The pilgrim festivals are Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, while the High Holy Days are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The pilgrim festivals recall covenant history and were associated with pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem; the High Holy Days focus on judgment, repentance and reconciliation.
These festivals express b'rit, the covenant between God and the Jewish people. They make sacred history present through worship, food, prayer and communal observance rather than treating it only as a past event.
| Festival or period | Meaning and principal practices |
|---|---|
| Pesach | Remembers the Exodus from Egypt. The seder meal retells the story using symbolic foods, emphasizing liberation and covenant identity. |
| Shavuot | Marks the giving of the Torah at Sinai and has agricultural origins. Practices may include studying Torah through the night. |
| Sukkot | Recalls the Israelites' wilderness journey. Many observant Jews eat or spend time in a temporary shelter called a sukkah. |
| Rosh Hashanah | The Jewish New Year and beginning of a period of self-examination. The shofar is sounded, calling worshippers to reflection and teshuvah, meaning repentance or return to God. |
| Yom Kippur | The Day of Atonement. It includes fasting, confession, prayer and seeking reconciliation with God and other people. |
Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot are called the three pilgrimage festivals because the Torah connects them with appearing before God at the Temple. A common misconception is that Jewish people must still make this Temple pilgrimage today. Since the Temple no longer stands, contemporary observance centres on the home and synagogue, although practices vary among Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Liberal communities.
In IB World Religions SL, an Explain response should connect each ritual to covenant, communal identity and lived practice. Do not confuse the High Holy Days with the pilgrim festivals. Other examination boards may use terms such as “Three Pilgrimage Festivals” and “Days of Awe”, but the basic distinction remains the same.