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Valentine’s Day was first instituted by Pope Gelasius I in 496 C.E. to commemorate the martyrdom of St. Valentine. Yet scholars know almost nothing about this St. Valentine. Most believe that Valentine lived in the late 3rd century C.E. However, the name Valentine (derived from the Latin word valeo meaning strong) was common in the ancient Discover the history of Valentine's Day and its connection to Christianity. Learn why some Jews choose to celebrate the holiday while others prefer Tu B'Av, a Jewish Day of Love. Find out how this alternative celebration has become a Jewish equivalent to Valentine's Day, complete with flowers, romantic dinners, and proposals. The origins of Valentine’s Day are linked to a saint, though the connections are dubious and even the Catholic Church has removed Valentine's Day from its calendar. Some would say there is no reason why Jews cannot celebrate Valentine's Day, though others might argue that, as a holiday rooted in Christian tradition, it would be a bit peculiar. Love is in the air. With the advent of Valentine's Day, the United States Greeting Card Association estimates that roughly 1,000,000,000 greeting cards filled with declarations of love are sent worldwide – and that number doesn't include the flowers, chocolates, jewelry and gifts that have become part of the rituals of this day on the calendar dedicated to expressing the emotion that The amazing Rabbi Mike Uram offers his assessment of whether or not it is problematic for Jews to celebrate Valentine’s Day, so feel free to read his view, or any other that you like. But what I want to say about this is: many Americans Jews (dare I say – the majority) feel the same way I do and like celebrating “Hallmark holidays” like Jews Should Celebrate Valentine's Day ; A Jewish Reason to Hate Valentine's Day ; Furthermore, the Mishnah and the Talmud devote a full tractate to idolatry - Avodah Zara - going over the intricate details of what constitutes idolatry and what doesn’t and how Jews should conduct themselves in their relations with gentiles: i.e., in such a way that not only are they not worshiping other gods Before we discuss Tu b’Av, let us first examine why Orthodox Jews do not observe Valentine’s Day. After all, it’s a day dedicated to love – isn’t that a good thing? A Catholic Holiday? For starters, the full name of the holiday is “Saint Valentine’s Day.” You are probably familiar with St. Patrick’s Day. And that is what got me thinking: is Valentine’s Day an appropriate celebration for Jews? Valentine’s Day isn’t really a religious holiday. Yes, there is a saint distantly associated with it, but we all know that it’s a secular holiday. And it is one that celebrates love. Hey, Judaism is in favor of love. (8) Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said, "Never were there more joyous festivals in Israel than the 15th of Av and the Day of Atonement, for on them the maidens of Jerusalem used to go out dressed in white garments—borrowed ones, in order not to cause shame to those who had them not of their own;—these clothes were also to be previously immersed, and thus they went out and danced in the Love is one of the greatest Jewish values, one of the greatest human values. Ideally, it should be celebrated not just on Valentine’s Day, but 365 days a year! To the extent that Valentine’s Day reminds us to make the time to treat those we love to something special, it is good. That said, we Jews have our own holiday to celebrate love. As I said above, Judaism focuses more on actions than on beliefs, and books about Judaism tend to do the same. Most books emphasize holidays, practices and observances. The best summary of Jewish beliefs I've seen is Milton Steinberg's Basic Judaism. This book presents and contrasts the traditional and modern perspectives, and shows that we Valentine’s Day is no longer celebrated even by Christians as a Christian holiday. It is a day of love, friendship, and candy, each of which is independently explainable,” he added. However, Rabbi Broyde noted, “I think it is the conduct of the pious to avoid explicitly celebrating Valentine’s Day with a Valentine’s day card.” How do you celebrate Valentine's Day, St Patrick's Day, etc? These "holidays" are more owned by Hallmark and ethnic festivals than anything else. If celebration involved anything more than giving flowers/chocolates to your loved one, wearing green, trick-or-treating or whatever, I don't think Jews would do it. Tu B’Av was almost unnoticed in the Jewish calendar for many centuries but it has been rejuvenated in recent decades, especially in the modern state of Israel. In its modern incarnation it is gradually becoming a Jewish Day of Love, slightly resembling Valentine’s Day in English-speaking countries. 8 Quirkiest Facts About Tu B’Av — the ‘Jewish Valentine’s Day’ You Never Heard Of; This is more or less how the story of the modern revival of Tu B’av is told today. There’s just one In ancient Israel, it was a day for young unmarried people to ask each other out. In modern day Israel today, Tu B’Av is a day for romance, with couples spending time together, going out to dinner, and declaring their love. With so much about Valentine’s Day anathema to Jewish values, Valentine’s Day isn’t a holiday I feel comfortable If you’ve heard of Tu B’Av, which begins on the evening of August 11 this year, you’ve probably heard that it’s a kind of late-summer Jewish Valentine’s Day. In Israel, it’s become a popular date for weddings and parties, and it’s starting to catch on in the US, too. In this way, we can answer the first question: should we celebrate Valentine’s Day as Jews? I believe that if we do appreciate its current understanding, an appreciation of love, there seems no Special thanks to Amy-Jill Levine, University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and College of Arts and Sciences, for her assistance with this article. To read this article, “What Do Jews Believe About Jesus?” in Spanish (leer en Español), click here. Tu B'Av is often considered a Jewish version of Valentine's Day. But this ancient holiday has its own distinct traditions and practices, which have evolved until today. Here's what you should know.
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