Sabbath

The Sabbath ("Shabbat" in Hebrew) is the day of rest for the Jewish people. It begins at sundown on Friday and ends when three stars are visible to the naked eye in the dark skies Saturday evening, about 40 minutes after sundown.

Because of the Sabbath, the workweek in Israel is from Sunday-Thursday. The Sabbath is the most important spiritual observance in the Jewish religion and is the only ritual observance included in the Ten Commandments.

According to Judaism, it is forbidden to work on the Sabbath. This extends to the use of electricity or gas, thus observant Jews do not drive or use electric appliances on the Sabbath.

On the Sabbath, the religious service in the synagogue includes reading the weekly portion of the Torah. Traditionally, religious services are held Friday evening and on Saturday.

On Friday evening, two candles are lit to mark the beginning of the Sabbath and a blessing is made, traditionally by the women in the house. As part of the traditional Sabbath meal, the man recites a blessing, called the "kiddush" over a cup of wine.