Shabbat &
Holidays

Home / Engage / Shabbat &
Holidays

Our communal celebrations of Shabbat and Jewish holidays bring our traditions to life! These Jewish experiences are warm, welcoming, educational, and joyful! All of our JCP Shabbat and holiday experiences are designed for individuals and families of all ages and stages. Learn about Jewish holidays and celebrations below or visit our calendar to join us at our next gathering!

Shabbat & Tot Shabbat

On Friday nights, we gather to unwind and reflect on the week as we greet Shabbat together. Our hour-long services are meaningful, relaxing, and filled with song. Read More

High Holy Days

One of the most sacred times of the year, the High Holy Days include Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. During these holidays, we reflect on the past year, take stock of our lives, and recommit to our values for the year to come. Read More

Sukkot

Sukkot is a week-long festival where we remember the Jewish people’s Exodus from Egypt. During this “Time of Rejoicing,” we live in temporary huts called “Sukkot” — the same types of dwellings our ancestors built as they journeyed through the desert toward freedom. Read More

Simchat Torah

Each week, Jews around the world read a single Torah portion, and we make our way through the entire Torah over the course of a year. On the joyful and festive holiday of Simchat Torah, we complete this annual Torah reading cycle… and begin it again anew! Read More

Hanukkah

Every winter, when the days are short and cold, we celebrate Hanukkah, during which we commemorate the victory of the Maccabees over an oppressive regime that did not allow Jews to practice Judaism. We also celebrate the beauty of light in the darkness by telling the miraculous story of a jug of oil that was supposed to light a menorah (candelabra) for only one night but instead lasted for eight! It is customary to eat oily foods on this holiday, including latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts). Read More

Tu B’Shevat

Once viewed as the end of the fiscal year for agricultural products, Tu B’Shvat (or “the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat”) has taken on different meanings over the centuries. Today, it is often viewed as a day to celebrate the beauty of nature and advocate for environmental justice. On Tu B’Shvat, it is customary to hold a seder, or a ritual meal, during which we consume many types of fruits and nuts.
Read More

Purim

Purim is a holiday of unexpected endings, defied expectations, merriment, and surprise! We read the Book of Esther, give gifts to our friends, donate to charity, and celebrate the ability of the Jewish people to overcome the greatest odds and challenges. Read More

Passover

Passover commemorates the formative Jewish narrative of the Exodus from Egypt and the journey from slavery toward freedom. During Passover, we hold seders, or ritual meals, during which we tell this story and contemplate its meaning in our lives today. We eat matzah, or unleavened bread, for the duration of the week-long festival, since the Torah teaches that the Israelites left Egypt in such a hurry, that they did not have time for their bread to rise. Read More

Yom Hashoah

Each year, we commemorate the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. On this day, we honor their bravery and their legacies, and we ensure that their stories are not forgotten. Read More

Yom Ha’zikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut

These two Israeli holidays, Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day for fallen soldiers) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day), are celebrated over the course of two days. We begin these sacred days somberly by honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of the State of Israel, and then transition to a festive and celebratory mood as we celebrate Israel’s establishment as a Jewish State. Read More

Shavuot

Exactly 50 days after the second Passover seder, we celebrate the holiday of Shavuot, where we commemorate receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. On this holiday, it is customary to study Torah deep into the night and to eat dairy foods to respect the sanctity of this momentous event. Read More

Tisha B’av

Tisha B’Av, or “the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av” is a day of mourning and fasting in the Jewish calendar. On this day, we commemorate the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, as well as other tragedies that have occurred throughout Jewish history. It is tradition to read the biblical book of Lamentations, which outlines the destruction of our sacred city, Jerusalem. Read More