Jewish holidays

For theGregoriandates of Jewish holidays, seeJewish and Israeli holidays 2000–2050.

Candles are lit on the eve of theJewish Sabbath( "Shabbat" ) and on Jewish holidays.

Jewish holidays,also known asJewish festivalsorYamim Tovim(Hebrew:יָמִים טוֹבִים,romanized:yāmīm ṭōvīm,lit. 'Good Days',or singularHebrew:יוֹם טוֹב‎Yom Tov,intransliteratedHebrew[English:/ˈjɔːmˈtɔːv,joʊmˈtoʊv/]),are holidays observed byJewsthroughout theHebrew calendar.They include religious, cultural and national elements, derived from three sources:mitzvot( "biblical commandments" ),rabbinic mandates,thehistory of Judaism,and theState of Israel.

Jewish holidays occur on the same dates every year in the Hebrew calendar, but the dates vary in theGregorian.This is because the Hebrew calendar is alunisolar calendar(based on the cycles of both the sun and moon), whereas the Gregorian is asolar calendar.Each holiday can only occur on certain days of the week, four for most, but five for holidays inTevetandShevatand six forHanukkah(seeDays of week on Hebrew calendar).

Date ranges for Jewish holidays

Holiday	Date range
Rosh Hashanah	5 Sep to 5 Oct
Yom Kippur	14 Sep to 14 Oct
Sukkot(first of seven days)	19 Sep to 19 Oct
Shemini Atzeret	26 Sep to 26 Oct
Simchat Torah	27 Sep to 27 Oct
Hanukkah(first of eight days)	28 Nov to 27 Dec
Tu Bishvat	15 Jan to 13 Feb
Purim	24 Feb to 26 Mar
Shushan Purim	25 Feb to 27 Mar
Yom HaAliyah	21 Mar to 20 Apr
Pesach(first of seven/eight days)	26 Mar to 25 Apr
Yom HaShoah	8 Aprto 7 May
Yom Ha'atzmaut	15 Aprto 15 May
Lag B'Omer	28 Apr to 28 May
Yom Yerushalayim	8 May to 7 Jun
Shavuot	15 May to 14 Jun
Tzom Tammuz	25 Jun to 25 Jul
Tisha B'Av	16 Jul to 15 Aug
Tu B'Av	22 Jul to 21 Aug

General concepts

Groupings

Certain terms are used very commonly for groups of holidays.

• The Hebrew-language termYom Tov(Hebrew:יום טוב), sometimes referred to as "festival day", usually refers to the six biblically mandated festival dates on which allactivities prohibited on Shabbatare prohibited, except for some related to food preparation.These include the first and seventh days ofPassover(theFeast of Unleavened Bread/ the Feast ofMatzot– Exodus 23:15, Deuteronomy 16:16), [first day of]Shavuot,both days ofRosh Hashanah,first day ofSukkot,and [first day of]Shemini Atzeret.By extension, outside theLand of Israel,the second-day holidays known under the rubricYom tov sheni shel galuyot(literally, "SecondYom Tovof the Diaspora ")—includingSimchat Torah—are also included in this grouping. Colloquially,Yom Kippur,a biblically mandated date on which even food preparation is prohibited, is often included in this grouping. The tradition of keeping two days of Yom Tov in the diaspora has existed since roughly 300 BCE.
• The English-language termHigh Holy Daysor High Holidays refers toRosh HashanahandYom Kippurcollectively. Its Hebrew analogue, "Days of Awe" (Hebrew:ימים נוראים), is more flexible: it can refer just to those holidays, or to theTen Days of Repentance,or to the entire penitential period, starting as early as the beginning ofElul,and (more rarely) ending as late asShemini Atzeret.
• The termThree Pilgrimage Festivals(Hebrew:שלוש רגלים,romanized:shalosh rəġalimorHebrew:חגיםḥaġim) refers toPassover(the Feast of Unleavened Bread / Feast ofMatzot),ShavuotandSukkot.Within this grouping Sukkot normally includesShemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
• Ma'agal Hashana(Hebrew:מעגל השנה,romanized:maʿgal haš-šānā;"year cycle" ), a more general term, is often used – especially in educational settings– to refer to the overall study of the Jewish calendar, outlining the month by month events, withmitzvotandminhagim,and philosophical material, that occur over the course of the year.

Terminology used to describe holidays

Certain terminology is used in referring to different categories of holidays, depending on their source and their nature:

Shabbat(Hebrew:שבת) (Ashkenazipron. fromYiddishshabbos), or Sabbath, is referred to by that name exclusively. Similarly,Rosh Chodesh(Hebrew:ראש חודש) is referred to by that name exclusively.

