Major Holidays Research Articles

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF SARIMAX AND LSTM MODEL IN PREDICTING IMPORT QUANTITIES OF MILK, BUTTER, AND EGGS

This study evaluates how well SARIMAX and LSTM models predict monthly imports of HS-04 commodities (butter, eggs, and milk) in Indonesia. Data were provided by BPS Statistics Indonesia, Bank Indonesia, Ministry of Trade, Trade Map, and Indonesia National Single Window and used from January 2006 to February 2024. The SARIMAX model included exogenous variables such as inflation rates, USD/IDR exchange rates, and major Indonesian holidays (Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Christmas, and Lunar New Year). The results show that the SARIMAX and LSTM models predict the import volumes of butter, eggs, and milk with good accuracy. However, the SARIMAX model demonstrated superior forecasting accuracy, achieving a lower RMSE of 7547.89 and a MAPE of 13.16 compared to the LSTM model, which yielded an RMSE of 8787.73 and a MAPE of 14.89. The SARIMAX model performed significantly better when the lunar new year was added as an exogenous variable. In order to support price stability and economic growth in Indonesia, this research provides policymakers and industry stakeholders with critical information to optimize import management strategies for butter, eggs, and milk commodities. Accurate forecasts can contribute to price stability, enhanced food security, and sustainable economic development in Indonesia by enabling informed decisions on import quotas, tariff adjustments, investment in domestic production, and strategic reserves.

Peculiarities of anti-religious policy and atheistic upbringing in Soviet Ukraine in the 20s and 30s of the twentieth century

In the 20s and 30s of the XX century. anti-religious propaganda in Soviet Ukraine was gaining momentum. In the course of the anti-religious Soviet policy, the school occupied a rather important place. The goal of the declared anti-religious policy was to destroy Orthodox, Catholic (Greek Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, etc.) ideological social canons, to break age-old family foundations, to educate a person of a new «Soviet» model. In large settlements, nurseries, 24-hour kindergartens and boarding facilities of various profiles began to be opened in large numbers. Under such conditions, family education has dramatically lost its authority, especially in cities. A normal phenomenon was the universal rejection of parents, whom the Soviet authorities suspected of collaborating with the then class enemies. Even in kindergartens, children were taught by educators that priests in temples are bad people who distract gullible hardworking people from work and promote very dubious narratives. Atheism became the new dominant ideology of the Soviet government. That is, the younger generation witnessed unpunished crimes against humanity. Soviet atheist education as a flagrant phenomenon of violation of human rights is especially noticeable when analyzing the life of Muslim families in Ukraine (their children have always lived isolated from the Ukrainian population, and received education at temples and learned to live under classical Muslim education). Anti-church and state literature, which was published at that time, despite the significant level of ignorance of the majority of the population, did not withstand any criticism and did not fulfill high party tasks. One of the forms of fighting against the religiosity of the population was demonstrative psychological pressure on believers from the side of employees. Therefore, in their majority, people were forced to hide their religious views in order not to harm their families. Communist carnivals, held on the days of major religious holidays and aimed at destroying religiosity among the average population, were the most vivid manifestations of the Soviet anti-church state policy.

Practicing What They Preach: Do Medical Specialty and Subspecialty Conferences Incorporate Physician Wellness Into Their Programs?

Depending upon their organization and content, medical conferences can enhance wellness or create additional stress for physician attendees. The objective of our study was to examine the degree to which major medical specialty and subspecialty conferences incorporate wellness into their meeting programs. We performed a cross-sectional study of major medical conferences occurring in 2023 representing specialties and subspecialties with the greatest number of active physicians. Meeting programs and agendas were reviewed for conference timing including if scheduled on a weekend and/or United States Federal or major religious holiday, availability of childcare, and wellness-themed activities and sessions. Sessions were categorized across seven wellness domains, including emotional, environmental, financial, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual. Programing was available for 39 of the 41 conferences. The median conference length was five days. Approximately 97% (38/39) of conferences were held over all or part of a weekend and 21% (8/39) were scheduled over a Federal or religious holiday. Only one in 10 meetings advertised childcare. Fifty-four percent of conferences included a wellness activity such as a fun run, yoga, meditation, or city tour. The majority of agendas included sessions across multiple wellness domains, most commonly social (n=427), occupational (n=356), and emotional (n=140). Most major medical specialty and subspecialty conferences incorporate wellness-themed activities and sessions into their agendas; however, opportunities exist to improve the availability of childcare, optimize scheduling, and offer more expansive programing across wellness domains.

