Latest news with #JewishFestival
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
Boulder Jewish Festival adding extra security one week after Pearl Street attack
DENVER (KDVR) — One week after the attack in Boulder, the Jewish community in town is set to host its biggest event of the year, the annual Jewish Festival. Things may look a little different this year, with a much larger police presence expected. Friends hunt storms in Colorado on Friday This year is the 30th anniversary of the Jewish Festival in Boulder. While there was discussion about the festival even happening and how it can be kept safe, community leaders decided the 30th iteration of the event is the most important one yet. 'It's always been called the best Sunday in June,' said Jonathan Lev, executive director of the Boulder Jewish Community Center. A day of Jewish celebration is now coming only a week after a day of Jewish pain. 'The attacks on last Sunday put into question whether that festival was possible,' said Lev. Lev called it a 'long, short time' that they had to decide on whether the festival was even possible. Three factors played into keeping it going: the first was immediately apparent when talking to community members. 'The Jewish community really needed this festival and needed an opportunity to come together,' he said. The second factor was coming together safely. The festival averages 10,000 to 15,000 people a year, and he expects that total to be significantly higher this year. Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said on Thursday that those kinds of crowds will require more of his staff. 'You will see a large police presence,' said Redfearn. 'You will see our partner agencies, you will see us there ready to protect that event to ensure that people can grieve and recover from this attack safely and peacefully.' He said just being there isn't enough, though, and asks for community help as well. 'We need all eyes and ears out there to help look for things that may not be right and let us know so we can address them,' said Redfearn. With safety settled, the final factor was including the organization Run for Their Lives as part of the festivities, which will now be a focal point of the day. Pothole that formed in under 30 minutes causes backups on I-70: CDOT 'All three of those things came together in a beautiful way,' said Lev. A beautiful way, he said, to provide necessary healing. 'We need to be able to both have Jewish joy and experience our Jewish pain together,' said Lev. The Jewish Festival will be on Pearl Street Mall between 13th Street and 14th Street this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
02-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
What is Shavuot? The Jewish festival that started hours after Boulder, Colorado, attack
Sunday afternoon's attack in Boulder, Colorado, took place hours before the start of a major Jewish festival, Shavuot. Authorities say a man used a flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into a group holding one of its regular rallies in solidarity with Israeli hostages in Gaza. Eight people were injured, some with burns. What is Shavuot? Shavuot (pronounced Shah-voo-OTE), Hebrew for 'weeks," has been observed since biblical times. It marks the passing of seven weeks (49 days) from the holiday of Passover, with Shavuot falling on the 50th day. In biblical times, Shavuot was an agricultural festival, when Israelites would bring harvest offerings to the temple. Today, it's primarily commemorated as the traditional date on which God gave the Torah — the law that forms the heart of the Jewish Scriptures — to Moses on Mount Sinai, as described in the Bible. The 50-day time period gives the festival its Greek name, Pentecost, which is also the name for a holy day on the Christian calendar. When is Shavuot? Shavuot falls on the 6th of Sivan on the Jewish calendar, which reckons days as beginning at sundown. This year, Shavuot began Sunday evening and continues for one or two days, depending on tradition. For Jews inside Israel and for Reform Jews, the festival lasts for one day. Other traditions outside of Israel observe Shavuot for two days, ending Tuesday evening this year. (The variation stems from different traditions on when to observe lunar holidays, which historically were based on moon observations in ancient Israel.) Shavuot typically falls in May or June on the Gregorian calendar. How is Shavuot observed? Jews celebrate with readings of the biblical book of Exodus, including the Ten Commandments. Some mark the occasion with all-night readings from the Torah and other religious texts. Observant Jews refrain from work on Shavuot. The biblical book of Ruth, about a woman who embraces the Jewish faith, is often read and studied. Shavuot celebrations are often marked by the consumption of dairy products, such as cheesecake and cheese-filled blintzes. Explanations for this tradition vary; one is that the Torah is like nourishing milk for the spirit. Reform Judaism has traditionally connected Shavuot to its rite of confirmation for teens, in which they affirmed their commitment to Jewish life. Somber observances Tragically, this year's Shavuot is not the first time in recent memory that Jews have marked a normally festive holiday in grim circumstances. Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, claiming about 1,200 lives, took place on Simchat Torah, a date when Jews celebrate the completion of their year-long cycle of Torah readings. Sunday's gathering in Boulder was to raise attention for the 58 hostages, around a third believed to be alive, who are still being held by Hamas. ___ Sources: 'What is a Jew?' by Rabbis Morris N. Kertzer and Lawrence A. Hoffman; Jewish Agency for Israel; JCC Association of North America. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Associated Press
02-06-2025
- General
- Associated Press
What is Shavuot? The Jewish festival that started hours after Boulder, Colorado, attack
Sunday afternoon's attack in Boulder, Colorado, took place hours before the start of a major Jewish festival, Shavuot. Authorities say a man used a flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into a group holding one of its regular rallies in solidarity with Israeli hostages in Gaza. Eight people were injured, some with burns. What is Shavuot? Shavuot (pronounced Shah-voo-OTE), Hebrew for 'weeks,' has been observed since biblical times. It marks the passing of seven weeks (49 days) from the holiday of Passover, with Shavuot falling on the 50th day. In biblical times, Shavuot was an agricultural festival, when Israelites would bring harvest offerings to the temple. Today, it's primarily commemorated as the traditional date on which God gave the Torah — the law that forms the heart of the Jewish Scriptures — to Moses on Mount Sinai, as described in the Bible. The 50-day time period gives the festival its Greek name, Pentecost, which is also the name for a holy day on the Christian calendar. When is Shavuot? Shavuot falls on the 6th of Sivan on the Jewish calendar, which reckons days as beginning at sundown. This year, Shavuot began Sunday evening and continues for one or two days, depending on tradition. For Jews inside Israel and for Reform Jews, the festival lasts for one day. Other traditions outside of Israel observe Shavuot for two days, ending Tuesday evening this year. (The variation stems from different traditions on when to observe lunar holidays, which historically were based on moon observations in ancient Israel.) Shavuot typically falls in May or June on the Gregorian calendar. How is Shavuot observed? Jews celebrate with readings of the biblical book of Exodus, including the Ten Commandments. Some mark the occasion with all-night readings from the Torah and other religious texts. Observant Jews refrain from work on Shavuot. The biblical book of Ruth, about a woman who embraces the Jewish faith, is often read and studied. Shavuot celebrations are often marked by the consumption of dairy products, such as cheesecake and cheese-filled blintzes. Explanations for this tradition vary; one is that the Torah is like nourishing milk for the spirit. Reform Judaism has traditionally connected Shavuot to its rite of confirmation for teens, in which they affirmed their commitment to Jewish life. Somber observances Tragically, this year's Shavuot is not the first time in recent memory that Jews have marked a normally festive holiday in grim circumstances. Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, claiming about 1,200 lives, took place on Simchat Torah, a date when Jews celebrate the completion of their year-long cycle of Torah readings. Sunday's gathering in Boulder was to raise attention for the 58 hostages, around a third believed to be alive, who are still being held by Hamas. ___ Sources: 'What is a Jew?' by Rabbis Morris N. Kertzer and Lawrence A. Hoffman; Jewish Agency for Israel; JCC Association of North America. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
