Rediscovering the Holidays

Rediscovering the Holidays takes readers on multiple immersive historical and textual journeys to uncover remarkable ancient elements of the Jewish holidays that have often been forgotten or censored. Drawing on biblical texts, Second Temple literature, and early rabbinic sources, historian of ideas Ishay Rosen-Zvi traces the dynamic and often surprising transformation of major festivals from the High Holidays to Tisha b’Av, highlighting dramatic shifts in their meaning and practice in response to historical events, cultural encounters, and changing religious ideas. For example, Hanukkah shares roots with broader ancient winter solstice traditions, alongside Christmas. Passover transformed changed from a sacrificial ceremony to an extravagant, narrative-centered celebration that both mirrors and subverts the social gatherings of the Roman elite. Tisha b’Av apparently evolved from a fast day commemorating the destruction of the First Temple into the prototype for a Jewish festival of love and then back to its somber roots. Recovering suppressed myths, marginal rituals, and alternative interpretations that shaped the holidays demonstrates that Jewish festivals are living cultural organisms shaped by innovation across generations. Recognizing their constant historical reinvention allows contemporary celebrants to experience them more imaginatively and meaningfully today. “If you grew up celebrating the Jewish holidays, or even just hearing about them, this book will feel like a tour behind the curtain, where you can finally see all the backstage drama that shaped the rituals and traditions you thought you knew. The story is sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly, but always fascinating. Ishay Rosen-Zvi, among the leading scholars of ancient Jewish culture, is an authoritative and brilliant guide.”—Moulie Vidas, professor of religion at Princeton University “A rich, erudite, and provocative narrative rife with innovative twists and original insights into the cultural dynamics of the Jewish holidays, all punctuated with humor.”—Mira Balberg, professor of history and David Goodblatt Endowed Chair in Ancient Jewish Civilization at the University of California, San Diego