Implementasi Penanaman Nilai-Nilai Moderasi Beragama di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Tahasus Maarif Nu Pedan Tahun Ajaran 2024/2025

This research aims to analyze (1) the implementation of instilling religious moderation values ​​at MI Tahasus Maarif NU Pedan for the 2024/2025 academic year, (2) obstacles to implementing the instillation of religious moderation values, (3) solutions for overcoming obstacles. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach. Data collection was carried out using interview, observation and documentation techniques. The subjects of this research were Madrasah Heads and Teachers, research informants were Madrasah Heads, Teachers and Students. Activities in data analysis include four processes, namely data collection, data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. The results of the research show: (1) The implementation of instilling the values ​​of religious moderation at MI Tahasus Maarif NU Pedan is carried out by providing understanding to students in the form of materials that related to the values ​​of religious moderation and by holding programs or activities in the aspect of nationalism, for example routinely holding flag ceremonies every Monday, ceremonies commemorating major holidays, watching historical films, study tours. (2) the obstacles are: Students don't pay attention to the teacher during lessons, the learning atmosphere is less supportive, they talk to themselves when learning, students don't understand the material taught by the teacher, there are still students who don't take part in the activities carried out in the program or value instillation activities. -values ​​of religious moderation, There are still teachers who have difficulty collaborating with learning activities and activity programs in instilling the values ​​of religious moderation. (3) Solution: Collaborating themes of religious moderation in subjects, Holding programs or activities to instill the values ​​of religious moderation.

CHANGES IN BODY COMPOSITION INDUCED BY ORTHODOX RELIGIOUS FASTING ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Scientific research in recent decades has increasingly focused on changes in body composition influenced by Orthodox religious fasting, which the Church has established before major holidays. The purpose of this study is to provide more information on how body composition parameters changed among high school students who followed the recommendations of Orthodox religious fasting for forty days (during Lent). A sample of twenty-eight students from Holy Cyril and Methodius High School in Niš was analyzed . The average age of all male participants was 17.4 ± 1.2 years. Anthropometric measures were taken both before and after the 40-day fast. The Omron BF 511 device, which provided information on body weight, BMI (body mass index), percentage of body fat, percentage of skeletal muscle, and basal metabolic rate, was used to measure body composition values. The acquired data were subjected to statistical analyses, including ANOVA and MANOVA for repeated measures. The results show a statistically significant difference (p = 0.012) between the initial and final measurements based on the MANOVA analysis. This study indicates that students interested in reducing weight while maintaining their muscle mass could benefit from practicing Orthodox religious fasting for 40 days. Further research is needed to confirm these results and explore the long-term effects of religious fasting and the post-fasting period, particularly for this participant sample.

Location method for emergency rescue node on expressways based on spatio-temporal characteristics of vehicle operation

Expressway networks are continuously developing and emergency rescue demand is increasing proportionately. The location of expressway emergency rescue nodes needs refinement to meet changing requirements. In this study, the expressway was modeled as an expressway network. The differences in the origin destination (OD) distribution matrices for working days and major holidays were used as the bases for determining the need for temporary emergency rescue nodes. Overlapping and non-overlapping community detection algorithms were used to extract the distribution characteristics of OD during both day categories. These distributions were used to determine permanent and temporary emergency rescue sites. In this study, we considered the differences in traffic volume, distance, and impact of four vehicle types on traffic accidents to select the location of emergency rescue nodes, and allocate emergency resources. An emergency rescue node selection model for an expressway network was established based on spatio-temporal characteristics. The results based on a regional example determined that 22 permanent and 25 temporary emergency rescue nodes were appropriate. The average rescue time for traffic accidents during working days and major holidays compared to the P-center location model, was reduced by approximately 27.08% and 6.70%, respectively. The coefficient of variation of emergency rescue time was reduced by approximately 28.22% and 21.41%, respectively. The results indicated that the model satisfied the expressway emergency rescue demand requirements, and improved the rationality of the rescue center node layout.

