Jewish Holidays

Updated August 24, 2021 | Infoplease Staff

The Question:

What are the three most important holidays in the Jewish religion and how many holidays are there altogether?

The Answer:

The two most important Jewish holidays are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which celebrate the Jewish New Year and the day of atonement. After those two holidays the next best known is probably Hanukkah. The holidays of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkoth, however, are considered to be more important. While most of these holidays find their roots in the Bible, a number of new minor holidays have been instituted to commemorate significant events relating to the Holocaust and the modern state of Israel.

For more information check out Jewish holiday dates and our primer on Judiasm.

-The Editors

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