• Yom tov(Hebrew:יום טוב) (Ashkenazi pron. from Yid.yontif) (lit.,"good day" ): See "Groupings"above.
• Moed(Hebrew:מועד) ( "festive season" ), pluralmoadim(Hebrew:מועדים), refers to any of theThree Pilgrimage Festivalsof Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. When used in comparison toYom Tov,it refers toChol HaMoed,the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot.
• Ḥagorchag(Hebrew:חג) ( "festival" ), pluralchagim(Hebrew:חגים), can be used wheneveryom tovormoedis. It is also used to describeHanukkahandPurim,as well asYom Ha'atzmaut(Israeli Independence Day) andYom Yerushalayim(Jerusalem Day).
• Ta'anit(Hebrew:תענית), or, less commonly,tzom(Hebrew:צום), refers to afast.These terms are generally used to describe the rabbinic fasts, althoughtzomis used liturgically to refer to Yom Kippur as well.

"Work" on Sabbath and biblical holidays

Main article:39 Melakhot

The most notable common feature of Shabbat and the biblical festivals is the requirement to refrain from the39 Melakhoton these days.Melakhais most commonly translated as "work"; perhaps a better translation is "creative-constructive work". Strictly speaking, melakha is defined inhalakha(Jewish law) by 39 categories of labor that were used in constructing theTabernaclewhile theJews wandered in the desert.As understood traditionally and inOrthodox Judaism:

• On Shabbat and Yom Kippur all melakha is prohibited.
• On a holiday other than Yom Kippur which falls on a weekday, not Shabbat, most melakha is prohibited. Somemelacharelated to the preparation of food is permitted.
• On weekdays duringChol HaMoed,melakha is not prohibitedper se.However, melakha should be limited to that required either to enhance the enjoyment of the remainder of the festival or to avoid great financial loss, or several other categories.
• On other days, there are no restrictions on melakha.

In principle,Conservative Judaismunderstands the requirement to refrain from melakha in the same way as Orthodox Judaism. In practice, Conservative rabbis frequently rule on prohibitions around melakha differently from Orthodox authorities.Still, there are some Conservative/Masorti communities around the world where Shabbat and festival observance fairly closely resembles Orthodox observance.

However, many, if not most, lay members of Conservative congregations in North America do not consider themselvesShabbat observant,even by Conservative standards.At the same time, adherents ofReform JudaismandReconstructionist Judaismdo not accept traditional halakha, and therefore restrictions on melakha, as binding at all.Jews fitting any of these descriptions refrain from melakha in practice only as they see fit.

Shabbat and holiday work restrictions are always put aside in cases ofpikuach nefesh,which are actions to save a human life. At the most fundamental level, if there is any possibility whatsoever that action must be taken to save a life, Shabbat restrictions are set aside immediately, and without reservation.Where the danger to life is present but less immediate, there is some preference to minimize violation of Shabbat work restrictions where possible. The laws in this area are complex.

Second day of biblical festivals

Main article:Yom tov sheni shel galuyot

The Torah specifies a single date on the Jewish calendar for observance of holidays. Nevertheless, festivals of biblical origin other than Shabbat and Yom Kippur are observed for two days outside theland of Israel,and Rosh Hashanah is observed for two days even inside the land of Israel.

Dates for holidays on the Jewish calendar are expressed in the Torah as "day x of month y". Accordingly, the beginning ofmonth yneeds to be determined before the proper date of the holiday onday xcan be fixed. Months in the Jewish calendar arelunar,and originally were thought to have been proclaimed by the blowing of ashofar.Later, theSanhedrinreceived testimony of witnesses saying they saw the new crescent moon.Then the Sanhedrin would inform Jewish communities away from its meeting place that it had proclaimed a new moon. The practice of observing a second festival day stemmed from delays in disseminating that information.

• Rosh Hashanah.Because of holiday restrictions on travel, messengers could not even leave the seat of the Sanhedrin until the holiday was over. Inherently, there was no possible way for anyone living away from the seat of the Sanhedrin to receive news of the proclamation of the new month until messengers arrivedafter the fact.Accordingly, the practice emerged that Rosh Hashanah was observed on both possible days, as calculated from the previous month's start, everywhere in the world.
• Three Pilgrimage Festivals.Sukkot and Passover fall on the 15th day of their respective months. This gave messengers two weeks to inform communities about the proclamation of the new month. Normally, they would reach most communities within the land of Israel within that time, but they might fail to reach communities farther away (such as those in Babylonia or overseas). Consequently, the practice developed that these holidays be observed for one day within Israel, but for two days (both possible days as calculated from the previous month's start) outside Israel. This practice is known asyom tov sheni shel galuyot,"second day of festivals in exile communities".

For Shavuot, calculated as the fiftieth day from Passover, the above issue did not pertain directly, as the "correct" date for Passover would be known by then. Nevertheless, the Talmud applies the same rule to Shavuot, and to theSeventh Day of Passoverand Shemini Atzeret, for consistency.

Yom Kippur is not observed for two days anywhere because of the difficulty of maintaining a fast over two days.

