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Here is what Encarta says about: Jewish Festivals

The Jewish year includes five major festivals and two minor ones. Three of the major festivals originally were agricultural and are tied to the seasons in the land of Israel. Pesach (Passover ), the spring festival, marks the beginning of the barley harvest, and Shabuoth (Weeks or Pentecost) marks its conclusion 50 days later. Sukkot (Tabernacles) celebrates the autumn harvest and is preceded by a 10-day period of communal purification. From an early date, these festivals came to be associated with formative events in Israel's historical memory. Passover celebrates the exodus from Egypt. Shabuoth is identified as the time of the giving of the Torah on Sinai. It is marked by the solemn reading of the Ten Commandments in the synagogue. Sukkot is still observed primarily as a harvest festival, but the harvest booths in which Jews eat during the festival's seven days also are identified with the booths in which the Israelites dwelt on their journey to the Promised Land. The 10-day penitential period before Sukkot is inaugurated by Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, and concludes with Yom Kippur , the Day of Atonement. According to tradition, the world is judged each New Year and the decree sealed on the Day of Atonement. A ram's horn (shofar) is blown on the New Year to call the people to repentance. The Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish year, is spent in fasting, prayer, and confession. Its liturgy begins with the plaintive chanting of the Kol Nidre formula and includes a remembrance of the day's rites ( avodah ) in the Temple. The two minor festivals, Hanukkah and Purim are later in origin than the five Pentateuchally prescribed festivals. Hanukkah (Dedication) commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian king Antiochus IV in 165 BC and the ensuing rededication of the Second Temple. Purim (Lots) celebrates the tale of Persian Jewry '92s deliverance by Esther and Mordecai. It occurs a month before Passover and is marked by the festive reading in the synagogue of the Scroll of Esther (megillah). Four fast days, commemorating events in the siege and destruction of the two Temples in 586 BC and AD 70, complete the liturgical year. The most important of these is Tishah Ab, or the Ninth of Ab, observed as the day on which both Temples were destroyed.

More information about the feasts from
The World Book Encyclopedia:

Sukkot, pronounced su KOHTH or pronounced su KOHT, is a Jewish festival that begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri (approximately September and October). It lasts seven days. The festival is also called the Feast of Tabernacles.

The ancient Hebrews celebrated Sukkot as a festival of thanksgiving and brought sacrifices to the Temple in Jerusalem. Jews still observe the holiday by making joyous parades in synagogues and carrying lulabs (palm branches), etrogs (citrons), and myrtle and willow branches. During Sukkot, traditional Jews live in a hut called a sukkah as a reminder of the temporary dwellings in which their ancestors lived during their wanderings in the wilderness in Biblical times. Following Sukkot is a supplementary two-day celebration called Shemini Atzeret, the second day of which is called Simchat Torah.

Simchat Torah, pronounced sihm KHAHT toh RAH, is a Jewish festival of rejoicing in the Torah, or Law. Simchat Torah marks the end of the annual cycle of readings from the Torah that take place in the synagogue every Saturday morning. The cycle begins again on the first Saturday after Simchat Torah. The festival falls on the 23rd day of the Hebrew month of Tishri. Tishri usually occurs in September and October. Jews in Israel and Reform Jews observe the festival on the 22nd day of Tishri.
Simchat Torah begins "Jewish Calendar Dates for 5765"

Yom Kippur, pronounced YOHM kih POOR, is the Jewish day of atonement and the most important and sacred Jewish holy day. It falls in September or October, in the Jewish month of Tishri. It lasts from sunset on the ninth day of Tishri until three stars appear after the tenth day.

Jews observe Yom Kippur as a day of fasting and worship. On this day, devout Jews think of their sins, repent, and ask forgiveness from God and from other people. In ancient times, the high priest held a service in the Temple in Jerusalem and sacrificed certain animals as a ceremonial offering. The service, part of the process of repentence and atonement, was the main event of the day. Today, Jews fast, perform no work, and attend services in the synagogue or temple. The laws about Yom Kippur are found in Leviticus 16; 23: 26-32; 25: 9; and in Numbers 29: 7-11.

Scapegoat, pronounced SKAYP goht, originally meant one of the two goats received by the Jewish high priest in ancient Jerusalem on the Day of Atonement. One was for Yaweh (Jehovah), the Hebrew God, and was killed as a sacrificial offering. The second was called the scapegoat. This one was for Azazel, which may have been the spirit of evil. The priest laid his hands upon the scapegoat as he confessed the people's sins. Then the priest sent the scapegoat into the wilderness. This was a symbol that the sins had been forgiven. Today, a person who has been blamed for something which is the fault of another is referred to as a scapegoat. The ritual is described in Leviticus 16.

Links about the Feasts:

Feasts and Festivals of Israel by Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
& Festivals, Religious by Easton's Bible Dictionary

OU.org - Your Jewish Gateway to the Internet - Has some wonderful
information on the Jewish Feasts from a Jewish Perspective.

The Jewish Calendar & Kosher for Passover
Hanukkah Graphics & Messianic Graphics Set