Holidays and Observances: Spring

Purim is a joyous holiday that commemorates the survival of Jews under Persian rule. Purim is commonly celebrated by exchanging gifts of food, listening to the story of Purim in synagogue, donating to the poor, and attending public celebrations in costume. The story of Purim is found in the Book of Ester in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. Learn more about Purim and how it is celebrated.

Passover (Pesach) is a major Jewish holiday commemorating the prophet Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt to freedom. The story of Moses is found in the Book of Exodus, and is one of the most well known stories from the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. During Passover, leavened food is not permitted in the home and is replaced with unleavened bread called matzah. The Passover seder service has a specific order of 14 steps which represents the story of the Exodus.

Holy Week is the most sacred week of the Christian calendar, which occurs a week before Easter Sunday. Western Christianity and Orthodox Christianity celebrate at different times, according to their respective liturgical calendars. Holy Week begins with the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the betrayal of Jesus on Holy Wednesday, the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, and the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. There are numerous traditions for Holy Week for every Christian denomination, although special services, fasting, and reenactments are common across denominations.

Easter is a Christian festival commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion and burial, as described in the New Testament. Easter may fall on different dates each year, as it follows a lunisolar calendar. The date is also different in Western and Orthodox Christianity, due to different liturgical calendars. Eggs are a common symbol for the holiday and are often decorated and dyed in various colors.

Vesak is an important Buddhist festival celebrating the Buddhas' birthday, or, according to some Buddhists, the day the Buddha also reached enlightenment. The date changes each year around May or June, on the first full moon in the month of Veskha, according to the Buddhist lunar calendar. Many cultures celebrate differently, but common observance includes visiting a local temple, meditation and reflection, and decorating with lanterns.

Ramadan is the holiest month in Islam, and falls on the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. Ramadan is commonly observed through prayer, fasting, and spending time with friends and family. During the month of Ramadan, adult Muslims may fast from sunrise to sunset. Fasts are broken each night after sunset with a communal meal called iftar. To greet those observing Ramadan, a common greeting is "Ramadan Mubarak" or "Ramadan Kareem"

Eid al-Fitr commemorates the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The holiday typically lasts for three days and is celebrated with special players and communal meals. The holiday is known as the Festival of Sweets, due to the tradition of eating sweet dishes and baked goods. New clothes and gifts may be another tradition in different communities.

Holi is a joyous Hindu festival that celebrates the divine love of the gods Radha and Krishna, as well as the triumph of good over evil. Holi has cultural and religious significance in the Indian subcontinent and the Indian diaspora around the world. The festival is typically celebrated with large bond fires the night before. On the day of, people celebrate in public by throwing colorful powder in the air and on others. Each color has a meaning, like green for new beginnings.