Penanganan Guest Request oleh Guest Service Center di Department Front Office Hotel Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Resort & Spa

Handling Guest Requests by the Guest Service Center in the Front Office Department at Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Resort & Spa.In the era of globalization and rapid growth in the tourism industry, hotel service has become a crucial aspect in ensuring customer satisfaction. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the dynamics of the hospitality industry, and as recovery progresses, it is important for hotels to enhance the quality of their services to attract customers back. Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Resort & Spa, with its unique architecture and luxurious facilities, has seen an increase in occupancy post-pandemic, especially during high seasons like religious celebrations and major holidays. The task of ensuring customer satisfaction is handled by the Guest Service Center, and it is not an easy task. This department serves as the hub for all guest information and requests, acting as the front line in direct contact with hotel guests. Every agent in the Guest Service Center must possess skills such as proper speaking etiquette, telephone etiquette, quick response, and diplomatic actions to achieve a good image, ensuring that guests are satisfied with the service provided. The purpose of this research is to analyze the request handling process, identify the challenges, and find the solutions implemented by the Guest Service Center at Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Resort & Spa. The results of this research are expected to be used to improve service quality and has been assisted with a good customer complaint handling system.

The Relation Between Domestic Violence and Professional, Contact Sports: It's Complicated.

Learning theories provide explanations for domestic violence; they can also aid in our understanding of the relation between contact sports and domestic violence. Notably, language used during sporting events and athletes' behaviors being rewarded both on and off the field can influence the behaviors of viewers. Adubato (2016) found a statistically significant relation between an increase in domestic violence arrests and the kick-off times of Philadelphia Eagles football games. Here, we replicate and extend this work to Chicago and Boston. We examine quantitative, hourly data from the Chicago and Boston Police Departments and compare mean domestic violence arrests in an 8-hour period from the average Bears' and Patriots' (football) kick-off times, respectively, to the same time period on non-football Sundays, major holidays, and days of rival Blackhawks' and Bruins' (hockey) games, respectively. Results show a significant difference in average domestic violence arrests between hockey games and non-football Sundays in Chicago only. This work highlights the importance of context in examining domestic violence nationally and has implications for domestic violence policies in professional sports' organizations.

Understanding the Post‐Pandemic Travel Intentions Among Chinese Residents: Impact of Sociodemographic Factors, COVID Experiences, Travel Planned Behaviours, Health Beliefs, and Resilience

ABSTRACTWe investigate the shift of travel intentions among Chinese residents following the end of China's Zero‐COVID policy in December 2022. Focusing on the 2023 Spring Festival, the first major holiday after the pandemic, we examine the factors influencing travel intentions, including travel experiences during COVID‐19, sociodemographics, infection and vaccination experiences, travel planned behaviours, health beliefs, and resilience. Using a cohort study approach, we conducted online surveys in two phases. Initial findings from 1, 263 respondents pre‐holiday indicated a moderate intention to travel (average 3.3 out of 5). The results reveal diminishing effects of COVID‐19 vaccination, infection experiences and health beliefs (perceived susceptibility, severity and benefits) over time. Past travel experiences, planned behaviours (attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control), perceived barriers and resilience significantly elevate travel intentions in the post‐COVID period. Additionally, a post‐holiday survey found that 44.3% of 79 participants had travelled, providing insight into the evolving travel tendencies.

The Legitimacy Boundary of Government Intervention in Price

The tourism market has become an important driving force for local economic growth, thus local governments have intensions to promote the development of local tourism industry by intervening in tourist hotel room prices during major holidays. Through four events, three modes of local government intervention in hotel prices can be summarized: first, the government takes administrating price replaces the market regulation price mechanisms; second, the government takes restrictions on the pricing rights of operators while maintaining market regulation price mechanisms; third, under the market regulation price mechanisms, the governments exhort operators to exercise price self-discipline. The second model contains potential risk of breaking price rule of law because price mechanism and pricing rights of operators are confirmed by constitution. The three modes have caused intuition chaos between regions and make a consequence in dividing the nationwide tourism hotel market into fragments. Under the requirement of constructing unified national market, the order of hotel price should be maintained from unified, legal, and diverse dimension.

