Global Day of Jewish Learning

The Global Day of Jewish learning is powered by Limmud North America. Launched in 2009 as an effort to connect Jews around the world in mutual appreciation of Jewish wisdom, the Global Day was inspired by the vision and leadership of Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz.

Ethiopian Sigd Festival


Tisha B’av




Jewish Liberation from the Nazis

Iyar 26 marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Jews from concentration camps, ending the Nazi rule in Europe. This year in 2021, we celebrate the 76th anniversary when of this liberation, when allied and Soviet troops moved across Europe against Nazi Germany. These groups encountered the horrors of the Nazi regime in 1945 and soon after the world saw and understood the scope of what the prisoners endured.

International Agunah Day

International Agunah Day was established by the International Coalition for Agunah Rights (ICAR) in 1990 to raise awareness to the difficulty of the Agunah. It is observed on the 13th of Adar which in the Jewish calendar is the Fast of Esther. An agunah literally means “anchored” or “chained” and describes when a Jewish woman is stuck in her religious marriage due to Jewish law that prevents a women from getting a divorce without her husbands permission. Not only does this happen when a man disagrees, but also if he is unable to grant her the divorce. Sometimes a man would leave on a journey and not return or went to battle never to come back.

A special document known as a get is needed for end a religious marriage and according to Jewish law, a man must grant his wife this get out of his own free will. Without the get, no new marriage will be recognized and any children from the new marriage will be seen as illegitimate.

Those who initiated this day believe that it is a violation of human rights to not grant a religious divorce. It also goes against modern views of equality, personal freedom, and happiness. Every day and especially on International Agunah Day, ICAR works to have this issue recognized by the public and advocates for change through media coverage, political lobbying, and public information campaigns.

Day of Jewish Unity

On the Day of Jewish Unity, over one million people gather around the world or a day of peace and prayer in hopes of ending global hostility and destruction. In cities around the world from Israel and France to Canada and United States, this day is filled with prayer for hope.

Mizrahi Heritage Month

Most people in the United States know about Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews, but not so much about Mizrahi Jews. Mizrahi Jews come from North Africa and the Middle East and bring with them an entire history and culture unique to others. In order to educate the Jewish community about the unique culture and history of Mizrahi Jews, November was established as Mizrahi Heritage Month.

Cultures and customs among the Mizrahi Jews themselves are diverse because they came from two continents and different countries such as Yemen, Iraq, Morocco, and Iran. To learn more about these customs, Jewish schools and groups are celebrating Mizrahi Heritage Month with lectures and events that allow people to immerse themselves in the Mizrahi traditions.

Seharane Kurdish Holiday

Seharane is a 2000-year-old multi-day holiday, typically celebrated by Kurdish Jews following the last day of Passover. It commemorated the day that hametz could be brought to the temple as a first fruits offering and coincided with Mimouna, traditionally celebrated by North African Jews. The holiday was celebrated with food, drink, walks in nature, singing, and dancing.

The tradition was lost for some time during the 1950’s when the Jews were relocated to Israel , but has recently been revived. Because of the widespread and established Mimouna celebration in Israel, the Seharane celebration was moved to Chol HaMoed of Sukkot.

Before the relocation of Jews to Israel, Seharane was celebrated for 3 days following Passover. Foods and drinks typically enjoyed on this holiday include stuffed grape leaves, Dulama, Kubbah, lamb, meat, and Arak.

Character Day

Character Day is an event focused on character development that is promoted by the Let It Ripple film studio. Each year this event brings together over 200,000 organizations and millions of people from 125 countries.

The idea is to turn Jewish tradition into a source of inspiration and to encourage everyone to turn away from all their electronics. The hope is then to encourage participants of this unique day to spend quality time with family and friends, engage in outdoor activities, and to reconnect with oneself and nature.

Day of Jewish Monuments

On the Day of Monuments, which first began celebrations in 2017, there are 50 or so selected Jewish heritage sites, in more than 40 towns throughout the Czech Republic, that are open to visitors.