The day is marked by state ceremonies, memorial services for soldiers who died in the battle for Jerusalem and parades through downtown Jerusalem.

(By Wikipedia)

The poster on the left is of Rabbi Shlomo Goren blowing a Shofar (ram's horn) and holding a Torah scroll at the liberation of the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem, 1967. The Western Wall was recaptured by the Israeli Paratroop Brigade during the Six Day War, and Rabbi Goren was on hand to blow the shofar while holding a Torah scroll in his left arm.

This photograph was taken by David Rubinger, the famed photographer of Israel.

Rabbi Shlomo Goren was born in Poland, and emigrated to Israel as a child. He became the Chief Rabbi of the IDF in 1948, a position he held until his retirement in 1972. Upon retiring from the army, Rabbi Goren became the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel.

The poster on the right depicts Moshe Dayan, Yitzhak Rabin, and Uzi Narkiss in the Old City of Jerusalem, with the Lion's Gate (Sha'ar Ha'arayot) behind them. In 1967, the Old City of Jerusalem was recaptured from the Jordanian Legion during the Six Day War. No Jews had been allowed into the city to pray at the Kotel (Western wall) since 1948, when the Israelis lost the Old City in battle. When Jerusalem was recaptured, Dayan - then Minister of Defense, Rabin - Chief of Staff, and Narkiss came to the Old City to pray by the Kotel (Western wall). This photograph shows them as they walk in the gate, with the verse "When our feet stood within thy gates Jerusalem" written below in English, and above in Hebrew.

It is a unique photograph.  Jerusalem gets snow on an average of once every 7 years.

Rachel, our staff member, helped build this igloo when she was a little girl.   Both of her brothers are in the photo but Rachel is not (although she might be the girl in the red coat in the back)

See ZionGifts Passover Gifts

(By Wikipedia)

A yahrzeit candle also spelled yahrtzeit candle or called a memorial candle (

This kind of candle, that burns up to 26 hours, is also lit during the day of Yom Kippur or during Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony (Yom HaShoah).

History

The use of a yahrzeit candle is a widely practiced custom, where mourners light a yahrzeit candle that burns for 24 hours, on the anniversary of the death on the Hebrew calendar. The word "yahrzeit" (Yiddish: yortsayt ) itself means "anniversary" (or more specifically "anniversary [of a person's death]") in Yiddish, originating from German Jahr, year, and Zeit, time. It is customary to light the candle inside one's home, or near the grave of the deceased. The candle is also lit on Yom Kippur and there are also customs to light a yahrzeit candle on the dates when yizkor is said (Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret, final day of Pesach, and [the second day of] Shavuot). It is also customary to light the candle during the shiva (week of mourning).  The custom of lighting a yahrzeit candle comes from the Book of Proverbs 20:27 "The soul of man is a candle of the Lord."

The custom of lighting a yahrzeit candle for the deceased is very widespread and deeply ingrained in Jewish life. Many Jews who are otherwise unobservant follow this custom. Today, some people use an electric yahrheit candle that plugs into the wall instead of an actual candle for safety reasons.

Usage

The yahrzeit candle is lit during the week of Shiva (mourning). It is also lit at sundown on the eve of the yahrzeit (anniversary of the death) and at sundown preceding the start of Yom Kippur and at sundown preceding the last day of Succot, Passover and Shavuot. These holidays all have yizkor (memorial) in synagogue as well.

From Wikipedia

Un giorno il re Salomone decise di sottoporre ad una prova Benaià ben Yehoyada, il suo ministro più fidato.  Egli disse: "Benaià, so che esiste in qualche parte del mondo un anello speciale che vorrei portare con me. Vorrei indossarlo per Sukkot, vi do sei mesi per trovarlo".

"Se esiste ovunque sulla terra, maestà", rispose Benaià, "Io lo trovero' e lo portero' a voi, ma cos'e' che rende l'anello così speciale?"

"Ha poteri magici", rispose il re. "Se un uomo felice lo guarda, lui diventa triste, e se un uomo triste lo guarda, diventa felice".  Re Salomone sapeva che non esisteva un tale anello al mondo, ma lui volle dare al suo ministro un piccolo assaggio di saggezza.

