The Major Jewish Holidays

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with a hammer are all tasks not to be done on Shabbat. Rabbis have also prohibited travel, buying and selling, electricity, and the use of the automobile on Shabbat.
Preparing for the Shabbat begins about 2pm on Friday afternoon. People leave work early to go home and prepare for Shabbat. Shabbat officially begins at sunset. Candles are lit and a blessing is recited. The ritual, performed by the women of the house, officially marks the beginning of the Shabbath. Two candles are lit, representing the two commandments zachor and shamor. Now the family attends evening service. The service is very short at about 45 minutes long. After service, everyone goes home for festive dinner. After dinner the birkat ha-mazon is recited. The birkat ha mazon is recited everyday, but on Shabbat it is done with upbeat music.
Shabbat is observed differently by each Jew. Many Jews spend the day deep in prayer at the synagogues. Some use the Shabbat as a day to gather with friends and ...

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of the Jews. After this the Jews celebrated a great victory over an enemy.
Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, which usually falls sometime in March. the Purim holiday is preceded by a minor fast, the Fast of Esther, which commemorates Esther's three days of fasting in preparation for her meeting with the king. Dramatizations of the Purim story are often performed. This is called Purimspiel, and is most often performed by young Jewish children. It is customary to hold carnival like celebrations and hold beauty pageants on Purim. Americans sometimes refer to Purim as a Jewish version of Mardi Gras.
On Purim Jewish people are also required to ...

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