Shabbat is not observed based on a calendar date, but simply at intervals of seven days. Accordingly, there is never a doubt of the date of Shabbat, and it need never be observed for two days.

Adherents ofReform JudaismandReconstructionist Judaismgenerally do not observe the second day of festivals,although some do observe two days of Rosh Hashanah.

Holidays of biblical and rabbinic (Talmudic) origin

Theories concerning possible non-Jewish sources for biblical holidays are beyond the scope of this article. Please see individual holiday articles, particularlyShabbat (History).

Shabbat—The Sabbath

Shabbat candlesandkiddush cup

Main article:Shabbat

Jewish law(halacha)accordsShabbat(Hebrew:שבת) the status of a holiday, a day of rest celebrated on the seventh day of each week. Jewish law defines a day as ending at either sundown or nightfall, when the next day then begins. Thus,

• Shabbat begins just before sundown Friday night. Its start is marked by the lighting ofShabbat candlesand the recitation ofKiddushover a cup ofwine.
• Shabbat ends at nightfall Saturday night. Its conclusion is marked by the prayer known asHavdalah.

The fundamental rituals and observances of Shabbat include:

• Reading of theWeekly Torah portion
• Abbreviation of theAmidahin the three regular daily services to eliminate requests for everyday needs
• Addition of amusafservice to the daily prayer services
• Enjoyment of three meals, often elaborate or ritualized, through the course of the day
• Restraint from performingmelacha(seeabove).

In many ways,halakha(Jewish law) seesShabbatas the most important holy day in the Jewish calendar.

• It is the first holiday mentioned in theTanakh(Hebrew Bible), andGodwas the first one to observe it (Genesis).
• TheTorahreading onShabbathas more sections ofparshiot(Torah readings) than on Yom Kippur or any other Jewish holiday.
• The prescribed penalty in the Torah for a transgression ofShabbatprohibitions isdeath by stoning(Exodus31), while for other holidays the penalty is (relatively) less severe.
• Observance of Shabbatis the benchmark used inhalachato determine whether an individual is a religiously observant, religiously reliable member of the community.

Rosh Chodesh—The New Month

Main article:Rosh Chodesh

Rosh Chodesh (Hebrew:ראש חודש,romanized:roš ḥoḏeš,lit. 'head of the month') is a minor holiday or observance occurring on the first day of each month of the Jewish calendar, as well as the last day of the preceding month if it has thirty days.

• Rosh Chodesh observance during at least a portion of the period of theNevi'imcould be fairly elaborate. See, for example,1 Samuel 20
• Over time there have been varying levels of observance of a custom that women are excused from certain types of work, as inMegilla22b:4: "the days of the New Moon, when it is customary for women to refrain from work".
• Fasting is normally prohibited on Rosh Chodesh.

Beyond the preceding, current observance is limited tochanges in liturgy.

In the month ofTishrei,this observance is superseded by the observance ofRosh Hashanah,a major holiday.

Related observances:

• The date of the forthcoming Rosh Chodesh isannouncedin synagogue on the preceding Sabbath.
• There are special prayers, thekiddush levana,said upon observing the waxing moon for the first time each month.

Rosh Hashanah—The Jewish New Year

Selichot

The month ofElulthat precedes Rosh Hashanah is considered to be a propitious time forrepentance.For this reason, additional penitential prayers calledSelichotare added to the daily prayers, except on Shabbat.Sephardi Jewsadd these prayers each weekday during Elul.Ashkenazi Jewsrecite them from the last Sunday (or Saturday night) preceding Rosh Hashanah that allows at least four days of recitations.

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashana symbols:shofar,applesandhoney,pomegranates,kiddush wine

Main article:Rosh Hashanah

• Erev Rosh Hashanah (eve of the first day): 29 Elul
• Rosh Hashanah: 1–2Tishrei

According tooral tradition,Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew:ראש השנה) (lit., "Head of the Year" ) is the Day of Memorial or Remembrance (Hebrew:יום הזכרון,Yom HaZikaron),and the day of judgment (Hebrew:יום הדין,Yom HaDin).God appears in the role of King, remembering and judging each person individually according to his/her deeds, and making a decree for each person for the following year.

The holiday is characterized by one specificmitzvah:blowing theshofar.According to the Torah, this is the first day of the seventh month of the calendar year,and marks the beginning of a ten-day period leading up to Yom Kippur. According to one of two Talmudic opinions, the creation of the world was completed on Rosh Hashanah.

Morning prayer services are lengthy on Rosh Hashanah, and focus on the themes described above: majesty and judgment, remembrance, the birth of the world, and the blowing of theshofar.Most communities recite the briefTashlikhprayer, a symbolic casting off of the previous year's sins, during the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah.

The Bible specifies Rosh Hashanah as a one-day holiday,but it is traditionally celebrated for two days, even within theLand of Israel.(SeeSecond day of biblical festivals,above.)

