The Seven Pillars of Judaism

Just as other religions, jews have many traditions celebrations in order to pray and praise their God. These are Mezuzah, Tefillin, Shofar, Hanukkah, Kosher, Tzedakah, and Sabbath. In this post, I'll do brief review about each of these celebrations to know more about the jews, and therefore, understand Georg Koves' life in a much better way.

Mezuzah: The Mezuzah is used to fulfill the Mitzvah (Biblical Commandment) by the Jews. It consists of a special piece of writting which contains the words of the Shema, that's put inside a special case, which hangs in the doorways of jewish houses.  

Tefillin: These are small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment from the Torah which are wore by observant Jews during weekdays morning prayers. 
It consist in a black leather strip which goes around the body of the person (specially arms and neck) and a little box which is placed in the forehead. 


Shofar: The shofar is a Jewish instrument most often made from a ram’s horn, though it can also be made from the horn of a sheep or goat. It makes a trumpet-like sound and is traditionally blown on Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year.

Hanukkah: Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. It starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which coincides with late November-late December on the secular calendar.In Hebrew, the word "hanukkah" means "dedication." The name reminds us that this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E.

Kosher: Kashrut is the body of Jewish law dealing with what foods jews can and cannot eat and how those foods must be prepared and eaten. "Kashrut" comes from the Hebrew root Kaf-Shin-Reish, meaning fit, proper or correct. It is the same root as the more commonly known word "kosher," which describes food that meets these standards. The word "kosher" can also be used, and often is used, to describe ritual objects that are made in accordance with Jewish law and are fit for ritual use.

Tzedakah: Tzedakah literally means righteousness, but it is often interpreted as charity, because Judaism views giving as the ultimate act of righteousness. Whether it is teaching a skill, donating goods, or giving money, tzedakah is an integral part of living a Jewish life and is in fact required of all Jews.

Sabbath: The Jewish Sabbath day of rest, called Shabbat in Hebrew, begins on Friday evening and ends on Saturday evening. It's the day when families get together and take some time to think muse god and their religion.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezuzah
http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/whatisashofar.htm
http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/hanukkah.htm
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/practices/Ethics/Tzedakah_Charity.shtml