Traditional gifts for
Rosh HaShanah, Hanukkah, Purim and Passover
The Jewish Holidays on which gifts are customarily given and their occurrence in the year 2005 followed by traditional Jewish gift suggestions.
Please see Gifts appropriate for all Jewish Holidays for a larger list of general holiday gifts.
Rosh HaShanah (New Year)
This holiday heralds in the New Year and is the initial event of the Jewish High Holidays (Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot). It is celebrated on the first and second days of the Jewish month of Tishrei and occurs sometime between mid-September and early October of the common calendar.
In 2005 Rosh Hashanah begins on the evening of October 3rd and lasts till the evening of October 5th.
A successful Rosh Hashanah gift, full of Jewish significance, is a decorative honey container, as honey and sweet foods are eaten at the beginning of the holiday evening meal to express hope for a sweet (good) New Year.
At Rosh Hashanah children traditionally receive new clothes. Check Eny's Baby Bibs.
Hanukkah (Feast of Lights)
Chanukah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over their enemies, the following consecration of the new altar in the Temple, and the miracle by which the minimal amount of pure oil for light in the Temple miraculously lasted for eight days.
The holiday lasts eight days, during which candles are lit, and special donuts are eaten. It occurs sometime in December.
In 2005 Hanukkah begins on the evening of December 25th and lasts till the evening of January 2nd 2006.
Traditional Hanukkah gifts for kids are Dreidels (special four-sided top for luck games). It is also customary to give money, in coin but not paper money, to enable dreidel playing, or chocolate coins.
Purim (Festival of Lots)
The carnival festival celebrates the deliverance of Jews in ancient Persia as recorded in the Book of Esther in the Bible. The holiday is marked by presents of sweet foods to friends and gifts to the poor, by dressing up and masquerading, and by general (and alcoholic!) merrymaking. The holiday occurs sometime during February or March.
In 2005 Purim begins on the evening of March 24th and lasts till the evening of March 25th.
A traditional Purim gift for children is a Grogger - to make noise in the synagogue at specific points during the reading of the Megillat Esther scroll.
Passover (Pesach)
Pesah celebrates the deliverance from bondage and hasty Exodus from Egypt, as well as the beginning of the wheat harvest. It occurs sometime between the end of March and the end of April. The holidays lasts eight days. It is marked by the eating of matzos, bread which had no time to leaven and rise due to the hasty departure.
The first day begins with a special festive evening meal called Seder at which the story of the holiday is read from the Haggadah.
In 2005 Pesach begins on the evening of April 23rd and lasts till the evening of April 30th.
Traditional Passover gifts for children are new clothes with pockets and nuts, to put into the pockets.
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