The Jewish people are blessed with holidays. For thousands of years, Jews all over the world have observed festivals that commemorate historical events, celebrate nature and the harvest, and inspire spiritual renewal. In Jewish households, the holidays represent the thread that binds together and unites all Jewish people.

Rich with spiritual, cultural, and social commentary, The Jewish Year serves as a comprehensive guide to all these observances, both traditional celebrations as well as holidays that have been created in the twentieth century. Included are: the Sabbath, the weekly day of rest; Rosh Chodesh, the monthly festival of the new moon; and yearly holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Chanukah, Purim, and Lag B'Omer. Background information, the basic hallmarks of observance, and an explanation of the customs associated with each holiday are accompanied by more than thirty-five literary excerpts, including folktales retold by the author, and contemporary fiction by such prominent writers as Isaac Bashevis Singer and Elie Wiesel.

Illustrated with color reproductions of ritual objects, illuminated manuscripts, paintings, folk art, and sculpture, The Jewish Year will become an essential addition to the Jewish family library.