canislytherinthings:

Reblog to spread the word maybe? (;

Ok so lately I’ve seen a lot of Simon Lewis fanfictions with some incorrect Judaism elements. So after some thinking, I’ve decided to write the full Simon Lewis writing- guide. 

Now, most of the stuff here are choices. I mean, Jewish people choose whether to do them or not. Judging by some elements in the tv series\books, I personally think Simon is pretty religious and will do part of them. 

Stages in life:

• BRIT MILAH (circumcision): When a Jewish male baby reaches the age of 8 days, the infant is going through a circumcision ceremony, which is usually followed by a celebration meal. This ceremony has different parts and Biblical reference. (read more)

• BAR MITZVA: Bar Mitzva is A milestone for a teenage Jewish male that symbolises adulthood. After a Bar Mitzva celebration, the male is considered to be able to discriminate between right and wrong, to have his own responsibilities and opportunities. The Bar Mitzva contains a religious ceremony in a Synagogue and an optional additional celebration party. This is a very important stage according to Jewish traditions and is celebrated on the day of  the male’s 13th birthday according to the Jewish calendar. (read more)
  
  

 Magor holidays and traditions:

• ROSH HASHANA (New Year celebration): Jewish New year is different from the Christian because of the different calendar. It usually falls around September. In this holiday there’s a family celebration meal, with many traditional foods like head of a fish (to symbolise the wish to be a head and not a tail), apple with honey (to have a sweet year), pomegranate (to have many Jewish people just like the pomegranate’s seeds. The religious part of this holiday contains of prayers and hearing the Shofar. (read more)
  
  
• YOM KIPPUR: Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. On that day, Jewish people pray for God to forgive their sins and mistakes. Jewish people, traditionally, are not allowed to eat, drink, drive, light fire or gas, write, draw, tear papers apart, showering or brushing teeth, use electronic devices and more. I have to say that not all people chose to do all the above, I, for example, avoid eating and drinking sometimes but do all the above normally. 
  
  
• SUKKOT: Sukkot is a traditional Jewish holiday. the main custom of the holiday is building a sukkah (a special bower) and staying inside for 7 days. There is a special celebration meal and prayers. The sukkah is usually built when Yom Kippur ends. Kids and teens usually decorate the sukkah in special decorations. (read more)
  
  
•  HANUKKAH: Hanukkah is celebrated to remember the victory in the revolution of Jews against the Greeks. The holiday has 8 days, and traditionally, people need to light a candle in each. This holiday has a really nice background story and really nice traditions and traditional foods (such as Sufganiyah (doughnut), and Leviva (potato latkes.) (if you’ve heard about dreidels, that’s this holiday :D) (read more)
  
  
• PURIM (personally my fav): Purim is a holiday that symbolizes the victory of the Jewish people over the evil people who wanted to kill them. This is a very traditional holiday, but also have a really modern side. mostly teens and kids (but honestly everyone) dress up in costumes. People give packages with sweets and food to poor people. There are prayers and reading in the Bible. this holiday lasts one day and the main theme of this is a celebration, colorfulness and happiness. (read more)
  
  
• PASSOVER: Passover is an important, biblically derived Jewish festival.
  This holiday is celebrated because of the freedom God gave to the Jews after a long period of slavery in ancient Egypt. On the first day of the holiday, there is a huge family traditional meal, with lots of traditional foods and customs. (such as drinking 4 glasses of wine, eating Matza, Haroset and more) In that meal, you leave a chair and glass of wine for Aliahu the prophet (what Clary was talking about in the show). Kids and Teens search for a hidden Matza (a Kosher bread), and whoever finds it first gets a prize. This holiday has it’s own special prayers, songs, a very special background story and traditions. You cannot eat bread on this holiday. (read more) 
  
  
• SHAVUOT: On Shavuot, people celebrate the day the Bible was given to them by God, and the harvest of the land of Israel. On that holiday, Jewish people eat a lot of cheese products. ( read more)

Other:

• SHABBAT: Shabbat is the seventh day of the week, and the holiest day for Jewish people. It’s believed that in Shabbat God rested after creating the world, so Jewish people need to do so as well. It’s forbidden to drive, light fire, work, and more. On that day, Religious people pray in the synagogue. (although, it’s a choice, and what you do or don’t depends on how religious you are.) (read more)

• KOSHER FOOD: Jewish people aren’t allowed to eat many animals (like pork, for example.) or sea-fruits. Jewish people aren’t allowed to eat meat and milk together, and need to wait an amount of hours between eating it. as I said, this is a choice and you can choose to eat it all. (full list and more)
  

So that’s it guys! that took me too long to write this. I just hope people will help to keep the Jewish traditions alive through their fanfictions and writing. That’s not all, and i’ll probably add more later, but if you have questions feel free to ask me and i’ll try to help or contact someone who can (: