Celebrating Thanks: Passover and Sukkot in Jewish Tradition

• Religious education
• Primary Education

Celebrating Thanks: Passover and Sukkot in Jewish Tradition

Learning Objective

Understand the significance of Passover and Sukkot and how Jewish people show thanks to God through these celebrations.

What do you already know about Passover and Sukkot?

Passover: A Time of Thanks

Passover is a time when Jewish people give thanks to God for delivering them from slavery in ancient Egypt.

Passover Meal: Seder

The Seder meal includes symbolic foods like matzah, bitter herbs, and a roasted shank bone, representing the Passover sacrifice.

Sukkot: A Time of Thanksgiving

Sukkot is a harvest festival where Jewish people express gratitude for the harvest and remember the time when they wandered in the desert.

Sukkah: Temporary Dwellings

During Sukkot, Jewish families build a sukkah, a temporary hut or booth, to symbolize the temporary dwellings used by the Israelites during their wilderness journey.

Four Species: Symbolism in Sukkot

The four species - etrog, lulav, myrtle, and willow - are waved in all directions during Sukkot to symbolize unity and gratitude for nature's bounty.

Comparing Passover and Sukkot

Both Passover and Sukkot are occasions for Jewish people to express thanks to God, with unique traditions and rituals that symbolize gratitude.

Reflection: Gratitude in Your Life

Think about ways you can express thanks and gratitude in your own life, inspired by the traditions of Passover and Sukkot.