Rosh Hashanah Culture/religion: Judaism Date: September 26-27 Rosh Hashanah (“Head of the Year”) is the birthday of the universe and the Jewish New Year. It is both a day of prayer and a day of joy when God is proclaimed King of the Universe. The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar (the ram’s horn) on both days of the holiday and takes … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – September 26-October 2, 2022
Memorial Day Culture/religion: National observance Date: May 30 Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – May 30-June 5, 2022
Vesak Festival Culture/religion: Buddhist Date: May 16 Vesak, also known as Buddha Day, is one of the most important of the Theravada Buddhist festivals, which commemorates three milestones in the life of Gautama Buddha: his birth, his enlightenment and his death. Vesak is recognized on the day of the full moon of the sixth lunar month (May). The observance of … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – May 16-22, 2022
Yom HaShoah Culture/religion: Judaism Date: April 28 Yom Hashoah, known by the full name of Yom Hashoah Ve-Hagevurah (“Day of (Remembrance of) Holocaust and the Heroism”), is a day of commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust. The day is observed on the 27th day in the month of Nisan – a week after the seventh day of Passover. The date of Yom Hashoah was … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – April 25-May 1, 2022
Holy Thursday Culture/religion: Christianity Date: April 14 Holy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter and commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when he established the sacrament of Holy Communion prior to his arrest and crucifixion, as well as his institution of the priesthood. Jesus celebrated the dinner as a Passover feast. The Last Supper was the final … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – April 11-17, 2022