Four New Years

The Torah itself does not use any term like "New Year" in reference to Rosh Hashanah. TheMishnahinRosh Hashanahspecifies four different "New Year's Days" for different purposes:

• 1 Tishrei (conventional "Rosh Hashanah" ): "new year" for calculating calendar years,sabbatical-year(shmita)andjubileecycles, and the age of trees for purposes of Jewish law; and for separating graintithes.
• 15Shevat(Tu Bishvat): "new year" for trees–i.e.,their current agricultural cycle and related tithes.
• 1Nisan:"New Year" for counting months and major festivals and for calculating the years of the reign of a Jewish king
  • In biblical times, the day following 29 Adar, Year 1 of the reign of ___, would be followed by 1 Nisan, Year 2 of the reign of ___.
  • In modern times, although the Jewish calendar year number changes on Rosh Hashanah, the months are still numbered from Nisan.
  • The three pilgrimage festivals are always reckoned as coming in the order Passover-Shavuot-Sukkot. This can have religious law consequences even in modern times.
• 1 Elul (Rosh Hashanah LeMa'sar Behemah): "new year" foranimal tithes.However, the Halacha does not follow this opinion, but rather that the animal tithe goes by 1 Tishrei.

Aseret Yemei Teshuva—Ten Days of Repentance

Main article:Ten Days of Repentance

The first ten days of Tishrei (from the beginning of Rosh Hashana until the end of Yom Kippur) are known as the Ten Days of Repentance (עשרת ימי תשובה,Aseret Yemei Teshuva). During this time, in anticipation of Yom Kippur, it is "exceedingly appropriate"for Jews to practicerepentance,an examination of one's deeds and repentance for sins one has committed against other people and God. This repentance can take the form of additional supplications, confessing one's deeds before God, fasting, self-reflection, and an increase of involvement with, or donations to,tzedakah"charity".

Tzom Gedalia—Fast of Gedalia

Main article:Fast of Gedalia

• Tzom Gedalia: 3 Tishrei

TheFast of Gedalia(Hebrew:צום גדליה) is a minor Jewish fast day. It commemorates the assassination of the governor ofYehud province,Gedaliah,which ended any level of Jewish rule following the destruction ofSolomon's Temple. According to the simple reading of the Bible,the assassination occurred on Rosh Hashanah (1 Tishrei), and if so, the fast is postponed to 3 Tishrei in respect for the holiday and it is further postponed to 4 Tishrei if 3 Tishrei is Shabbat. However, the Talmud states explicitly that it took place on 3 Tishrei.

As on all minor fast days, fasting from dawn to dusk is required, but other laws of mourning are not normally observed. A Torah reading is included in both theShaharitandMinhaprayers, and ahaftarahis also included atMincha.There are also some additions to the liturgy of both services.

Yom Kippur—Day of Atonement

Main article:Yom Kippur

A man in atallitblows theshofar

• Erev Yom Kippur: 9 Tishrei
• Yom Kippur: 10 Tishrei (begins at sunset)

Yom Kippur (Hebrew:יום כיפור) is the holiest day of the year for Jews.Its central theme isatonementandreconciliation.This is accomplished through prayer and complete fasting—including abstinence from all food and drink (including water)—by all healthy adults.Bathing, wearing of perfume or cologne, wearing of leather shoes, and sexual relations are some of the other prohibitions on Yom Kippur—all them designed to ensure one's attention is completely and absolutely focused on the quest for atonement with God. Yom Kippur is also unique among holidays as havingwork-related restrictionsidentical to those of Shabbat. The fast and other prohibitions commence on 10 Tishrei at sunset—sunset being thebeginningof the day in Jewish tradition.

A traditional prayer inAramaiccalledKol Nidre( "All Vows" ) is traditionally recited just before sunset. Although often regarded as the start of the Yom Kippur evening service—to such a degree thatErev Yom Kippur( "Yom Kippur Evening" ) is often called "Kol Nidre" (also spelled "Kol Nidrei" )—it is technically a separate tradition. This is especially so because, being recited before sunset, it is actually recited on 9 Tishrei, which is the daybeforeYom Kippur; it is not recited on Yom Kippur itself (on 10 Tishrei, which beginsafterthe sun sets).

The words of Kol Nidre differ slightly between Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions. In both, the supplicant prays to be released from all personal vows made to God during the year, so that any unfulfilled promises made to God will be annulled and, thus, forgiven. In Ashkenazi tradition, the reference is to the coming year; in Sephardic tradition, the reference is to the year just ended. Only vows between the supplicant and God are relevant. Vows made between the supplicant and other people remain perfectly valid, since they are unaffected by the prayer.

ATallit(four-corneredprayershawl) is donned for evening and afternoon prayers–the only day of the year in which this is done. In traditional Ashkenazi communities, men wear thekittelthroughout the day's prayers. The prayers on Yom Kippur evening are lengthier than on any other night of the year. Once services reconvene in the morning, the services (in all traditions) are the longest of the year. In some traditional synagogues prayers run continuously from morning until nightfall, or nearly so. Two highlights of the morning prayers in traditional synagogues are the recitation ofYizkor,the prayer of remembrance, and of liturgical poems(piyyutim)describing thetemple service of Yom Kippur.

