All traditions
2,291 traditions so far, best known first. 12,311 more are on the list to be written. Filter by region, kind and meal.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreMystery of Crowning
A ritual where crowns are placed on the heads of the bride and groom during marriage in Eastern Christian churches.Rite of passage
🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreRowzeh-khani
A Shia Muslim ritual of reciting mourning narratives about the Battle of Karbala.Spiritual
🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreYashmakyaşmak
A traditional face and head veil worn in Turkey, Egypt and TurkmenistanDress
🇾🇪 YemenConfession in Judaismוִדּוּי (vīddūy)
Admitting sin before God, in daily prayer, on Yom Kippur and at the end of lifeSpiritual
🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreEidiyahعيدية
The holiday custom of presenting cash and gifts to children and relativesFestival
🇸🇾 Syria and 1 moreThree Sundays of Commemoration
A Maronite Christian observance held on the three Sundays before Lent to remember the departed.Spiritual · Dinner
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, IsraelChallah cover
A cloth used to cover braided bread loaves on the Shabbat table in Ashkenazi Jewish tradition.Spiritual · Dinner
🇮🇱 Meron, Israel and 1 moreUpsherinאָפּשערן
A boy's first haircut at three, the day his Jewish learning beginsRite of passage · Sweets given and shared
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, IsraelAravahערבה
The ritual waving and beating of willow branches during the festival of SukkotSpiritual
🇮🇱 Tel Aviv, IsraelLethal Lesbianלסבית קטלנית
An annual film festival in Tel Aviv dedicated to cinema by and about lesbian women.Festival
🇹🇷 TurkeyKarakucakKarakucak Güreşi
Turkish wrestling on grass, in baggy trousers, with oiling forbiddenGame
🇨🇾 CyprusLimassol CarnivalΚαρναβάλι Λεμεσού
A ten-day spring festival in Limassol featuring parades, costumes, satire and foam fights before Lent.Festival
🇱🇧 Beirut, LebanonBeirut Prideفخر بيروت
An annual LGBTQIA+ march and festival in Lebanon advocating for decriminalization and visibility.Festival
🇱🇧 Beirut, LebanonBeirut International Women Film Festival
An annual cinema festival in Beirut celebrating films made by and about womenPerformance
🇱🇧 Byblos, LebanonByblos International Festival
An annual summer music and arts festival held in the historic port town of Byblos, Lebanon.Festival
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesAbu Dhabi Science Festival
An annual science festival in the United Arab Emirates with hands-on workshops and showsFestival
🇨🇾 Nicosia, Cyprus and 1 moreInternational Festival of Ancient Greek Drama
An annual summer gathering in Cyprus staging classical Greek plays in historic open arenasPerformance
🇮🇱 Safed, IsraelShalom Aleichemשָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם
A traditional song sung on Friday night to welcome Sabbath angels into the homeSpiritual
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 2 morePassover sacrificeקרבן פסח
The lamb offering eaten at the start of Passover, from the Exodus storySpiritual · Feasts and festival meals
🇮🇷 Susa, IranSusa weddings
A mass royal wedding held in 324 BCE to unite Macedonian and Persian nobilityCeremony
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia and 3 moreGhadir Khummغَدِير خُمّ
A historic sermon and annual festival marking Ali's role in early Islam.Festival
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 morePurim costume
The Jewish custom of wearing masks and disguises during the festival of PurimDress
🇵🇸 Palestine and 1 morePalestine Festival of Literatureاحتفالية فلسطين للأدب
An annual touring literary gathering staging free bilingual readings across PalestinePerformance
🇮🇱 IsraelProfession of Faith
A public declaration of religious belief across Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditionsSpiritual
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 1 moreHoshana Rabbahהוֹשַׁעְנָא רַבָּה
The seventh and final day of Sukkot, marked by seven synagogue processions and night-long study.Festival · Dinner
🇮🇱 Israel and 3 moreLeil Selichotליל הסליחות
A night of penitential prayers and poems recited before the Jewish New Year to seek forgiveness.Spiritual
🇮🇱 Tel Aviv, Israel and 5 moreTel Aviv International Student Film Festival
A week-long gathering in June where student filmmakers from around the world screen their work, attend workshops, and mePerformance
🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreArkhalig
A traditional fitted jacket worn by men and women in the Caucasus and IranDress
🇹🇷 Ankara, TurkeySohbet meetingsGeleneksel Sohbet Toplantıları
