Shabbat (The Sabbath)
 This is celebrated on the seventh day of the week.  It is a day of rest and worship.  It was given to commemorate the Creation and to confirm G-d’s special relationship with His Chosen People.  It is very important to observe Shabbat, more so than any of the holidays, as it is G-d’s fourth commandment “Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for G-d”.
Scriptural references:  Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11, 31:14-15; Leviticus 23:3; Isaiah 56:6-7; Hebrews 4:9-10

Rosh HaShanah/Yom Teruah (The Festival of Shofars/Day of Shouting) 1st of Tishrei
 This is the beginning of the High Holy Days, the holiest time of the year, celebrated with blasts of the shofar (a trumpet made from a ram’s horn).  The shofar was used to call the people to solemn assembly, announce the arrival of a king, as a warning of imminent danger, or other events of importance.
Yom Teruah basically means a day of noise/blasts.  Yom Teruah is known as the Feast of Trumpets in Christianity and is better known as Rosh HaShanah (the new year) in modern Judaism.  But Yom Teruah isn’t really the “Jewish New Year”.  In fact, it falls on the first day of Etanim (also known traditionally as Tishri), which is the seventh month in G-d’s calendar.  The real “new year” is in Aviv (also known traditionally as Nisan) when Pesach (Passover) occurs.
 Yom Teruah begins a ten-day period leading up to the holiest day of G-d’s calendar, Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement.  These ten days are known as the Yomim Noraim or Days of Awe in modern Judaism.  In fact, modern Judaism also includes the preceding month of Elul also as a time to prepare for the upcoming Fall moedim (appointed times).  The sounding of the shofar on Yom Teruah is a wake-up blast – a reminder that the time is near for the Day of Atonement.  It is a time to teshuvah (repent, turn back to G-d).  Traditionally, these ten days are ones of heart searching and self-examination – the shofar warns us that we need to examine our lives and make amends with all those we have wronged during the year, and to ask forgiveness for any vows we may have broken.  So, a main theme of the High Holy Days is repentance.
Scriptural references:  Leviticus 23:23-25; Numbers 10:9-10, 29:1; Nehemiah 8:1-12

Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) 10th of Tishrei
 This is most solemn day of the Biblical calendar.  This was the one time when the Cohen Hagadol (High Priest) would enter the Holy of Holies, at first in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple, to approach the L-rd.  The Cohen Hagadol would go through a series of sacrifices to atone for his own sins and the sins of the Israelites.  Then the Cohen Hagadol would place his hands upon the head of a goat known as Azazel (scapegoat).  The sins of the people would then symbolically be placed on the goat, and the goat was sent out into the desert, never to return. The Cohen Hagadol was then able to enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood on the Ark of the Covenant.  Since it was uncertain whether he would live or die upon entering the Holy of Holies, a rope was tied around his ankle so he could be pulled out upon the event of his death.  If he lived, he would go outside, raise his hands and recite the Aaronic Benediction (Numbers 6:24-26).
 Since the blood sacrifices could not truly or permanently provide atonement for sins, G-d gave the ultimate sacrifice of His Son, Yeshua.  Like Azazel, Yeshua was innocent, yet died for everybody’s sins.  After the destruction of the second Temple in 70A.D., the people didn’t have a place to sacrifice, a Holy of Holies, or a Cohen Hagadol.  So, prayer, fasting, and repenting were used instead.  This is a great day to reflect on the sacrifice Yeshua made for our sins and allowing our names to be written in the Book of Life.
Scriptural references:  Leviticus 16:29-34, 23:26-32; Hebrews 9:11-14, 22-24, 10:1-25

Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles/Booths) 15th–21st of Tishrei
 This holiday is used for remembrance of how the Israelites lived in tents following the exodus from Egypt.  The people leave the comfort of their homes to live in three-sided booths with leafy roofs for seven days.  This is a time of rejoicing G-d’s provision for His people with the final harvest of the year. Families begin building their own sukkah immediately after Yom Kippur in their yards, balconies, etc. and spend as much time as possible in there.  For Sanctuary B’nai Ohr, this is a great time for families to gather at a camp site, set up tents, and have fellowship and music as we rejoice in the L-rd.
Scriptural references:  Leviticus 23:33-44; Deuteronomy 16:13-15; Zechariah 14:16-19; John 7:2-52