Two other highlights happen late in the day. During theMinchahprayer, thehaftarahreading features the entireBook of Jonah.Finally, the day concludes withNe'ilah,a special service recited only on the day of Yom Kippur. Ne'ilah deals with the closing of the holiday, and contains a fervent final plea to God for forgiveness just before the conclusion of the fast. Yom Kippur comes to an end with the blowing of theshofar,which marks the conclusion of the fast. It is always observed as a one-day holiday, both inside and outside the boundaries of theLand of Israel.

Yom Kippur is considered, along with 15th of Av, as the happiest days of the year (Talmud Bavli—Tractate Ta'anit).

Sukkot—Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles)

Asukkahbooth

Main article:Sukkot

• Erev Sukkot: 14 Tishrei
• Sukkot: 15–21 Tishrei (22 outside Israel)
• The first day of Sukkot is (outside Israel, firsttwo daysare) fullyom tov,while the remainder of Sukkot has the status ofChol Hamoed,"intermediate days".

Sukkot(Hebrew:סוכותorHebrew:סֻכּוֹת,sukkōt) orSuccothis a seven-dayfestival,also known as the Feast of Booths, the Feast of Tabernacles, or just Tabernacles. It is one of theThree Pilgrimage Festivals(shalosh regalim) mentioned in the Bible. Sukkot commemorates the years that the Jews spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, and celebrates the way in which God protected them under difficult desert conditions. The wordsukkotis the plural of theHebrewwordsukkah,meaning booth. Jews are commanded to "dwell" in booths during the holiday.This generally means taking meals, but some sleep in thesukkahas well, particularly in Israel. There are specificrulesfor constructing asukkah.

Along with dwelling in asukkah,the principal ritual unique to this holiday is use of theFour Species:lulav(palm),hadass(myrtle),aravah(willow)andetrog(citron).On each day of the holiday other than Shabbat, these are waved in association with the recitation ofHallelin the synagogue, then walked in a procession around the synagogue called theHoshanot.

The seventh day of the Sukkot is calledHoshanah Rabbah,the "GreatHoshanah "(singular ofHoshanotand the source of the English wordhosanna). The climax of the day's prayers includes seven processions ofHoshanotaround the synagogue. This tradition mimics practices from theTemple in Jerusalem.Many aspects of the day's customs also resemble those of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Hoshanah Rabbah is traditionally taken to be the day of the "delivery" of the final judgment of Yom Kippur, and offers alast opportunity for pleas of repentancebefore the holiday season closes.

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

Main articles:Shemini AtzeretandSimchat Torah

Dancing with theTorah

• Shemini Atzeret: 22 Tishrei (combined with Simchat Torah in Israel)
• Simchat Torah outside Israel: 23 Tishrei

The holiday of Shemini Atzeret (Hebrew:שמיני עצרת) immediately follows the conclusion of the holiday of Sukkot. The Hebrew wordsheminimeans "eighth", and refers to its position on "the eighth day" of Sukkot, actually a seven-day holiday. This name reflects the fact that while in many respects Shemini Atzeret is a separate holiday in its own right, in certain respects its celebration islinked to that of Sukkot.Outside Israel, meals are still taken in the Sukkah on this day.

The main notable custom of this holiday is the celebration ofSimchat Torah(Hebrew:שמחת תורה), meaning "rejoicing with the Torah". This name originally referred to a special "ceremony": the lastweekly Torah portionis read fromDeuteronomy,completing the annual cycle, and is followed immediately by the reading of the first chapter ofGenesis,beginning the new annual cycle. Services are especially joyous, and all attendees, young and old, are involved.

This ceremony so dominates the holiday that in Israel, where the holiday is one day long, the whole holiday is often referred to asSimchat Torah.Outside Israel, the holiday is two days long; the nameShemini Atzeretis used for the first day, while the second is normally calledSimchat Torah.

Hanukkah—Festival of Lights

Main article:Hanukkah

Hanukkiah

• Erev Hanukkah: 24Kislev
• Hanukkah: 25 Kislev – 2 or 3Tevet

The story of Hanukkah (Hebrew:חנוכה) is preserved in the books of theFirstandSecond Maccabees.These books are not part of theTanakh(Hebrew Bible), they areapocryphalbooks instead. The miracle of the one-day supply ofolive oilmiraculously lasting eight days is first described in theTalmud(Shabbat 21b),written about 600 years after the events described in the books of Maccabees.

Hanukkah marks the defeat ofSeleucid Empireforces that had tried to prevent the people ofIsraelfrom practicing Judaism.Judah Maccabeeand his brothers destroyed overwhelming forces, and rededicated theTemple in Jerusalem.The eight-day festival is marked by the kindling of lights—one on the first night, two on the second, and so on—using a special candle holder called aHanukkiah,or aHanukkah menorah.

