Sara Himeles

New York

Editor at Jewish Unpacked

Editor at OpenDor Media

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Articles

Shavuot guide 2025: How and when to celebrate the giving of the Torah (and cheesecake)

1 week ago | unpacked.media | Sara Himeles

Shavuot may not get as much attention as other Jewish holidays like Hanukkah, Passover and Purim, but it celebrates what is the most important event in all of Jewish history: receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai. In an agricultural sense, Shavuot marks the beginning of the wheat harvest, and the time when the first fruits of the season were brought to the Temple as an offering.
What is Yom Haatzmaut? When do we celebrate Israel’s Independence Day?

1 month ago | unpacked.media | Sara Himeles

Immediately after Yom Hazikaron ends, Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) begins. It takes place on the date in the Hebrew calendar that Israel declared independence, the 5th of Iyar. Yom Ha’atzmaut will begin the evening of Wednesday, April 30, 2025, and end the evening of Thursday, May 1, 2025. Israel will mark its 77th birthday in 2025. Typically, in other countries, Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and Independence Day occur on two separate days of the year.
The best movies and podcasts to celebrate Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut

1 month ago | unpacked.media | Sara Himeles

Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Memorial Day and Independence Day) are not just for Israelis, but are celebrated by Jewish communities around the world. Are YOU (yes we’re talking to you) going to commemorate and celebrate these days this year? As we often say at Unpacked, learning about Israel involves both celebrating its achievements and exploring some of the unsavory and challenging aspects of Israeli history. The #yomhazikaron siren wails at the Western Wall.
What is Yom Hazikaron? How and when do we commemorate Israel's Memorial Day?

1 month ago | unpacked.media | Sara Himeles

Israel has fought six wars with neighboring Arab countries, confronted two Palestinian intifadas, and endured numerous terror attacks since its establishment in 1948. On Oct. 7, 2023, it endured the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, with Palestinian terrorists killing 1,200 Israelis, injuring an additional 3,000 people, and taking 240 people into hostage in Gaza. In this reality, to defend the Jewish state against ongoing threats, the majority of Israelis serve in the army.
What is Yom HaShoah? How do we commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day?

1 month ago | unpacked.media | Sara Himeles

Yom HaShoah Ve-Hagevurah (Remembrance Day of the Holocaust and Heroism) is the Jewish memorial day for the Shoah (which is the Hebrew word for “catastrophe,” referring to the Holocaust). It is marked on the 27th of the Hebrew month of Nisan, a week before Yom Hazikaron (Israel’s memorial day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism). Read more: Get our guides to all the Jewish holidays.
Why are Christians celebrating Passover and hosting non-Jewish Seders?

2 months ago | unpacked.media | Sara Himeles

Celebrating Passover is extremely common with 70% of American Jews attending Passover seders. In many ways, Passover is the ultimate Jewish holiday that recalls the Jewish people’s miraculous exodus from Egypt. But did you know some Christians are starting to celebrate the holiday as well, and even host their version of a Passover seder? Given the growing trend of non-Jews celebrating Passover in recent years, we wanted to better understand Christian seders held in some churches.
Passover guide 2025: How and when to celebrate the Jewish holiday

2 months ago | unpacked.media | Sara Himeles

Here’s a rundown of what you need to know about Passover, the seven- or eight-day holiday (depending on where you live) and how to celebrate it. Read more: Get our guides to all the Jewish holidays. Passover starts the evening of Saturday, April 12, 2025, and goes until the evening of Sunday, April 20, 2024. This corresponds to the 15th through 22nd of the Hebrew month Nisan.
How to celebrate Purim

2 months ago | unpacked.media | Sara Himeles

Purim 2025 (or 5785 in the Jewish calendar) is coming up! Here is everything you need to know to celebrate/ Purim (which means “lots” in Persian) is the Jewish holiday that celebrates how the Jewish people were saved from annihilation in ancient Persia as told in the Biblical book of Esther. In the story, Haman, the evil advisor to King Ahasuerus of Persia, plots to kill all the Jews.
Hanukkah guide 2024: How and when to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights?

Dec 8, 2024 | jewishunpacked.com | Sara Himeles

Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, and how to celebrate it. Read more: Get our guides to all the Jewish holidays. Hanukkah is the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights that typically takes place between late November and late December. Jews celebrate it by lighting the menorah, playing the game of dreidel and eating special holiday foods like latkes and sufganiyot.
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah guide 2024: How to celebrate, when are the holidays?

Oct 23, 2024 | jewishunpacked.com | Sara Himeles

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are the culmination of the High Holiday season that starts with the Hebrew month of Elul and Rosh Hashanah, and continues with the 10 Days of Repentance, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know. Read more: Get our guides to all the Jewish holidays. Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah immediately follow the seven-day festival of Sukkot. They are celebrated as one day in Israel and two days in the Diaspora.