Мультимодальная репрезентация Дня мертвых в мексиканском мультипликационном дискурсе

The article aims to identify the multimodal means of representing the Day of the Dead in Mexican children’s animated films in Spanish. The research focuses on the verbal and non-verbal means of representing this major Mexican holiday in the animated films Coco and El libro de la vida, which are identified using multimodal analysis. The multimodal representation of the celebration of the Day of the Dead is a discursive whole, conveying culturally significant information through verbal, visual and auditory modes. The holiday is depicted in bright colours, whose symbolism is rooted in the culture of the ancient Mayan and Aztec tribes. Death is shown as a natural transition to the next stage of existence, i.e. the bright world of the eternal holiday. The key idea in the multimodal representation of the celebration of the Day of the Dead is that of preserving memory, which at the verbal level is actualized through lexical units with the meanings of memory and closeness and through the lexical-thematic group family and loved ones; at the non-verbal (visual) level the idea is manifested by images of family reunions at cemeteries on the Day of the Dead, while at the auditory level, through the song “Recuérdame”, whose style and manner of performance in Coco change depending on the singer and the meanings being conveyed. Representatives of Mexican linguoculture believe that a person continues to live as long as he/she is remembered. The life in the Land of the Remembered is portrayed by means of positive evaluative adjectives with the meaning of holiday/ fun, while the poor souls in the Land of the Forgotten will face a sad and lonely fate and final death. Multimodal representation of the Day of the Dead involves using certain lexical-semantic units and visual components of the animated text to demonstrate the key culture-specific realia (ofrenda, alebrije, cempasúchil, calavera).

Analysis Of The Meaningfulness Of Lamang Siarang Traditional Food As A Typical Food Of Sariak Alahan Tigo, Solok District

This research is motivated by the fact that traditional cakes are rarely found because most people tend to like ready-to-eat food, especially in economic activities which are intended to increase the productivity of people's living standards. In the economic world, selling traditional cakes is less popular with the public. This has resulted in the lack of existence of traditional cakes among the public. The cause of the decline in the existence of traditional Indonesian cakes is the influence of globalization which makes traditional Indonesian cakes less popular compared to continental cakes and other than that, traditional cake makers are those who can be said to be elderly and quite a few young people are reluctant to participate in continuing to make traditional Indonesian cakes so that traditional cakes are hard to find. Like Lamang Siarang, it is very rarely known by the wider community because this traditional cake itself is only made on certain occasions and the manufacturing process is complicated and takes quite a long time. In this research, qualitative methods are used to reveal phenomena that occur based on natural facts, researching social life, behavior, function, organization, history and social movements, not controlled or manipulated conditions. The type of research used in this research is qualitative with a descriptive approach. Data was obtained from observations, interviews, and documentation by going directly into the field to obtain data from research informants. After the data obtained was saturated, the research stopped to conduct research on the meaning contained in Lamang Siarang on special days such as weddings, the Prophet's birthday, the 100th anniversary of death, welcoming the holy month of Ramadan and major Islamic holidays.

Traditions of the Independence Day Celebrations in Poland and the Baltic States

The system of public holidays and rituals developed by people is an important indication of the transformation of the spiritual culture of each European nation. At the same time, they return to the origins – the historical past and declare the vectors of development for the future. The article is aimed at the investigation and analysis of the typology of the formation of state independence holidays in Poland and the Baltic states, correlating it with key, fateful moments in the history of each nation. Poland has rebuilt radically all spheres of material and spiritual life after the fall of the communist regime. The formation of society on new democratic essential principles reflects the calendar of festive and commemorative dates of the modern Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It includes major and minor holidays of the liturgical (Catholic) year and secular traditions of various origins. A notable attitude of the Poles is to celebrate officially both religious and important civil anniversaries on the same day. The special historical significance of the Polish Independence Day is given by the chronological reference to the date of the end of the First World War (November 11, 1918). The contemporary holiday culture of Poland is characterized by a symbiosis of ethnic and confessional elements. At the everyday level the state holiday of independence is combined harmoniously with folklore and ethnographic traditions of St. Martin’s Day. Along with Poland, the Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - whose history has a lot in common, have fought radically and consistently with the heritage of the communist past. Song holidays and festivals are of a great significance in preserving the national identity of the Baltic states. Today there are, in fact, two independence holidays in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The first is connected with 1918, when all these republics have gained statehood on the ruins of the Russian Empire, the second one - in honor of the events of 1990-1991, finished with the decay of the USSR. The conducted research has proved that the peoples of Poland and the Baltic states at the turn of the 20th-21st centuries have been able to free themselves from the heritage of the communist past and the totalitarian dictation of the aggressive Russian Federation, becoming full members of the European Union and NATO. The system of currently acting official holidays and rituals can serve as a clear evidence of the radical restructuring of ideology and culture in these countries.

