What is Hanukkah? Hanukkah, often called the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates a historic victory of light over darkness. What is more, it is a celebration of freedom over oppression, and faith over idolatry.  But...

What is Shavuot and why is it celebrated? Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals described in the Bible, along with Passover (Pesach) and Sukkot. It is one of the eight appointed times of the Lord described in Leviticus...

What is Passover? Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, stands as one of the most significant feasts in both Jewish and Christian traditions. The story of Passover is first described in the Old Testament, and it commemorates the Israelites' miraculous exodus...

Should Christians observe Jewish holidays? In growing deeper with the Lord and in Bible study, there can be a question of whether Christians should observe Jewish holidays. A Messianic Jewish perspective can offer a unique lens. Through it, we can...

What does "erev" mean in Hebrew? English most often translates the Hebrew word "erev" as "evening." But as the Jewish poet, Haim Nachman Bialik, (1873-1934) once said, “Reading the Bible in translation is like kissing your new bride through a...

Jesus Born in Bethlehem Jesus was born in Bethlehem – many know this simple fact, whether they are Christians or not. Popularization of Christmas celebrations around the world made “Bethlehem” a staple.   But few of the same people would...

Biblical Holidays and Jesus Did Jesus observe any holidays? If so, what holidays did Jesus celebrate? After all, Jesus was a Jewish man. He must have grown up celebrating Jewish holidays, right? At first glance, we might think that the...

Yom Kippur and Israelis Yom Kippur is a holy day in Israeli culture. The mothers are working hard on preparing the big pre-fast dinner, and the fathers are getting ready to go to the synagogue for the holiday prayers. Meanwhile...

Easter Sermon Ideas for You Are you a pastor or Christian speaker looking to integrate something fresh from Scripture into a message on Easter? Oftentimes a Jewish context from Scripture can provide exactly that. Here are nine nuggets we've prepared,...

Hanukkah: Feast of Dedication Before we understand the connection between Hanukkah and Jesus, we need to review the backstory of the holiday.  First of all, every December someone starts the debate over how to properly spell the name of this...

The Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot The most festive season of the year in Israel continues! We are approaching Sukkot, also known as the Festival of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles, which lasts an entire week. Preparations for this big...

What is Yom Kippur? If you ask any Jewish person, “what is the holiest day of the year?”, they will tell you without hesitation: Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. God set it apart already in the days of...