DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Bad Manners and Brimstone
HTML https://badmanners.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Holidays
*****************************************************
#Post#: 57607--------------------------------------------------
Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Hanna Date: September 19, 2020, 10:17 am
---------------------------------------------------------
DH and I are Roman Catholics who recently moved to a
predominantly Jewish neighborhood. We’ve gotten the warmest
welcome I can imagine. They brought gifts, offered help, threw a
party and more.
I’m hoping our Jewish forum members could give us advice on
being good neighbors during the holidays. What to acknowledge,
good ways to greet people during each holy day or period, etc.
#Post#: 57611--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Winterlight Date: September 19, 2020, 12:36 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Right now we're in the Days of Awe (also referred to as High
Holy Days.) This is a ten day period which concludes with Yom
Kippur, during which we reflect and repent on the year that has
passed and look forward to the year to come. Today is the first
day of Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, 5781 BCE (note, Jews do not
use BC or AD in their calendars.)
The proper greeting for Rosh Hashanah is "L'shanah tovah," which
means "To a good year," and is short for "L’shanah tovah tikatev
v’taihatem." ("May you be inscribed and sealed for a good
year.") Rosh Hashanah ends on Sunday night. It is a two-day
holiday, and a lot of observant Jews take both days off (I did
this year.)
Yom Kippur begins next Sunday evening and runs through Monday
night. The proper greeting is either "Have an easy fast," or
"Good Yom Tov." Do not say "Happy Yom Kippur," because it's not
a festive holiday but a serious day of contemplation (though
most won't take it amiss.)
The Days of Awe are the one of the two big holiday seasons for
us, the other is Passover in the spring. Chanukkah is actually a
minor holiday for us. It gets more play now because 1. Christmas
overwhelms the winter season and it's hard on kids and 2.
Everyone loves latkes and sufganiyah (jelly doughnuts.) ;D
#Post#: 57622--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Buffalogal Date: September 19, 2020, 6:35 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I'm not Jewish myself, but when a Jewish person dies, the proper
thing to say to those who loved them, or in general, is "May his
(or her or their) memory be (or be for) a blessing."
I've been reminded of this watching my fellow Christian friends
respond to Justice Ginsberg's death with "may she rest in peace"
which is not quite correct.
#Post#: 57624--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Songbird Date: September 19, 2020, 8:13 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
And don’t send cut flowers to a house of mourning. Send food
(make sure it’s kosher if the family keeps kosher at home), or
make a donation to charity.
For a happy occasion, like a birth, wedding, or bar mitzvah, you
say “mazel tov” or “congratulations”.
If giving a monetary gift, multiples of 18 are considered to be
good luck.
#Post#: 57628--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Hanna Date: September 19, 2020, 11:36 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Thank you dear people
#Post#: 57639--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Nikko-chan Date: September 20, 2020, 5:26 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Not Jewish, best friend is though. And I have been dragged to
enough holidays and what not to know a bit.
First: If you get invited to a Passover Seder, or find a Mock
Seder in your area? Please go! All of the ones i have been to
were great. Dress conservatively and you'll be fine. Passover
Seder takes hours, all of the readings and what not but it is a
really great thing to go to.
Second: There are lots of different greetings for different
holidays and occasions. Both in English and in Hebrew. My advice
is to learn them. Even a quick google five minutes before to get
the pronounciation down is good.
#Post#: 57645--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Winterlight Date: September 20, 2020, 10:44 am
---------------------------------------------------------
If you want to bring a hostess gift, I'd err on the side of
bringing something kosher. If there's a kosher grocery or candy
store near you, check them out first. I went to the candy store
for a gift for people who were sitting shiva (Jewish mourning
time) and the owner recommended I get dried fruit instead
because a lot of other people were likely to be bringing sweets.
Speaking of shiva, here's a page that explains what to expect
should you find yourself paying a shiva call.
HTML https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3756185/jewish/What-to-Expect-at-a-Shiva-Home.htm
#Post#: 57656--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Songbird Date: September 20, 2020, 2:09 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Another suggestion.
When we sat shiva for my father (of blessed memory) we had more
food than we knew what to do with. My friend’s father passed
away last week, and he told us that they also had “too much
food” (especially since no one could pay a shiva call because if
the virus). So we gave a gift card to the local deli, they can
use it later, when all of the food others sent is long gone.
#Post#: 57658--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Songbird Date: September 20, 2020, 2:11 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
And undoubtedly you will be invited to a life cycle event at the
synagogue. Please feel free to ask about a specific event.
#Post#: 57659--------------------------------------------------
Re: Jewish holidays primer for non-Jewish people.
By: Buffalogal Date: September 20, 2020, 2:25 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
It also should go without saying, but Judaism is not a monolith.
Like Christian denominations, different branches of Judaism
practice their faith in different ways. So it is important to
know if the event you are attending (or the people you are
interacting with) are Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Hasadim or
another branch. What is acceptable and expected will be
different depending on where in the spectrum of Judaism they
are.
*****************************************************
DIR Next Page