Chanukkah (The Festival of Dedication/Lights) 25th of Kislev–2nd of Tevet
 Chanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees, a small band of Jewish fighters, over the Syrian Greeks who occupied the land of Israel, and G-d’s faithfulness and deliverance during the period from 168 to 165 B.C.  The area of Judea came under the control of Antiochus IV after Alexander the Great had conquered the entire ancient world of the Eastern Mediterranean 150 years previous.  During the year 167 B.C., under the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (god manifest), the Syrian Greeks sought to impose their Hellenistic culture, even going so far as to defile the Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar, banning Jewish practice, and erecting a statue of Zeus in the Holy of Holies!  This was the first “abomination of desolation”, as predicted by the prophet Daniel (11:31-32).
 Finally the Maccabees revolted and, against all odds, led a three-year guerrilla war and drove out the Greeks in 165 B.C., re-entering the city and the Temple.
 After their victory, the Maccabees rededicated Temple, but there was only enough oil to be burned in the menorah to last one day.  It would take eight days to acquire more.  They lit the menorah anyway, which, miraculously burned for eight days!  Thus the Festival of Dedication celebrated the Maccabees victory over the Syrian Greeks and the rededication of the Temple.
 Chanukkah is celebrated using a nine-branched candelabra, or menorah, eight recalling the eight-day miracle, the ninth representing the shamash (servant) candle used to light the others.  Each evening during the holiday, an additional candle is lit and is often accompanied by the exchanging of gifts.
Scriptural references:  Daniel 8:22-25. 11:20-45; John 10:22-23

Purim (Lots) 14th–15th of Adar
 The story of Purim is told in the book of Esther.  Haman (booo!), the conniving prime minister, schemes a plot to destroy the Jewish people living in the Persian Empire.  Through the courage of the Jewish Queen, Esther (Yayyy!), but mostly the cleverness of her cousin, Mordechai (Yayyy!), the plot never comes to fruition and the Jewish people are spared destruction.
 It is interesting that G-d is not mentioned in this book, but His hand can be seen in the many miraculous twists throughout the story.  It just illustrates how G-d often works behind the scenes.
 A two-day holiday commemorates this event with the reading of the book of Esther during service and cheering whenever Esther or Mordechai’s names are mentioned, and booing any time Haman’s name is mentioned.  Noisemakers are also used during the reading.  Congregants are encouraged to dress in costume as Mordechai, Esther, or if you just have to be that person, Haman.  There are games for the kids to play and prizes as well.
Special foods are shared, especially hamantaschen, a triangular-shaped pastry representing Haman’s hat.
 A festive meal, packages of food and other small treats offered to friends and family (mishloach manot), and gifts to the poor (matanot la'evyonim) as cited in Esther 9:22 remain key components of traditional celebrations.
Scriptural references:  Esther 9:20-22

Pesach (Passover) 14th of Nisan
 The first of seven biblically-mandated feasts, Pesach celebrates G-d’s rescue of His people Israel from the tenth plague in Egypt, the killing of the firstborn.  Each family of Israel was instructed to smear the blood of an unblemished male lamb or goat onto the doorpost of their home.  The angel of death would then “pass over” their home, sparing them from the carnage.  This plague was so horrible that Pharaoh finally yielded and let the Israelites leave Egypt.  Pesach has been observed on the 14th of Nisan for thousands of years. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D., Pesach transformed from a communal festival, to one observed at home.  The ceremony, known as a seder (order), is presided over by the head of the household.  The home seder as we know it today was meant to be a retelling of the Exodus story in response to questions posed by children.  The wording of the questions changed over time until they became what are now known as the “Mah nishtanah” (what is different?).  Symbolic foods are eaten, reminding the family of the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt and of their miraculous deliverance.
Here at Sanctuary B’nai Ohr, we have a public Pesach Seder, as the congregation is one big family.  We read from a book called the Haggadah (from the Hebrew root “to tell”), which contains the liturgy and serves as a seder guidebook.  Music is played at certain times during the seder and everyone enjoys each other’s company while eating the delicious food.
 Yeshua was celebrating Pesach with his disciples on the night of his last supper, a Pesach seder.  It is amazing, that the final redemption promised by G-d to His people Israel, was to be accomplished when He would offer the Perfect One as the ultimate sacrifice – Yeshua HaMashiach, the Passover Lamb.
 Hag ha-Aviv, or Spring Festival, is another name for the festival of Pesach.
Scriptural references:  Exodus 12:1-14; Leviticus 23:5; Deuteronomy 16:1-8; Luke 22:1; Hebrews 11:28

