Jewish holidays, one discovery at a time
Find a story, a word and a small activity to share with your family.
🍎 Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.
🕊️ Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, a time to reflect, ask forgiveness and try to repair hurt we have caused.
🌿 Sukkot
Sukkot is a seven-day harvest festival.
📜 Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah means rejoicing in the Torah.
🕎 Hanukkah
Hanukkah is an eight-day festival remembering the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
🌳 Tu BiShvat
Tu BiShvat is the New Year for Trees on the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shevat.
🎭 Purim
Purim celebrates the rescue of the Jewish people in the story of Esther.
🫓 Passover
Passover, called Pesach in Hebrew, remembers the Israelites leaving slavery in Egypt.
🔥 Lag BaOmer
Lag BaOmer is the thirty-third day of counting the Omer, the period between Passover and Shavuot.
🌾 Shavuot
Shavuot means weeks and arrives after seven weeks of counting the Omer.
🕯️ Shabbat
Shabbat is the weekly Jewish day of rest, beginning on Friday evening and ending after nightfall on Saturday.
Jewish holidays connect stories, seasons and community life. Begin with one object your child can recognize, such as a candle, a fruit or a scroll, and let a question lead the conversation.
This collection welcomes English-speaking families and teachers. Each holiday has a short explanation, calculated dates, a traditional blessing to study and a printable word match. Most holidays have coloring pages to print, each with its own short story.
Jewish communities have many customs. Dates and observances can differ between Israel and abroad, and even within a country. Use these pages as a starting point and bring questions to your family or community.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to know Hebrew?
No. The explanations are in English. Hebrew words and blessings appear with learning support so families can explore them together.
Which calendar do these dates follow?
The dates are calculated from the Hebrew calendar. Holiday pages default to the diaspora tradition and let you choose Israel when dates differ.
Are the activities suitable for use on the holiday itself?
Customs vary. Families who avoid writing, cutting or printing on a holy day can prepare and use these materials beforehand.