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Israel ➩ Jewish Holiday Calendar

Hebrew Year 5781 – תשפ"א

The current year is 5784 – תשפ"ד.
The list of holidays below is for the year 5781 – תשפ"א.

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All Jewish holidays begin the evening before the date specified.
In the Hebrew calendar, a "day" begins and ends at sunset rather than at midnight. Most holidays are celebrated on the same day of the Hebrew calendar every year.

Sep 19, 2020 – Sep 20, 2020 – Rosh HaShanah – ראש השנה

Tishrei 1-2 – Rosh Hashana – The Jewish New Year marks the beginning of ten days of repentance culminating with Yom Kippur.

Sep 28, 2020 – Yom Kippur – יום כיפור

Tishrei 10 – Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement.

Oct 3, 2020 – Oct 9, 2020 – Sukkot – סוכות

Tishrei 15 – Sukkot holiday commemorates the forty years of wandering of the People of Israel in the desert after the exodus from Egypt. In memory, Jewish people are commanded to build and live in temporary dwellings for seven days (Leviticus 23:33).

Oct 10, 2020 – Shmini Atzeret – שמיני עצרת

Tishrei 22 – Simhat Torah (Joy of Torah) marks the completion of the annual reading of the Torah. The concluding section of Torah is read followed by reading the first section of Genesis, symbolizing the continuing annual cycle of weekly Torah reading.

Dec 11, 2020 – Dec 18, 2020 – Hanukah – חנוכה

Kislev 25 – Hanuka celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the victory of the Maccabees over the Hellenistic (Greek) army.

Jan 28, 2021 – Tu Bishvat – ט"ו בשבט

Shevat 15 – Tu Bishvat is also known as the New Year for Trees.

Feb 26, 2021 – Purim – פורים

Adar 14 – Purim holiday commemorates the annulment of the decree against the Jewish people in ancient Persia (Late 6th century B.C.E.).

Feb 28, 2021 – Shushan Purim – שושן פורים

Purim celebrated in Jerusalem and walled cities.

Mar 28, 2021 – Apr 3, 2021 – Pesach – פסח

Nisan 15 – Pesach (Passover) holiday commemorates the Exodus of the people of Israel from ancient Egypt.

Apr 8, 2021 – Yom Hashoa – יום השואה

Nisan 27 – Holocaust Memorial Day in remembrance of the 6 million Jews killed by the German Nazi regime and their collaborators.

Apr 14, 2021 – Memorial Day – יום הזיכרון

Iyar 4 – Memorial Day in memory of the fallen soldiers of the Israel Defense forces and victims of Arab terrorism.

Apr 15, 2021 – Yom HaAtzmaut – יום העצמאות

Iyar 5 – Israel Independence Day marks the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel in 1948.

Apr 30, 2021 – Lag Baomer – ל"ג בעומר

33rd day of counting the Omer.

May 10, 2021 – Jerusalem Day – יום ירושלים

Iyar 28 – Jerusalem Day celebrates the liberation of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War.

May 17, 2021 – Shavuot – שבועות

Sivan 6 – Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments to Israelites at Mount Sinai over 3000 years ago. Shavuot means "weeks" as Torah was given 7 weeks after the Exodus from Egypt. The first harvest was brought to the Temple on Shavuot.

Jul 18, 2021 – Tisha BeAv – תשעה באב

Av 9 – Fast of the Ninth of Av in the Hebrew calendar commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.; the second by the Romans in 70 C.E.). The expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 also falls on this date.


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