Men's gatherings of talk, music and food, kept in towns across TurkeyPerformance
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesSheikh Zayed Festivalمهرجان الشيخ زايد
An annual cultural and heritage festival held in Al Wathba, Abu DhabiFestival
🇯🇴 Amman, JordanJordan Short Film Festivalمهرجان الأردن للفيلم القصير
Amman's annual gathering for independent short cinema from Jordan and across the worldFestival
🇮🇱 IsraelTefillat Talתפילת טל
A Jewish prayer for dew, recited on the opening morning of PassoverSpiritual
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, IsraelSong of Ascentsשיר המעלות
Fifteen Hebrew psalms sung by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem and by monks at prayerSpiritual
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia and 5 moreGargee'anقرقيعان
A mid-Ramadan night when children sing at doors for sweets and nutsFestival
🇯🇴 Amman, JordanAl-Balad Music Festival
A multi-day summer music festival held in the historic open-air theatres of AmmanPerformance
🇮🇷 Kashan, IranOmar Koshanعمرکشان
A yearly carnival in Iran where social roles reverse to honor Fatima al-Zahra and remember historical figures.Festival
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, IsraelAliya la'regelעלייה לרגל
A Jewish commandment to appear at the Temple in Jerusalem during three annual festivals.Spiritual
🇴🇲 OmanKumaكمة
A round white Omani cap for men, embroidered and pierced to keep the head coolDress
🇮🇱 Israel and 2 moreDay of Salvation and Liberationיום השחרור וההצלה
A Jewish holiday on the 26th of Iyar to thank God for saving Jews from Nazi annihilation.Festival
🇦🇪 Sharjah, United Arab EmiratesSir Bu Nair Festival
An annual maritime gathering celebrating seafaring and island conservation in SharjahFestival
🇨🇾 Limassol, CyprusWine Festival of CyprusΓιορτή του Κρασιού
An annual autumn celebration of winemaking, folklore and food in Limassol, CyprusFestival · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇵🇸 Jerusalem, Palestine and 1 moreThursday of the Deadخميس الأموات
A spring day of cemetery visits, prayer, and shared yellow breads across the LevantSpiritual · Sweets given and shared
🇶🇦 Doha, QatarDoha Cultural Festival
An annual sixteen-day arts and heritage festival held in Qatar's capitalFestival
🇮🇱 IsraelEve of Passover on Shabbatערב פסח
Special Jewish calendar customs when the eve of Passover coincides with the SabbathSeasonal · Dinner
🇮🇱 Safed, Israel and 2 moreZemirotזמירות
Jewish table hymns sung during the three meals of Shabbat and holidaysSpiritual · Dinner
🇰🇼 KuwaitQurain Cultural Festival
An annual arts festival in Kuwait that showcases theatre, literature and visual art.Festival
🇮🇱 IsraelShabbatonשבתון
A Jewish communal retreat or educational program centered on ShabbatSpiritual
🇵🇸 al-Khader, PalestineFeast of Saint George
An annual gathering of Palestinian Christians and Muslims honouring Saint GeorgeSpiritual · Feasts and festival meals
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Kuma: Dr. Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Song of Ascents: No machine-readable author provided. Amoruso~commonswiki assumed (base, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Eid al-Ghadir: khamenei.ir, CC BY 4.0, source
- Hoshana Rabbah: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Passover sacrifice: מפוכח, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Limassol Carnival: Sergey Galyonkin, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Beirut Pride: Beirut Pride, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Rowzeh-khani: Amir Hesaminejad, CC BY 4.0, source
- Mystery of Crowning: Shakko, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Susa weddings: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Purim costume: Flavio~, CC BY 2.0, source
- Profession of Faith: Westminster Assembly, Public domain, source
- Leil Selichot: Yael Shilo יעל שילה, CC BY 3.0, source
- Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival: Adam4896, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Wine Festival of Cyprus: George M. Groutas, CC BY 2.0, source
- Feast of Saint George: Onceinawhile, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Yashmak: Jean-Léon Gérôme, Public domain, source
- Upsherin: Vered Peer, CC BY 4.0, source
- Aravah: DRosenbach ( Talk | Contribs ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Eve of Passover on Shabbat: בעלת הזכויות - טלי אמתי, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Zemirot: ביקורת, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shabbat meals: Yoninah, Public domain, source
- Confession in Judaism: Nathan [ben Samson] of Mezhyrich, Public domain, source
- Eidiyah: Rahbar Emamdadi, CC BY 4.0, source