Hadrah Sebagai Media Dakwah Dalam Meningkatkan Perilaku Keagamaan Pemuda Majlis Ta’lim Arafah Bojonggede Bogor

Abstract— This study explores the impact of hadrah as a means of Islamic propagation in enhancing the religious behavior of youth in Majlis Ta'lim Arafah Bojonggede, Bogor. Majlis Ta'lim Arafah Bojonggede is a regular activity of the local community, often conducted more frequently than special gatherings for Islamic students, with the main events usually held on Friday evenings and during major Islamic holidays. The implementation of hadrah as a means of Islamic propagation involves several concrete steps, such as integration into events, training and practice, Islamic content in hadrah, empowerment of youth, and evaluation. The impact of hadrah is evident in the increased enthusiasm for Islamic propagation, the positive psychological reception of messages, and its significance in shaping Islamic behavior. In the context of Edward L. Deci's theory of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, it is found that intrinsic motivation, stemming from internal satisfaction, and extrinsic motivation, stemming from external factors, mutually influence each other in enhancing engagement and Islamic behavior. In conclusion, hadrah as a means of Islamic propagation can significantly contribute to enhancing the religious behavior of youth, with intrinsic and extrinsic motivation playing a crucial role in this process. Keywords: Hadrah, Islamic propagation, Religious behavior, Intrinsic motivation, Extrinsic motivation

Developing a Horizontal Risk Assessment Instrument for incidents of domestic violence victims in Greece: Understanding the landscape and risk factors as identified by the Hellenic Police

ABSTRACT This article describes the process of developing the Hellenic Risk Assessment Instrument reaching the pilot phase, with particular application to the police. The Risk Assessment tool is designed to assess incidents of domestic violence for recidivism and lethality. In particular, the Hellenic Risk Assessment tool is designed to be applied horizontally, across all frontline national agencies that receive reports of domestic violence and abuse (health, police, social services, specialised network of structures for victim support). First, the legal underpinnings nationally and internationally will be described, and the theoretical background and methodology for the overall project will be discussed. During the first stage of the development, data were collected from the specialised department for domestic violence in the Hellenic Police force for the period from January 2019 until July 2021. The data pertained to six overall parameters, which were selected to identify potential risk markers that might be potentially present in the Greek domestic violence incidents. These include perpetrator variables (age, gender, ethnicity), victim variables (age, gender, ethnicity), incident variables (type of violence, and prevalence). In addition, the number of cases reported before and after a domestic homicide, the number of cases at the times of major sporting events and at during the major holidays were investigated. The results were then analysed and will be presented and cross-referenced with other international findings and were used to create the preliminary version of the risk assessment tool. During the second phase of the development of the tool, focus groups were conducted with police officers who covered various departments (Anti-Racism division, Homicide division, Minors, Domestic Violence), that came into direct or indirect contact with victims of abuse, and could offer significant insight into risk factors and parameters that could potentially lead to recidivism and to lethal violence and be usefully incorporated within the tool as well as give their expert opinion as to its efficacy.

Urgensi Dakwah Kultural Tokoh Agama Pada Masyarakat Bajo Bungku Selatan Morowali

This research aims to identify the forms of cultural da'wah carried out by religious figures and the implementation of cultural da'wah carried out by religious figures in the Bajo Morowali community in Central Sulawesi. The research method uses qualitative research, where the research data is collected through observation and interviews. This research resulted in the finding that the cultural preaching of religious figures from the Bajo Morowali community in Central Sulawesi was carried out at ceremonies celebrating major Islamic holidays such as the Prophet's birthday and commemoration of the Isra' Mi'raj of the Prophet Muhammad. The forms of cultural da'wah carried out by religious leaders in the Bajo Morowali community, Central Sulawesi, are Matangong Ruma' Bau (building a new house) and cultural da'wah in the Sandro traditional healing ritual.

