In 48 concise and knowledgeable mini-essays, this deck of cards presents the special days of the Jewish year, from the joy of a first haircut (upsheerin) to the awe and solemnity of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), from the ancient celebration of Passover (Pesach) to the recently introduced memorial for Holocaust victims (Yom ha-Shoah). Along with the annual cycle of Sabbath (Shabbat) and festival (yom tov), all the rites of passage from birth to death are addressed here. Rituals, customs, and traditional foods are explained as well as the complex web of astronomical, agricultural, historical, and kabbalistic reasons for observances. Whether you want to know why we eat hamentashen on Purim, shtchav (sorrel soup) at Shavout or hard-boiled eggs after a funeral, these cards will entertain while illuminating the pattern of Jewish life.