Sukkot is a seven-day festival marking the fall harvest in ancient Israel. This holiday is also a time in which Jews commorate forty years of wantering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Celebrated by the building of a sukkah (or temporary dwelling) outdoors. Work is traditionally prohibited on the first and second days. […]
Simchat Torah/ Shemini Atzeret marks the conclusion of the annual reading cycle of the Torah, the Five Books of Moses that make up the Jewish Bible. Jews celebrate the Torah by dancing and singing, followed by reading the last word of Deuteronomy and the first word of Genesis in one breath to represent the cyclical […]
One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance." Light is a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness. During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated. The preparations and observances typically last five days.
Twin Holy Birthdays: The Birth of the Báb (October 20, 1819) and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh (November 12, 1817) occurred on consecutive days according to the Islamic lunar calendar (1 and 2 Muharram, respectively). However these dates have been adjusted to the Gregorian calendar. Baha'i dates begin and end at sunset. These Holy Days are […]
Commemorates the birth of the Founder of the Baha'i Faith November 1817 (lunar calendar) Work is to be suspended and children excused from school. More Information about Baha'u'llah Learn more about the Baha'i calendar Learn more about Bah'ullah's Bicentenary
Christian celebration of the lives of all the saints, especially those not having a special day; Orthodox churches observe the day in mid-summer. More Information
Catholic Christian observance in memory of all the faithful who are deceased. In some Latin cultures, this day is referred to as "The Day of the Dead". More Information
The ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the freedom of religion. The geo-political conditions under the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, allowed for forceful conversion of religion. Many innocents were exploited and killed for refusing to convert to Islam. They were denied a fundamental human right. A group of Hindu pundits were […]
Bahá’ís observe the anniversary of the death of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, son of Bahá’u’lláh and His appointed successor, on Nov 27, 1921 in Haifa, in what is now northern Israel. Work is to be suspened and children excused from school. More Information
For Catholics, the new Liturgical Year commences with the first Sunday of Advent. In this new liturgical year, the Church not only wishes to indicate the beginning of a period, but the beginning of a renweed commitment to the faith by all those who follow Christ, the Lord. Advent is the period of four Sundays […]
"Everything you should do you will find in this: Do nothing to others that would hurt you if it were done to you."
- Mahabharata 5:1517
Hinduism
