Holidays
It is the seasonality of this particular holiday that mandated the Jewish calendar have leap years to keep itself in account with the solar calendar
Passover
In which tribe’s territory was the Mishkan at Shiloh?
Ephraim
What is the rationale behind waiting 6 hours between eating meat and dairy
6 hours was the presumed time between meals
This person represented the tribe of Ephraim among the 12 spies and was the spy who was urged to be “strong and brave” after Moses’ death
Joshua
This island has been known by many names and for many uses over the years. It has been used as a fishing site, execution site for pirates, and a fort, before its current use. Today, the island is shared by New York and New Jersey, and commemorates the activities associated with the Emma Lazarus poem displayed there.
Ellis Island
This is the only holiday where one could be required to take out and read from 3 Sifrei Torah and many aspects of the holiday are based on Sukkot
Chanukah
According to Rashi based on Talmudic exegesis, what was Jacob unable to tell his children about on his deathbed?
The end of days
A kind of food eaten on Shabbat day that originally indicated that one was not a Sadducee
Hot food
This person is traditionally compared to Moses in terms of prophetic ability and was commissioned to curse the Israelite camp, only to bless them instead
Bilaam
That siege of this city is commemorated by Rome’s Temple of Peace and the Arch of Titus, and is mourned on Tisha B’Av. Another siege of this city by Pompey the Great resulted in Roman conquering of Judea
Jerusalem
This holiday commemorates the re-inclusion of the Benjaminites with the rest of Israel
Tu B’av
According to Rambam, what are the 3 kinds of blessings?
בִּרְכוֹת הֲנָיָה. וּבִרְכוֹת מִצְוֹת. וּבִרְכוֹת הוֹדָאָה
Material enjoyment, religious obligation, and praise
Counterintuitively, a Jew who publicly desecrates Shabbat could give wine this status according to some opinions
Libation wine
Every year this person would go to give sacrifices at Shiloh where he would give multiple portions to one of his wifes who had multiple children, but only one to his other wife who was childless
Elkanah
This cemetery has 3 adjoining museums. The cemetery has multiple memorials, including one for victims of acts of terror, a couple for ships of refugees that sank, and executed Jewish subversives
Har Herzl
This is the only biblical holiday where no date is given for it in the Bible
Shavuot
It is probably not a coincidence that the Torah chooses to name the place of Rachel’s death as Ephrat when it is also known as Bethlehem. What does Ephrat’s root mean?
Fruitful
This melacha prohibits medicine on Shabbat, among other things, but does not apply to food that did not grow from the ground
Grinding
This person is the only positively viewed farmer in the Pentateuch and his life mirrored his father’s life in many ways
Isaac
Though Jews in Europe lived in distinct communities for long stretches of time in large areas, the first instance of it being called a “ghetto” was in 1516 in this city
Venice
This holiday has a very long history of incorporating otherwise forbidden ways to be merry. The Maharil even condones youth who steal, destroy and burn on this holiday.
Simchat Torah
According to Rashi and Rav Kook, what creature is uniquely invulnerable to the evil eye?
Fish
Biblically, one is required to remove chametz from their homes before Passover. The Mishna introduces an alternative if one has a time conflict with some other commandments. What is it?
Annulling the chametz in your heart
This person is credited with being a crucial link of tradition by Christians, Muslims and Jews, and is famous for 10 enactments
Ezra
Titus used about 60,000 Jewish slaves to build this enduring monument
Roman Colosseum