agree that the two most important holidays are Passover/Pesach and Rosh HaShanah/Jewish New Year. Almost every culture in the world places an important emphasis on celebrating the New Year and Jews are no exception. Rosh HaShanah is a great time for gourmets as the holiday meals are built around harvest products and the bounty of nature. 

 

Pesach meals are also a gastronomical adventure and a traditional Passover seder that follows all the ancient rituals can be a real experience. One of the most popular Passover gifts, and best selling items of Judaica, are special Pesach Plates that are designed to hold the ritual Passover dishes. Shavuot is also a big favorite with cooks and foodies. There’s a big emphasis on dairy products, including cheesecakes and their Middle Eastern equivalents. 

 

Kids enjoy all the Jewish holidays, but particularly love Hanukkah. Gathering around the hanukkiah to light the candles is a great way to bring friends and family together on a cold winter evening. Kids love the traditional Hanukkah treats like sufganiyot and every new generation discovers the simple delight of spinning the dreidel. Purim is the other big event on the calendar for Children. Fancy dress parties, fireworks and sweet pastry haman’s ears make for an exciting couple of days. 

What Gifts do we Give on Jewish Holidays?

 

There are no special rules about what gifts to give on jewish holidays. It’s traditional to give gifts of food on Purim (to make sure that everybody can join the party) otherwise you’re free to choose. The best gifts for the Jewish holidays are almost always handmade Judaica from Jerusalem. You can opt for traditional Jewish silverware, or ultra-modern interpretations of ancient Jewish traditions. Whether you choose 925 sterling silver or anodized aluminum, the craftsmanship and attention to detail are superb!

 

Hanukkah Gifts

Hanukkah gifts include handmade hanukkiah (menorahs) and dreidels. Even if you only use a Hanukkah menorah once a year, it’s still a beautiful ornament. Dreidels have been traditional toys for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years and are perhaps the quintessential hanukkah gifts.

Passover Gifts

One of our most popular Passover gifts is the Pesach plate. Each handmade plate comes with small bowls for the traditional Passover foods that accompany each stage of the Seder ritual. Other best selling Passover gifts are challah boards and knives, embroidered challah covers, kiddush cups and silver candlesticks.

Rosh Hashanah Gifts

Rosh Hashanah is all about food and one of the best Rosh Hashanah gifts is a handmade honey pot. Israeli honey is famous for its unique flavors and subtle wildflower tastes. A silver or anodized honey pot is an excellent Rosh Hashanah gift that you can actually use all year round. Even if you’re not serving honey, they are also excellent sugar bowls. 

Sukkot Gifts

We don’t sell flat pack sukkah kits – at least not yet! If you’re looking for Sukkot gifts, try a handmade silver etrog box or even a lulav (palm frond) case. If you have a young family or grandkids, an etrog box is a wonderful Sukkot gift. Many people wrongly assume that they are collectors pieces. In fact, they’re a great introduction to Jewish tradition for kids. 

 

You can shop our entire range of Hanukkah gifts, Passover gifts, Rosh Hashanah gifts and 

Sukkot gifts online. Every item of Judaica is handmade in our Jerusalem workshops and can also be personalized. Although we’ve focused on the four main holidays, you’ll also find plenty of great Judaica gifts for Yom Kippur, Purim and Shavuot. 

 

The Jewish holidays are a special time for families and ‘holiday gifts’ are amazing wedding presents. If you’re planning to marry – or your kids or grandkids are getting married – a Nadav Art Wedding Registry can help you to start your lifelong collection of Jewish holiday Judaica!