Are Judaism and Israel Inseparable? Jewish Holidays May Hold the Answer

The part of the Jordan River crossing where Joshua led the Israelites into Israel on the 10th of Nissan, a few days prior to Passover. This exact spot today is referred to as Qasr Al-Yahud, and is also believed to be the baptismal site of Jesus. It is a popular Christian pilgrimage site. (Photo: © Israel Sites and Sights / © Janis Raisen)

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REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK

Zionists believe in the modern State of Israel as the Jewish homeland, which is located in the biblical and ancestral home of the Jewish people. Zionism comes from the word, Zion (ציון), the biblical name for Jerusalem, and according to some biblical references, the Land of Israel. In the aftermath of October 7th specifically, many antisemites insist they only hate Israelis and Zionists, not Jewish people, even though Zionism, Judaism, and the connection to the biblical Land of Israel, and the modern State of Israel are all intertwined. Jewish holidays help to solidify this connection.

Jewish pilgrims ascended the ancient Pilgrimage Road from the Pool of Siloam near the City of David up to the Holy Temple for regular and holiday prayers. It was recently re-opened after 2,000 years following excavations by the Israeli Antiquities Authority. Photo: © Israel Sites and Sights / © Janis Raisen)

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For thousands of years, Jews ascended the Pilgrimage Road in the Old City of Jerusalem up to the Holy Temple, especially during the three pilgrimage festivals. The Pilgrimage Road was recently re-opened for the first time in 2,000 years following years of excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority. This excavation alone already ties Jews to Jerusalem, the present and ancient capital of Israel.

Jewish pilgrims ascended the ancient Pilgrimage Road from the Pool of Siloam near the City of David up to the Holy Temple for regular and holiday prayers. It was recently re-opened for the first time in 2,000 years following years of excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority. The path's exit is now at the Davidson Center, just south of the Western Wall Plaza. (Photo: © Israel Sites and Sights / © Janis Raisen)

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Jewish Holidays

(Note: The holidays below are only a partial list and do not appear in chronological order.)

The Three Pilgrimage Festivals

(Sukkot, Shavuot, Passover )

Priestly blessings on Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) a few years ago at the Kotel (Western Wall). They are recited at the Kotel during the three Pilgrimage Festivals. The Kotel is a remnant of the wall that surrounded the ancient Jewish Temple that stood on the Temple Mount above. It is the holiest site in Judaism. Jews have prayed on, or in the direction of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem for thousands of years. (Photo: © Israel Sites and Sights / © Janis Raisen)

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The Torah commands the people of Israel to visit the Jewish Temple for special prayers, and provide various offerings during certain times of the year, and on certain holidays, most commonly during the three pilgrimage festivals. Priestly blessings (seen above during Sukkot a few years ago) are recited at the Kotel during the three pilgrimage festivals ( Sukkot, Shavuot, Passover).

Today without the ancient Jewish Temple, the holiest site in Judaism, thousands of Jews flock to the Kotel during the pilgrimage festivals, and on other holidays for special prayers. The Kotel (the Western Wall) is a remnant of the wall that surrounded the ancient Jewish Temple that stood on the Temple Mount.

Jews have prayed on, or in the direction of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem for thousands of years. As Judaism's holiest site, Jews around the world still pray in the direction of the Temple Mount. A small number of Jews today also visit the Temple Mount on holidays, but masses of Jews are not allowed.

Passover

Passover is one of the three pilgrimage festivals (along with Shavuot and Sukkot), when Jewish pilgrims ascended the Pilgrimage Road up to the Holy Temple for thousands of years.

Jewish people around the world (from secular to orthodox) gather on the first night of Passover (and the 2nd night in the diaspora) and read from a special booklet—the Haggadah. The Haggadah tells the story of the exodus from Egypt, from slavery to freedom, and crossing into the new Jewish homeland.