Hag HaMatzot (The Feast of Unleavened Bread) 15th–21st of Nisan
 The Feast of Unleavened Bread serves as a reminder of when the Israelites were finally freed from Egypt, they had to flee in such haste that there was no time to let the bread rise.  Instead, they left with unleavened bread.
 This Feast was celebrated in New Testament times as well.  It was most likely the unleavened bread of this Feast that Yeshua broke with his disciples at His last seder, telling them that it was His body, and that they should continue to share it in remembrance of Him.
 The matzah (unleavened bread) used during this feast is pierced and has stripes, reminiscent of Yeshua’s suffering. Hametz (leaven), symbolic of sin in Scripture, is removed from every crevice of the home.  This symbolizes purification from sin, which was accomplished by Yeshua’s crucification.
 During Pesach and Hag HaMatzot, only matzah can be consumed, no leavened bread.
Scriptural references:  Exodus 12:15-20, 39; Leviticus 23:6-8; Deuteronomy 16:3; Luke 22:7; Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Yom HaBikkurim (The Feast of Firstfruits) 16th of Nisan
 The Feast of Firstfruits was a celebration of the spring barley harvest.  The Israelites were required to bring the first sheaf of the harvest (the first fruits), beginning in the month of Nisan, to the Temple as a wave offering.
 Yeshua was resurrected on this day, the “Firstfruits” of the resurrection.  The counting of the Omer (Sheaves) begins on this day and ends fifty days later on Shavuot (Pentecost).
 Just as it says in 1 Corinthians 15:20, Yeshua’s resurrection on the Feast of Firstfruits promises future resurrections.
Scriptural references:  Leviticus 23:9-14; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

Shavuot (Festival of Weeks or Pentecost) 6th–7h of Sivan
 The Israelites were to present an offering of new grain in the Temple exactly seven weeks and one day after Yom HaBikkurim.  The Hebrew word Shavuot means weeks, just as the Greek word Pentecost means fifty.  This concludes the fifty-day Counting of the Omer, the period from the harvesting of barley to the harvesting of wheat (the "first fruits" of the wheat harvest), the last of the grain to ripen, on Shavuot.  It was probably the most difficult of the pilgrim festivals as it fell in the middle of the growing season.
 Shavuot commemorates the divine gift of Torah received at Mount Sinai by Moses.  So it can be said that this is the "birthday of the Torah"!
 A very well known event took place on this date as well in the New Testament.  The Spirit of G-d fell upon the first followers of Yeshua with them speaking in tongues of fire and other languages.  This event more than likely established the Church, the Body of Messiah.
 The holiday is celebrated with the reading of the account of the reception of the Torah (Exodus 19-20), the Book of Ruth (a book about harvest and redemption), and ending with the genealogy of King David who, according to tradition, was born and died on Shavuot.
 Sadly, no major festival suffers greater neglect than Shavuot.  This was a day that freedom from slavery was recast into fidelity to law and literacy.  The Torah was born!  The spirit of G-d fell upon Yeshua’s first followers!  Yet it flies under the radar of most synagogues and churches alike.
Scriptural references:  Leviticus 23:16-21; Exodus 23:16; Acts 2