La primavera passo' e anche l'estate, e ancora Benaià non aveva idea di dove potesse trovare l'anello.  La notte prima di Sukkot decise di fare una passeggiata in uno dei quartieri più poveri di Gerusalemme.  Passò da un mercante che aveva cominciato a sistemare la mercanzia su un tappeto logoro.  "Avete per caso sentito parlare di un anello magico che rende felice una persona triste che lo guarda e fa rattristire la persona felice che lo guarda?" chiese Benaià.

Osservò il mercante prendere un anello normale dal suo tappeto e incidere qualcosa su di esso.  Quando Benaia lesse le parole sull'anello sul suo volto scoppio' un raggiante sorriso.

Quella notte l'intera città celebro' la festa di Sukkot, con grande gioia.  "Ecco il mio amico", disse il re Salomone, "hai trovato quello che ti chiesi?" Tutti i ministri erano felici e lo stesso re Salomone lo era.

Con sorpresa di tutti, Benaià tiro' fuori un piccolo anello e dichiarò: "Ecco, maestà!" Non appena il re Salomone lesse l'iscrizione sull'anello il sorriso scomparve dal suo volto.  Il gioielliere aveva scritto tre parole ebraiche sulla fascia: "Gam zeh ya'avor" - "Anche questo passerà".

In quel momento il re Salomone si rese conto che tutta la sua grande ricchezza e l'enorme potere , non erano altro che cose fugaci e che un giorno tutto cio' sarebbe stato solo polvere.

"Se isso existe em qualquer lugar na Terra, sua majestade.", respondeu Benaia, "..Vou encontrá-lo e trazê-lo para você, mas o que faz o anel de tão especial?"

"Ele tem poderes mágicos", respondeu o rei. "Se um homem feliz olha para ele, ele fica triste, e se um homem triste olha para ele, ele se torna feliz". Rei Salomão sabia que não existia tal anel no mundo, mas ele quis dar ao seu ministro um gostinho de humildade.

A primavera passou, depois o verão e ainda Benaia não tinha ideia donde ele poderia encontrar o anel. Na noite antes de Sucot, ele decidiu dar um passeio num dos bairros mais pobres de Jerusalém. Ele passou por um comerciante que tinha começado a colocar mercadorias daquele dia sobre um tapete gasto. "Você por acaso ouviu falar de um anel mágico que faz com que o portador feliz esqueça a sua alegria e o portador com o coração partido esqueça as suas tristezas?" perguntou Benaia.

Ele viu o comerciante pegar num anel simples do seu tapete e gravou alguma coisa sobre ele. Quando Benaia leio as palavras sobre o anel, no seu rosto se formou um grande sorriso.

Naquela noite, toda a cidade acolheu o feriado de Sucot com grande festa. "Bem, meu amigo", disse o Rei Salomão ", você encontrou o que eu o mandei a procurar? “ Todos os ministros riram e rei Salomão sorriu.

Para surpresa de todos, Benaia levantou com a mão o pequeno anel e declarou: "Aqui está, sua majestade!" Assim como o Rei Salomão leio a inscrição, o sorriso desapareceu do seu rosto. O comerciante tinha escrito três palavras hebraicas sobre a banda: "Gam zeh ya'avor" - "Isto também passará".

Naquele momento, o rei Salomão apercebeu-se que toda a sua sabedoria, riqueza e tremendo poder eram só coisas passageiras, e que algum dia ele não seria nada mais que apenas pó.

The use of the Magen David in a Jewish context as a possibly meaningful symbol may occur as early as the 11th century, in the decoration of the carpet page of the famous Tanakh manuscript, the Leningrad codex dated 1008.  Similarly, the symbol illuminates a medieval Tanakh manuscript dated 1307 belonging to Rabbi Yosef bar Yehuda ben Marvas from Toledo, Spain. 

It is in 16th century Prague that we begin seeing the Magen David as a Jewish symbol with some frequency.  A Siddur dated 1512 from Prague displays a large hexagram on the cover with the phrase, "…He will merit to bestow a bountiful gift on anyone who grasps the Shield of David."  It appeared on the pennants of Jewish guilds, including the Jewish Butchers Gild.  The Magen David is featured on a Parochet, a synagogue Torah ark curtain dated 1595,  It was in the 16th century that it made its appearance on the flag of the Jewish community of Prague, which now hangs in Prague's leading synagogue, known as the Altneuschul Shul.  Thereafter it appeared with some regularity in Jewsish ceremonial art objects for the synagoue and the home in Prague, including Hanukah lamps, and eventually even on decorative keys to synagogues, and more mundane objects, such as baby cradles.