The part of the Jordan River crossing where Joshua led the Israelites into Israel on the 10th of Nissan, a few days prior to Passover. This exact spot today is referred to as Qasr Al-Yahud, and is also believed to be the baptismal site of Jesus. It is a popular Christian pilgrimage site. (Photo: © Israel Sites and Sights / © Janis Raisen)

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The Israelites were led out of Egypt from slavery to the promised land, the Land of Israel. It wasn’t just a “promise.” It came to fruition when the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Land of Israel. Joshua led the Israelites into Israel via the Jordan River on the 10th of Nissan, a few days prior to Passover. The exact crossing point (seen above) is referred to as Qasr Al-Yahud. It is also believed to be the baptismal site of Jesus, and is a popular Christian pilgrimage spot.

The very last page of the Haggadah ends with another reminder that Judaism and Israel are inseparable.

The Haggadah in the diaspora version ends with four powerful words:

"NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!"

The Israeli version often reads:

"NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM REBUILT!" (referring to the rebuilding of the Temple)

Yom Kippur

The Kohen Gadol (High Priest), spiritual leader of the Jewish people, was in charge of prayer services at the Jewish Temple, until the 2nd Temple was destroyed. He also had the sole privilege once a year on Yom Kippur to enter the most sacred part of the Jewish Temple, the inner chamber where the Holy Ark (Holy of Holies) was located.

As Judaism's holiest site, Jews still pray in the direction of the Temple Mount. The ancient Jewish Temple once stood where the Dome of the Rock (seen above) is located, which was built on the ruins of the ancient Jewish Temple. Photo: © Israel Sites and Sights / © Janis Raisen)

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Today many Jews pray at the Kotel on Yom Kippur, and during the nightly Selichot prayers (supplication prayers) during the month of Elul, leading up to Rosh Hashanah, and between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Chanukah

Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is celebrated by all Jews. It's a joyous holiday that revolves around a miracle. One day of oil in the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem lasted for eight days. The miracle happened in the Jewish Capital, Jerusalem, where King David once reigned.

Dreidel

Aside from lighting the candles each night of the holiday, there is a popular game for kids, which involves spinning the dreidel.

The meaning of the letters on the dreidel however, is what links both the global Jewish community and Israelis to the miracle in the Land of Israel.

The four Hebrew letters displayed here, נ,ג,ה,ש refer to the letters used in the diaspora

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The Dreidel Letters

The letters on the dreidel refer to the Chanukah miracle, but differ by one letter based on whether they are distributed inside Israel, or in the diaspora.

 Diaspora Dreidels Vs.Israeli

In the diaspora, the letters on the dreidel (displayed in the gold boxes) represent the words:

A great miracle happened THERE (שם).

In Israel, the four letters on the dreidel (displayed in the grey boxes) represent the words:

A great miracle happened HERE (פה).

Lag BaOmer

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The resting place of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, also known as Rashbi for short. His burial place is located in Meron, in Northern Israel, close to Tzfat. (Photos: © Israel Sites and Sights / © Janis Raisen)

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Lag BaOmer marks the passing of the great sage, and author of the Zohar (the Kabbalah), Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, around 2,000 years ago. Also known as Rashbi for short, his resting place is in Meron, in Northern Israel, close to Tzfat. It is said that he wanted celebrations on his death anniversary, as opposed to mourning. Bonfires are lit as part of the celebration both in Israel and in some diaspora communities, as well as dancing around his tombstone in Meron in Israel.

Tisha B'Av

This is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. Aside from other terrible tragedies that befell the Jewish people on this date, such as the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, both the First and Second Jewish Temples were destroyed, leaving behind only the outer Western Wall (Kotel) and the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock was built on top of the ruins.

Undeniable Proof

There are countless other examples linking Judaism to the Land of Israel, the Jewish ancestral homeland. They can be found in the Old Testament, and through archaeology, but the holidays alone already prove that Judaism cannot be separated from the Land of Israel. Anti-Israel activists are merely hiding behind centuries-old antisemitism.

As for the false accusations that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza, when in fact Israel is fighting a just war, well that's for another article.