Patterns of major trauma admissions to a level 1 trauma centre: A five year database analysis

IntroductionIt is only in recent years that major trauma systems and networks have been operating in the UK. High-quality data is available from the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) database, enabling regional analysis. Our aim was to analyse Trauma Team Activations within the Cheshire and Merseyside major trauma network and discuss the implications of these data on resource allocation, training and trauma prevention. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for all patients requiring Trauma Team Activation (TTA) at a category one adult Major Trauma Centre (MTC) who were submitted to the TARN database from the 1st January 2015 to the 1st January 2020.Data collected included the date and time of arrival, location of injury and Injury Severity Score (ISS) in addition to routine demographic data. Dates of major sporting events and school holidays were obtained. Results4811 patients were identified. The median age was 57 years; 65.8 % were male. The mean frequency of TTAs was 18.5 per week. Patterns identified include annual peaks during the summer months, October and December, weekly peaks on Thursdays and Sundays and daily peaks between 16:00 and 23:59 with 45.0 % of TTAs occurring between these hours.There were 5.9 additional TTAs per week during the Isle of Man TT races. The median ISS increased from 14 to 23 for TT race TTAs and from 14 to 36 for Manx Grand Prix TTAs. Those injured during the TT races were twice as likely to require surgery and those injured during the MGP required five additional days in intensive care. School holidays did not independently affect major trauma volumes. ConclusionsMajor trauma in Cheshire and Merseyside did follow distinct patterns according to calendar month, day and time. Major motorsport increased trauma volumes and severity; school holidays did not. Such analysis could enable Major Trauma Centres to tailor the supply of trauma services to meet a predictable local demand for the benefit of our staff and patients.

Weekend Discharge Is Not Associated With Increased Readmission After Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

IntroductionWe explored the association between weekend discharge and 30- and 90-d readmission rates in patients undergoing hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) for peritoneal carcinomatosis. MethodsThe US HIPEC Collaborative database, comprised of a longitudinal cohort of patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC for peritoneal carcinomatosis at twelve academic institutions between 2000 and 2017, was queried for date of discharge information. Patients were retrospectively divided into weekday and weekend/holiday discharge groups. Patients <18 y old, lacking day of discharge information, or who experienced intraoperative/in-hospital mortality were excluded. Comparisons were made between patients discharged on a weekday versus those discharged on a weekend or major holiday. Results1415 patients met inclusion criteria for the study: 1108 (78%) patients with a weekday discharge and 308 (22%) with a weekend/holiday discharge. Median age at time of surgery was 55 y (Interquartile Range: 46-63); 59% (n = 841) patients were female, 25% (n = 328) of patients had high volume disease (defined as a peritoneal cancer index >20 intraoperatively), and 92% (n = 1210) of patients had a complete cytoreduction (defined as a completeness of cytoreduction score of 0 or 1). Overall, 15% (n = 218) of patients were readmitted within 30 d and 19% (n = 265) within 90 d. In a linear mixed effects model, weekend discharge was not associated with higher 30- or 90-d readmissions (P = 0.291, P = 0.743). ConclusionsWeekend discharges are safe following CRS/HIPEC. Length of stay initiatives should focus on discharging the patient when medically ready, rather than avoiding weekend discharge out of an abundance of caution.

Tradițional și actual în obiceiurile de iarnă din Cajvana, județul Suceava

This article presents the customs and traditions of the winter holidays in Cajvana, with references to the transformations that have occurred in the last 50 years, the disappearance of some customs, the renewal of others, and the identification of the causes that have produced these changes. The winter holidays encompass most of the traditions and customs specific to the three major holidays: Christmas, New Year, and Epiphany. The article aims to structure the New Year's traditions and customs in Cajvana into three branches: the popular theater of the “outlaws”; the popular religious theater, which includes the religious drama “Irozii”, and the popular masked theater, which encompasses the customs of “Mascații”, “Jocul Caprei”, and “Căiuții”. The article also presents magical practices/rituals for predicting fate, weather or crops, prosperity, and health specific to this period, which was the richest in this regard. This material is based on data obtained from practitioners or knowledgeable individuals of the customs in the locality of Cajvana, Suceava County.

Jewish Diversity in Israel

Abstract This article explores complementary dimensions of Jewish diversity in Israel. In the past two decades Jews have evolved in polarising directions: whereas the fringes of ultra-Orthodox and the secular widened, the traditional middle narrowed. Within each sector, religious identification across an individual's life cycle is dynamic, with the ultra-Orthodox and religious bolstering their religiosity and the secular and traditional moving away from any religious patterns. Alongside some significant differences among the religious sectors in attitudes and behaviours, such as the importance of being Jewish or the observance of ongoing rituals, there are broad consensuses on matters of belonging to the Jewish people, the importance of remembering the Holocaust, and the celebration of the major Jewish holidays. Still, Israeli society sees disagreements over values and institutions that the state should maintain, and over tension between Judaism and democracy. The discussion assesses differences in religious identity between Israel and Europe and the implications of this for European Jewry.