There are many Jewish festivals that are observed by the Jews throughout the Hebrew calendar. These Jewish festivals don’t land on the same date with the Gregorian calendar which is the world’s most commonly adapted calendar system. If you plan to visit Israel and join the celebration, learn about these Jewish festivals below.
Rosh Hashanah
This Jewish festival is simply the Jewish New Year, the start of the first day of Tishrei or the first month of the Jewish calendar. It is a widely celebrated Jewish holiday, while festive, is a day dedicated for prayer in synagogues for the Jews. It is also celebrated by making noise as prescribed in the Hebrew Bible and includes sounding the shofar which is the first priority in celebrating Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah would fall around September of the year following the Gregorian calendar.
Yom Kippur
Also known as ‘Day of Atonement’, Yom Kippur is one of the holiest Jewish festivals which is also a day dedicated to prayer as well as fasting. Yom Kippur centers around atonement and repentance of one’s sins. Yom Kippur is on the 10th day of Tishrei or 10 days after Rosh Hashanah which would make it land on September as well.
Pesach
Pesach or the Passover is a Jewish festival that celebrates the Exodus of the Jewish people. It runs from the 15th through the 22nd in the month of Nissan. In the Gregorian calendar, Pesach would fall around April which is also summer season in Israel.
Sukkot
Sukkot starts after Yom Kippur, from Tishrei 11 to 14, which would also put it on September. Sukkot is one of the festive and joyous Jewish festivals which celebrates God’s protection over the Jews as they spent years in the desert going to the Promised Land. Sukkot is celebrated by purchasing Four Kinds and erecting the sukkah, a temporary hut.
Shavuot
Shavout commemorates God’s provision of the Torah to the Jewish people more than 3300 years ago. Celebrating Shavout means a renewal of the Jews’ acceptance of the Torah. It runs from the 5th through the 7th of Sivan which falls around the month of June in the Gregorian calendar
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah, also known as the Jewish Festival of Lights, is also one of the festive and widely celebrated Jewish festivals. It is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, a seven-lamp Hebrew lampstand made of gold, along with festive eating, playing games and gift giving. Hanukkah falls around December which tends to be associated as the Jewish Christmas.
To ensure you don’t miss any of these Jewish festivals and holidays, grab a copy of our calendar today which feature dates in Gregorian, Lunar and Jewish calendar systems.