Traditions/Holidays -

How do we remember through customs and holidays?

Traditions:

Yahrzeit 'memorial' Candles

This candle is lit on the anniversary of the death of a family member or a loved one in the Jewish religion. It is a Jewish custom to light this special candle that burns for a full 24 hours. This candle is lit to remember the date that the person died on and to celebrate certain mourning holidays followed by a death.

Kaddish

Kaddish, another tradition in the Jewish religion, often called the "mourners Kaddish" is said when one is in the stages of mourning a death of a relative or friend. Kaddish is a prayer, which is shown to the left. This prayer is said the first eleven months after a death and it provides comfort to those who say it because they feel as if god is with them and everything will be okay, as it is with most prayers.

"Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will.May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.
May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen."

Unveilings

The unveiling is a Jewish tradition of remembrance after a person dies. Unveilings are the formal removal of a veil, a cloth, or handkerchief draped over the stone. This symbolizes the creation of the tombstone and the rabbi and the people witnessing the unveiling will often place pebbles unto the new tome stone as a reminder of family and friends presence.

Holidays:

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is the commemoration and remembrance day of all the soldiers who have died in battle. This holiday was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. It is also known as Decorations day and it became a traditional holiday after the Civil war. Memorial Day occurs on the last Monday in May, and reminds us that we have an obligation to remember all the people who have died fighting for America. Now, in our day and age people don't really celebrate the true meaning of Memorial Day, instead they love having the day off.

El Dia de Los Muertos (The day of the dead)

More than 500 years ago, when the Spanish Conquistadors landed in what is now Mexico, they encountered natives practicing a ritual that seemed to mock death. This holiday is celebrated in Mexico and certain parts of America. People make wooden skull masks (calacas) and dance in honor of their deceased friends and relatives. An altar is built honoring the dead and colored skulls (calaveras) are placed on top of them. Relatives and friends eat sugar skulls, which are made with the names of the dead person on the forehead. Today, altars are built in the family’s homes, dedicating the dead. They surround these alters with flowers, food, candles, and pictures of the deceased. This alter is a special "shrine" almost to remember the deceased. On the altar water is used to quench the thirst and purification purposes, salt is to season the food, and bread represents food needed for survival. The altar includes four main elements of nature; earth, wind, water, and fire. The main purpose of this holiday is however, preserving the memories of the dead and keeping them alive.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the harvest celebration of the pilgrims and the Native Americans that took place in the autumn of 1621. They pilgrims and the Native Americans had a gathering of a 3 day feast. The pilgrims came to America in 1621 and their first winter was devastating resulting in failed croups and deaths, they celebrated their first harvest with this feast of thanksgiving. In 1777 all thirteen colonies joined together to celebrate the thanksgiving. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. Since that time, every president has issued a Thanksgiving Day Proclamation every Thanksgiving, declaring it to be a national day of thanks. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt declared that the Thanksgiving would be on the third Thursday in November. Congress then approved that declaration two year later in 1941.
Each year we take time out to remember all the things in our life that we are thankful for and are blessed.

Birthdays

A birthday is the annual anniversary of the day that a person is born. Birthdays are celebrated in numerous cultures and a gift, party, or a rite of passage is given because of the coming of that age. The major religions celebrate the birth of their founders and people celebrate family, friends, and celebrate their own birthday’s. When the early people didn't have any way of keeping track of time (except by the moon or sun) a birthday was of little significance and no attention was paid to it. But, when ancient peoples first began taking notice of the moon's cycles and the changing seasons they realized that the repeating patterns had to do with time changes marks the beginning of recording the "birthday". In 1893 the song, "Happy Birthday Too You" was composed by two sister's and is now sung worldwide.

Anniversary

The word first was used for catholic feasts to commemorate the saints. An Anniversary is a day of remembrance that celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. Anniversary's celebrate achievements, marriages, births (birthday's), and death.

Sources:
http://www.ou.org/news/article/kaddish
http://www.military.com/veterans-day/
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-history.html#ixzz1JA31Z8P6
http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1427-los-dias-de-los-muertos-the-days-of-the-dead
http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/281634/jewish/The-Unveiling.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anniversary
http://www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com/birthday-history.html
http://www.holidays.net/sukkot/images/yahrzeit.jpg
http://en-5assets.hb-assets.com/images/cms/event/the_day_of_the_dead.jpg
http://www.freeenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Veterans-Day-2009.jpg
http://caleyelguero.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/unam-dia-de-los-muertos-022.jpg
http://tatesschool.com/News/09_10/images/2004_10_food_SugarSkullMound.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pofpa7CZ-Vg/SQz-gbNGp9I/AAAAAAAADbo/r-G_GJS2C5M/s400/IMG_6544.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tHyVWN_FhI0/StNIRBShU9I/AAAAAAAAAiU/Xir2OSRZYOY/s400/10645_Happy+Thanksgiving.jpg
http://images.free-extras.com/pics/h/happy_anniversary-1523.jpg
http://broadcasteverywhere.com/wfxdmorning/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/birthday_balloons_2.gif