Results tagged “adasisrael”

Celebrating the Jewish holiday of Shavuot is pretty much the equivalent of a collegiate all-nighter. The religious festival commemorates the delivery of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. One associated tradition includes eating dairy foods—the Jews were just sorting out the complicated kosher meat laws—so bring on the cheesecake! A second tradition is also, naturally, food related. Originally a grain harvest festival, it was customary to offer, or now to eat, the seven species mentioned in the Torah and native to Israel. Included are honey, barley, and grapevines. The whole food pyramid thing hadn’t really been sorted out yet either. Yet a third tradition provides for staying up all night studying Torah.

Wednesday evening marks the start of Yom Kippur, Judaism’s Day of Atonement. Those observing the holiday will begin fasting at sundown before Kol Nidre services, continuing through Thursday evening. It’s common to gather with family or friends for a pre-fast meal, but Downtown workers putting in a full day at the office will have little time to make it home for dinner to fill up before attending services.