Religiously, Hanukkah is a minor holiday. Except on Shabbat, restrictions on work do not apply.Aside from the kindling of lights, formal religious observance is restricted tochanges in liturgy.Hanukkah celebration tends to be informal and based on custom rather than law. Three widely practiced customs include:

• Consumption offoods prepared in oil,such as potato pancakes orsufganiyot,commemorating the miracle of oil
• Playing the game ofdreidel(called asevivonin Hebrew), symbolizing Jews' disguising of illegal Torah study sessions as gambling meetings during the period leading to the Maccabees' revolt
• Giving children money, especially coins, calledHanukkah gelt.However, the custom of giving presents is of far more recent, North American, origin, and is connected to thegift economyprevalent around North AmericanChristmascelebrations.

Tenth of Tevet

Main article:Tenth of Tevet

• Asarah B'Tevet: 10 Tevet

The Tenth of Tevet (Hebrew:עשרה בטבת,Asarah B'Tevet) is a minor fast day, marking the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem as outlined in2 Kings25:1

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about.

This fast's commemoration also includesother eventsoccurring on 8, 9 and 10 Tevet.

This fast is observed like other minor fasts (seeTzom Gedalia,above). This is the only minor fast that can fall on a Friday under the current fixedJewish calendar.

Tu Bishvat—New Year of the Trees

Main article:Tu Bishvat

Nuts and dried fruits, traditionally eaten onTu Bishvat

• Tu Bishvat: 15Shevat

Tu Bishvat (ט "ו בשבט‎) (lit., "fifteenth of Shevat", asט״ו‎ is the number "15" in Hebrew letters), is the new year for trees. It is also known asחג האילנות‎ (Ḥag ha-Ilanot,Festival of Trees), orראש השנה לאילנות‎ (Rosh ha-Shanah la-Ilanot,New Year for Trees). According to theMishnah,it marks the day from which fruittithesare counted each year. Starting on this date, the biblical prohibition on eating the first three years of fruit (orlah) and the requirement to bring the fourth year fruit(neta revai)to theTemple in Jerusalemwere counted.

During the 17th century, RabbiYitzchak LuriaofSafedand his disciples created a short seder, calledHemdat ha‑Yamim,reminiscent of the seder that Jews observe onPassover,that explores the holiday'sKabbalisticthemes.ThisTu Bishvat sederhas witnessed a revival in recent years. More generally, Tu Bishvat is celebrated in modern times by eating various fruits and nuts associated with theLand of Israel.

Traditionally, trees are planted on this day.Many children collect funds leading up to this day to plant trees in Israel. Trees are usually planted locally as well.

Purim—Festival of Lots

Main article:Purim

• Fast of Esther: normally 13Adar
• Purim: 14 Adar
• Shushan Purim: 15 Adar
• Inleap years on the Hebrew calendar,the above dates are observed in the Second Adar(Adar Sheni).The 14th and 15th of First Adar(Adar Rishon)are known asPurim Katan

Purim Katan

Purim Katan(פורים קטן‎) (lit., "small Purim" ) is observed on the 14th and 15th of First Adar in leap years. These days are marked by a small increase in festivity, including a prohibition on fasting, and slight changes in the liturgy.

Ta'anit Esther–Fast of Esther

Main article:Fast of Esther

The opening chapter of a hand-written scroll of the Book of Esther, with reader's pointer

Mishloah manot

Ta'anit Esther(תענית אסתר‎), or "Fast of Esther", is named in honor of the fast ofEstherand her court as Esther prepared to approach the king unbidden to invite him andHamanto a banquet.It commemorates that fast, as well as one alluded to later in theBook of Esther,undertaken as the Jews prepared to battle their enemies.

This fast is observed like other minor fasts (seeTzom Gedalia,above). While normally observed on 13 Adar, the eve of Purim, this fast is advanced to Thursday, 11 Adar, when 13 Adar falls on Shabbat.

Purim and Shushan Purim

Main article:Purim

Purim (פורים‎) commemorates the events that took place in theBook of Esther.The principal celebrations or commemorations include:

• The reading of theMegillah.Traditionally, this is read from a scroll twice during Purim–once in the evening and again in the morning. Ashkenazim have a custom of making disparaging noises at every mention ofHaman's name during the reading.
• The giving ofMishloakh Manot,gifts of food and drink to friends and neighbors.
• The giving ofMatanot La'evyonim,gifts to the poor and the needy.
• ThePurim meal(Se'udat PurimorPurim Se'udah). This meal is traditionally accompanied by consumption of alcohol, often heavy,although Jewish sages have warned about the need to adhere to all religious laws even in a drunken state.