Scholars such as Franz Rosenswieg have attributed deep theological significance to the symbol.  For example, some note that the top triangle strives upward, toward G-D, while the lower triangle strives downward, toward the real world.  Some note that the intertwining makes the triangles inseparable, like the Jewish people.  Some say that the three sides represent the three types of Jews: Kohanim, Levites and Israel. While these theories are theologically interesting, they have little basis in historical fact.

The symbol of intertwined equilateral triangles is a common one in the Middle East and North Africa, and is thought to bring good luck.  It appears occasionally in early Jewish artwork, but never as an exclusively Jewish symbol.  The nearest thing to an "official" Jewish symbol at the time was the menorah.

In the middle ages, Jews often were required to wear badges to identify themselves as Jews, much as they were in Nazi Germany, but these Jewish badges were not always the familiar Magen David.  For example, a fifteenth century painting by Nuno Goncalves features a rabbi wearing a six-pointed badge that looks more or less like an asterisk.

In the 17th century, it became a popular practice to put Magen Davids on the outside of synagogues, to identify them as Jewish houses of worship in much the same way that a cross identified a Christian house of worship.

The Magen David gained popularity as a symbol of Judaism when it was adopted as the emblem of the Zionist movement in 1897, but the symbol continued to be controversial for many years afterward. When the modern state of Israel was founded, there was much debate over whether this symbol should be used on the flag.

Today, the Magen David is a universally recognized symbol of Jewry.  It appears on the flag of the state of Israel, and the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross is known as the Magen David Edom.

One day king Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it".

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty", replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?"

"It has magic powers", answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy".  King Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of he poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the grandfather take a plain ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.

That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. "Well, my friend," said King Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and King Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!" As soon as King Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew words on the band: "Gam zeh ya'avor" -- "This too shall pass."

At that moment King Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.

Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December.  In 2011, the festival begins  Tuesday evening, December 20th .

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a very special candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a shamash (Hebrew: "guard" or "servant")  is also lit each night for the purpose of lighting the others, and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The "shamash" symbolically supplies light that may be used for some secular purpose.

From the Hebrew word for "dedication" or "consecration", Hanukkah marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem (Second Temple) after its desecration by the forces of the King of Syria Antiochus IV Epiphanes and commemorates the "miracle of the container of oil". According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil.

Hanukkah is mentioned in 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. The first states: "For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. Then Judah and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the rededication... should be observed... every year... for eight days. (1 Mac. 4:56–59)" According to 2 Maccabees, "the Jews celebrated joyfully for eight days as on the feast of Booths."

The name "Hanukkah" derives from the Hebrew verb "חנך", meaning "to dedicate". On Hanukkah, the Jews regained control of Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple.

Kiddush, literally, "sanctification," is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice in a Kiddush Cup to inaugurate the evening and mid-day meals on the Shabbat and Jewish festivals.  The Kiddush ceremony serves to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish festivals.  

The Torah refers to two requirements concerning Shabbat - to "keep it" and to "remember it" (shamor and zakhor). Judaism therefore requires that Shabbat be observed in two prime ways:  One must "keep it" by refraining from forbidden creative activities on the Sabbath, and one must "remember it" by special celebrations for the day, and specifically through the Kiddush ceremony. 

The central feature of the Sabbath eve Kiddush text is the recitation of the verses in Genesis 2:1-3 which relate that G-D ceased Creation on the seventh day, and He blessed the seventh day and He 'sanctified' it (VaYeKadesh oto). 

Observing the Sabbath and reciting the Kiddush over a Kiddush Cup filled to the brim with wine therefore, is a Torah precept which serves as both a weekly commemoration of God's creation of the world and a weekly affirmation in belief in God the Creator who "rested" on the seventh day, in order to provide an example to man to imitate God and to cease to create on the Sabbath.  The Kiddush text inaugurating the Sabbath mid-day meal contains the passages in the Ten Commandments directing the observance of the Sabbath.