Do Jews celebrate secular holidays?
Yes, Jews have always observed civic and secular holidays. Some synagogues have a national flag on display and many synagogues participate in interfaith observances of holidays such as Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Learn more.
Learn how to celebrate these holidays Jewishly with prayers, blessing, blost posts and articles.
Learn more about secular holidays
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Thanksgiving Resources
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Creative Ways to Use Thanksgiving Leftovers for Shabbat
Wondering what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers? Try these Shabbat recipes!
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Working Jewish Values into Our Thanksgiving Observance
If we only take the time to say a few words of thanksgiving to God, whether for bringing the family together or for giving us the food on our plates, we can make Thanksgiving have Jewish meaning.
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18 Tasty Thanksgiving Recipes... with a Jewish Twist
Strictly speaking, Thanksgiving isn’t a Jewish holiday, but we know many Jews take this time to give thanks, affirm the many contributions Indigenous People have made, take the time to learn about the land we are on, pursue justice, and connect with those we love most.
Holiday Resources
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What Canada Day Means to Me
I have always considered myself to be a Jewish Canadian, rather than a Canadian Jew. I couldn't tell you why I have always chosen to primarily identify by my religion first and then my citizenship; there is no defining moment in my life that explains that one way or the other. Being Jewish has always been my primary identity.
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Seven Jewish Resolutions for the New Year
The start of the secular new year is commonly a time for making resolutions for individual betterment in the year to come. Why not incorporate some Judaism into your New Year's resolutions?
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Five Jewish Readings for Memorial Day
Memorial Day may not be a Jewish holiday, but the concept of remembering and honoring our dead is certainly a Jewish value. Here are a few Memorial Day prayers you may wish to recite in honor of this holiday.
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Halloween: A Jewish Perspective for Parents
The question of how to handle Halloween - whether to participate, and if so, how - is one that is often discussed amongst Jewish parents as the holiday approaches. Reform Jewish tradition guides us to make decisions based on “informed choice.”
RELATING TO SECULAR HOLIDAYS
Jewish Questions
- How does Reform Judaism say we should best honor our mothers in today’s world?
- Do Jews Celebrate Secular Holidays?
- What’s the Difference Between the Secular and Jewish New Year?
- How do I bring Jewish values into a secular holiday like Halloween?
- Do Jews celebrate Valentine’s Day? Is there a Jewish holiday similar to Valentine's Day?
- Is Purim akin to a Jewish Halloween?
What's New
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No Holiday Dilemma this December
I looked forward to the lights that adorn houses and streets in celebration of the holiday, not to mention watching Christmas specials on television and getting extra days off work to be with family. However, things changed last year when my family and I joined our friends to help them decorate their Christmas tree.
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Winterfaith
"Winterfaith" seems a much more apt description for me than "interfaith." We're not observing two religions; I was raised Jewish, and my partner was not. The winter holidays are when our "interfaith" background proves to be the most challenging.
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The Cost of Free Land
When I was a child growing up in the 1980s, the story I learned about Thanksgiving followed the classic script: it highlighted amity between the Pilgrims and their Indigenous neighbors. Due to this connection, the hunger of the European settlers was met with squash and turkey.