Several customs have evolved from these principal commemorations. One widespread custom to act out the story of Purim. ThePurim spiel,or Purim play, has its origins in this, although thePurim spielis not limited to that subject.Wearing of costumes and masks is also very common. These may be an outgrowth of Purim plays, but there are several theories as to the origin of the custom, most related in some way to the "hidden" nature of the miracles of Purim.

Purim carnivals of various types have also become customary. In Israel there are festive parades, known asAd-D'lo-Yada,in the town's main street. The largest and most renowned is inHolon.

Most Jews celebrate Purim on 14 Adar, the day of celebration after the Jews defeated their enemies. Because Jews in the capital city ofShushanfought with their enemies an extra day, Purim is celebrated a day later there, on the day known asשושן פורים‎,Shushan Purim.This observance was expanded to "walled cities",which are defined as cities "walled since the time ofJoshua".In practice, there are no Jews living in Shushan (Shush, Iran), and Shushan Purim is observed fully only inJerusalem.Cities likeSafedandTiberiasalso partially observe Shushan Purim. Elsewhere, Shushan Purim is marked only by a small increase in festivity, including a prohibition on fasting, and slight changes in the liturgy.

Pesach—Passover

• Erev Pesach and Fast of the Firstborn, ( "Ta'anit Bechorot" ): 14Nisan
• Pesach(Passover): 15–21 Nisan (outside Israel 15–22 Nisan)
• The first day and last day of Passover (outside Israel,first twoand last two days) are fullyom tov,while the remainder of Passover has the status ofChol Hamoed,"intermediate days".
• Pesach Sheni (second Passover): 14Iyar

Month of Nisan

As a rule, the month of Nisan is considered to be one of extra joy. Traditionally, throughout the entire month,Tahanunis omitted from the prayer service, many public mourning practices (such as delivering aeulogyat a funeral) are eliminated, and voluntaryfastingis prohibited.However, practices sometimes vary.

Eve of Passover and Fast of the Firstborn

Traditional arrangement of symbolic foods on aPassover Seder Plate

Table set forPassoverseder

The day before Passover (Erev Pesach,lit., "Passover eve" ) is significant for three reasons:

• It is the day that all of the involved preparations for Passover, especiallyelimination of leavened food, orchametz,must be completed. In particular, a formal search for remainingchametzis done during the evening of Erev Pesach, and all remainingchametzis finally destroyed, disposed of or nullified during the morning of Erev Pesach.
• It is the day observed as theFast of the Firstborn(תענית בכורות). Jews who are firstbornfast, in remembrance of thetenth plague,when God killed the Egyptian firstborn, while sparing the Jewish firstborn.This fast is overridden by aseudat mitzvah,a meal celebrating the fulfillment of a commandment; accordingly, it is almost universal for firstborn Jews to attend such a meal on this dayso as to obviate their need to fast.
• During the era of the Temple in Jerusalem, theKorban Pesach,or sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb, was carried out the afternoon of 14 Nisan in anticipation of its consumption on Passover night.

When Passover starts on Sunday, and the eve of Passover is therefore Shabbat, the above schedule is altered. SeeEve of Passover on Shabbatfor details.

Passover

Main article:Passover

Passover (פּסח)(Pesach), also known liturgically as חג המצות( "Ḥag haMatzot",the "Festival of Unleavened Bread" ), is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals (shalosh regalim) mentioned in the Torah. Passover commemoratesthe Exodus,the liberation of the Israelite slaves from Egypt.Nochametz(leavenedfood) is eaten, or even owned, during the week of Passover, in commemoration of the biblical narrative in which the Israelites left Egypt so quickly that their bread did not have enough time to rise.Observant Jews go to great lengths to remove allchametzfrom their homes and offices in the run-up to Passover.

Along with the avoidance ofchametz,the principal ritual unique to this holiday is theseder.Theseder,meaning "order", is an ordered ritual meal eaten on the first night of Passover, and outside Israel also on thesecond night.This meal is known for its distinctive ritual foods—matzo(unleavened bread),maror(bitter herbs), and four cups ofwine—as well as its prayer text/handbook/study guide, theHaggadah.Participation in a Passover seder is one of the most widely observed Jewish rituals, even among less affiliated or less observant Jews.

Passover lasts seven days in Israel,and eight days outside Israel. The holiday of the last day of Passover (outside Israel, lasttwo days) commemorates theSplitting of the Red Sea;according to tradition this occurred on theseventh day of Passover.

Pesach Sheni

Main article:Pesach Sheni

Pesach Sheni(פסח שני) ( "Second Passover" ) is a day prescribed in the Torahto allow those who did not bring the Paschal Lamb offering(Korban Pesach)a second chance to do so. Eligibility was limited to those who were distant from Jerusalem on Passover, or those who were ritually impure and ineligible to participate in a sacrificial offering. Today, some have the custom to eat matzo on Pesach Sheni, and some make a small change to the liturgy.

