Genizah finds reflect the passage of a year in the Jewish calendar. The Jewish calendar begins in the autumn with the holiday of Rosh Hashanah (New Year), during which a shofar (ram’s horn) is sounded. This is followed by the holidays of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Feast of Booths or Tabernacles) and Simchat Torah (Joy of the Torah). Sukkot is represented in the genizah mainly by inconspicuous bundles of willow branches (aravot), which are among the four types of plants that are shaken together as a ritual during this holiday. Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) and Purim take place in the winter. Purim is a time of merrymaking, wine drinking and mask-wearing, and is celebrated by reading the Scroll of Esther. The main holiday of the spring season is Pesach (Passover), which commemorates the departure of the Jews from Egypt and is celebrated by reading the Haggadah. Coming in the late spring and early summer, Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) commemorates the harvest and the revelation of the Torah. The Jewish year also commemorates tragic events in Jewish history with days of fasting. One such day is Tisha B’Av, the 9th day of the month of Av, which commemorates the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem
