Jewish Holidays: Fact Sheet (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Sept. 6, 2023 |
| Report Number |
R45002 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Higgins, Molly |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Judaism is one of the three major Abrahamic faiths, alongside Islam and Christianity. Many
traditions and variations of Judaism are practiced in the United States, including cultural and
religious variations. According to the Pew Research Center (2020 data), about 2.4% of Americans
(7.5 million people) self-identify as religiously or culturally Jewish. Roughly 27% of American
Jews describe themselves as culturally, but not religiously, Jewish.1
This fact sheet highlights four major cultural and religious holidays (Passover, Rosh Hashanah,
Yom Kippur, and Hanukkah) observed by a significant portion of Jewish American populations
and addresses some of the ways that these holidays have been recognized by elected officials. It
does not include national holidays recognizing modern Israeli history.
This fact sheet is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to Jewish holidays. It
contains sample speeches and remarks from the Congressional Record, presidential
proclamations and remarks, and selected historical and cultural resources.
This is part of a series of Congressional Research Service fact sheets on religious holidays in the
United States.
