Yom Kippur History Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, Hebrew: יום כיפור) is the last day to atone our sins of the Ten Days of Repentance, which start on the New Year (Rosh Hashanah). This is a fast mentioned in the Bible and the punishment mentioned for not keeping this fast is excommunication. Jews seek to …

Columbus Day History Columbus Day is the celebration of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Christopher Columbus was an Italian-born explorer who discovered the Americas for the Spanish King in 1492. King Ferdinand of Spain sponsored the expedition west in the hopes of sailing to India. In August of …

CRSPIA Quarterly meeting at the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Visitor's Center at 6:30 pm October 23rd

Halloween History Halloween, also called All Hallow's Eve, occurs on the eve of the Western Christian celebration of All Hallow's or All Saints Day - a day set aside to honor all the Saints of Christendom. Halloween is also a popular celebration with ties to the Celtic festival of Samhain, a celebration of the end …

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day History Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day seeks to honor the victims of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, an American Naval Station. The attack is often cited as the catalyst for American involvement in the Second World War, given that President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared war on Japan the following day. At 8am …

CRSPIA Quarterly meeting at the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Visitor's Center at 6:30 pm December 11TH

Winter Solstice History The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year as the Northern Hemisphere is angled the farthest away from the Sun on this day. The Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere happens every year around December 21 or 22.

Hanukkah History Chanukah (Hebrew: חנוכה) is an eight day Jewish festival, also known as the festival of lights. On each day a Menorah (an eight branched candelabra) is lit with an ascending number of candles to match the day. The reason for Chanukah is based on the story of the Maccabees battle with the Greeks. …

Christmas History Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. For modern Christians it also starts a 12-day Christmas season that begins on December 25th and ends on January 5th. Churches celebrate Christmas with services on Christmas Eve and often midnight masses. While the holiday is religious in origin, many cultures, even those without Christian ideologies, …

Kwanzaa History Kwanzaa is an African-American and Pan-African celebration of family, community and culture. Kwanzaa, a week-long cultural festival from the 26th of December to the 1st of January that climaxes in feasts and gift giving, was initially established to unite African-Americans with their African roots and heritage. Nguzo Saba, the seven principles that guide …