JEWISH HOLIDAYS continued from page 35

PESACH/Passover

YOM HAZIKARON/Martyrs and Heroes
Memorial Day

Pesach (Nisan 15-22) is a celebration of our peo-
ple's exodus from Egypt. Prior to the festival, we
remove all chametz (leavening) from our homes. We
will eat only unleavened bread called matzo for
eight days.
On the first and second nights of Pesach, we
have a seder, a festive meal at which we recount
the exodus. A number of ritual items are included
on a seder plate.
The first two and last two days of Pesach are
similar to Shabbat in their observance. Generally,
one refrains from work and other weekday activities
and attends services. Yizkor, the memorial prayer
for the dead, is recited on the final day of Passover.
The intermediate days are called chol haMoed,
when no bread or other foods with leavening may
be eaten, but one may go to work and engage in
other weekday activities.

Those who have died for Israel are remembered
at services held on Yom HaZikaron (Iyar 4). This
holiday is observed the day before Israel
Independence Day.

YOM HAATZMAUT / Israel Independence Day

On Yom HaAtzmaut (Iyar 5), we celebrate the
anniversary of May H, 1948, the day Israel was
declared an independent state.
Commemorations may include parades, com-
munity gatherings, festive meals and special
prayer services. Detroit has held a community-
wide "Walk for Israel" some years.

LAG BiONIER/ 33rd Day Of Counting
The Omer

The festival of Lag b'Omer (Iyar 18) occurs during
the omer period, a time of mourning when obser-
vant Jews refrain from weddings, haircuts and
other pleasures.
The omer period recalls a num-
ber of tragedies for the Jewish
people. One is when the stu-
dents of Rabbi Akiva died of a
plague in the second century
C.E.; it is said to have stopped
on this 33rd day of the count-
ing of the omer— the 50 days
of the harvest season between
Passover and Shavuot.
Lag b'Omer is a joyous day
in this solemn period when the
omer restrictions are lifted.
Activities may include picnics
and outings to parks.

YOM HASHOAH/ Holocaust Memorial Day

The State of Israel declared
Yom HaShoah (Nisan 27)
as a day to remember the
victims of the Holocaust.
Many communities
organize memorial
services and say
Kaddish, the memori-
Jr--
al prayer for the
dead. At home, Jews
may light a yellow
yahrtzeit candle, which
burns for 24 hours. The can-
dles are available through
local synagogues and temples
and remind us of the infamous
yellow stars Jews were forced to
wear during the Holocaust.

YOM YERUSHALAYIM/Jerusalem Day
Yom Yerushalayim was established to commemo-
rate the Israeli reunification of Jerusalem during
the Six-Day War of 1967 (Iyar 28).
The morning service begins with the p'sukay
d'zimra, preliminary prayers of Shabbat and holi-
days, and Hallel (joyful psalms) are recited. A fes-
tive meal is held, accompanied with many songs
about or mentioning Jerusalem.

SHAVUOT/ Festival Of Weeks
Shavuot (Sivan 6-7), which celebrates God's reve-
lation of the Torah on Mount Sinai, is a two-day
festival that falls at the end of the omer period.
It is traditional to decorate the synagogue or
temple with flowers for Shavuot. Dairy foods are
traditionally eaten because the Torah is likened
to "milk and honey."
Tikun Leil Shavuot, a night of study, is another
tradition. The object is to stay up all night, or as
late as possible, and study Jewish texts.

'NS IA

/The Ninth Of Av

On Tisha B'Av(Av 9), Jews fast until sundown to
mourn the destruction of the first and second
Temples in Jerusalem.
Tisha B'Av is marked by reading Eicha, the
Book of Lamentations.

FAST DAY OF 1 7 TAMUZ/The 17th of
Tamuz
This minor fast day (Tamuz 17) marks the breach-
ing of the walls of Jerusalem during the period of
the First Temple.

Ruth Bergman, a Jewish educator, wrote this
section, with additions by former JN copy editor
Esther Tschirhart.

JEWISH HISTORIC TIMF,TINE

THE

1982: HOLOCAUST

1

411th,

,

1933: FIRST JEWISH

COMMUNITY
COUNCIL IS
ESTABLISHED.

•

ASSOCIATION FOR
RESIDENTIAL CARE
BEGINS.

. •

1953: FIRST PATIENT

COMMUNITY CENTER
OPENS AT WOODWARD
AND HOLBROOK

1937: JEWISH

= .

ADMITTED TO SINAI
/ HOSPITAL.

i

1942: "THE DETROIT
JEWISH NEWS" GOES
TO PRESS.

1958: HILLEL
DAY SCHOOL
ESTABLISHED.

36 •

SOURCEBOOK 2 0 0 2 • JN

11973:
1CONSTRUCTION
BEGINS ON JCC IN
WEST BLOOMFIELD.

197E: UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN
OFFERS JEWISH
STUDIES PROGRAM.

1940S: SPONSORSHIP OF
HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
IS OFFERED.

page 35

MEMORIAL CENTER
IS STARTED.

19£9: JEWISH

1987: THREE PLANELOADS OF DETROIT
JEWS ATTEND WASHINGTON RALLY TO
FREE SOVIET JEWS.

11988: JEWISH POPULATION

1

REACHES 96,000.

1999: SINAI HOSPITAL
CLOSES, MERGED BY DMC
INTO SINAI-GRACE.

11979: CARL
LEVIN IS
ELECTED U.S.
SENATOR.

12000: JEWISH ACADEMY OF

METROPOLITAN DETROIT,
AN UNAFFILIATED DAY HIGH
SCHOOL, OPENS TO 49
NINTH-AND 10TH-GRADERS.