New to Judaism

Jewish Holiday Basics

Fall:

• Rosh HaShanah - Jewish New Year
• Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement
• Sukkot - Harvest Celebration

Winter:

• Hanukkah - Festival of Lights, celebrated with eating fried foods and lighting candles on a hanukkiah menorah
• Tu B'Shevat - Birthday of Trees

Spring:

• Purim - Retelling of the Megillah (the story of Esther), celebrated with costumes, theater, and fun.
• Passover - Retelling of the Exodus story with special foods such as matzah, songs, and traditions at seder dinners.

Summer:

• Tisha B'Av - a day of mourning and fasting for some observers, this day commemorates various tragedies such as the destruction of two temples.

WHAT TO WEAR

Sometimes people ask "what should I wear?" when they are new to coming to a synagogue. In general on the West Coast people are much less likely to wear a suit to services and women do wear slacks. There is no formal dress code but people tend to avoid t-shirts and jeans. When people attend our events specifically aimed at families with young children their attire leans towards the more casual side of the spectrum. If you have an honor on the bimah it is considered respectful to have your shoulders fully covered.

For High Holy Day services such as Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, most people choose to "dress up" in clothing that they feel is nicer for these special festive services. This may mean a suit or nice slacks with formal shirt, or a formal dress with nice shoes. White is the traditional color for the holy days and on Yom Kippur it is traditional to avoid wearing leather. 

Helpful Resources

We encourage those interested in learning more about Judaism to consider taking our Intro to Judaism year-long course which is offered periodically and taught collaboratively with clergy from Bay Area synagogues.