Sefirah—Counting of the Omer

Main article:Counting of the Omer

• Sefirat HaOmer(Counting of the Omer): 16 Nisan – 5Sivan

Sefirah(lit. "Counting"; more fully,Sefirat HaOmer,"Counting of the Omer" ) (ספירת העומר), is the 49-day period between the biblical pilgrimage festivals of Passover and Shavuot. The Torah statesthat this period is to be counted, both in days and in weeks. The first day of this periodis the day of the firstgrain offeringof the new year's crop, anomerofbarley.The day following the 49th day of the period is the festival of Shavuot; the Torah specifies a grain offering ofwheaton that day.

Symbolically, this period has come to represent the spiritual development of the Israelites from slaves in thepolytheisticsociety ofAncient Egyptto free,monotheisticpeople worthy of therevelationof the Torah, traditionally said to have occurred onShavuot.Spiritual development remains a key rabbinic teaching of this period.

Sefirah has long been observed as a period of semi-mourning. The customary explanationcites a plague that killed 24,000 students ofRabbi Akiva(BTYevamot62b).In broad terms, the mourning practices observed include limiting actual celebrations (such as weddings), not listening to music, not wearing new clothing, and not shaving or taking a haircut.There is a wide variety of practice as to the specifics of this observance. SeeCounting of the Omer (Semi-mourning).

Lag Ba'Omerbonfire

Lag Ba'Omer

Main article:Lag Ba'Omer

Further information:Hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai

• Lag Ba'Omer: 18Iyar

Lag Ba'Omer(לַ״ג בָּעוֹמֶר) is the 33rd day in the Omer count (לַ״גis the number 33 in Hebrew). By Ashkenazi practice, the semi-mourning observed during the period of Sefirah (see above) is liftedonLag Ba'Omer, while Sefardi practice is to lift itat the end ofLag Ba'Omer.Minor liturgical changes are made on Lag Ba'omer; because mourning practices are suspended, weddings are often conducted on this day.

Lag Ba'Omer is identified as theYom Hillula(yahrzeit)ofRabbi Shimon bar Yochai,one of the leadingTannaim(teachers quoted in the Mishna) and ascribed author of the core text ofKabbalah,theZohar.Customary celebrations include bonfires,picnics,and bow and arrow play by children.Boys sometimes receive their first haircuts on Lag Ba'Omer,while Hasidic rebbes holdtishesin honor of the day.

In Israel, Lag Ba'Omer is associated with theBar Kokhba revoltagainst the Roman Empire. In Zionist thought, the plague that decimated Rabbi Akiva's 24,000 disciples is explained as a veiled reference to the revolt; the 33rd day representing the end of the plague is explained as the day of Bar Kokhba's victory. The traditional bonfires and bow-and-arrow play were thus reinterpreted as celebrations of military victory.In this vein, the order originally creating theIsrael Defense Forceswas issued on Lag Ba'Omer 1948, 13 days after Israel declared independence.

Shavuot—Feast of Weeks—Yom HaBikurim

Cheeseblintzes,a traditional food onShavuot

Main article:Shavuot

• Erev Shavuot: 5Sivan
• Shavuot:6 (and outside Israel: 7) Sivan

Shavuot(שבועות), the Feast of Weeks, is one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Shalosh regalim) ordained in the Torah. Different from other biblical holidays, the date for Shavuot is not explicitly fixed in the Torah. Instead, it is observed on the day following the 49th and final day in thecounting of the Omer.In the current era of the fixedJewish calendar,this puts the date of Shavuot as 6 Sivan. In Israel and in Reform Judaism, it is a one-day holiday; elsewhere, it is a two-day holiday extending through 7 Sivan.

According to Rabbinic tradition, codified in the Talmud atShabbat 87b,theTen Commandmentswere given on this day. In the era of the Temple, there were certain specificofferingsmandated for Shavuot, and Shavuot was the first day for bringing ofBikkurimto the Temple. Other than those, there are no explicitmitzvotunique to Shavuot given in the Torah (parallel to matzo on Passover or Sukkah on Sukkot).

Nevertheless, there are a number of widespread customs observed on Shavuot. During this holiday theTorahportion containing the Ten Commandments is read in the synagogue, and the biblicalBook of Ruthis read as well. It is traditional to eat dairy meals during Shavuot. In observant circles,all night Torah studyis common on the first night of Shavuot, while in Reform Judaism, Shavuot is the customary date forConfirmation ceremonies.

Mourning for Jerusalem: Seventeenth of Tammuz and Tisha B'Av

The three-week period starting on 17 Tammuz and concluding after Tisha B'Av has traditionally been observed as a period of mourning for the destruction ofJerusalemand theHoly Templethere.

Fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz

Main article:Seventeenth of Tammuz

• Shiva Asar B'Tammuz: 17Tammuz

The Seventeenth of Tamuz (שבעה עשר בתמוז,Shiva Asar B'Tamuz) traditionally marks the first breach in the walls of the Jerusalem during the Roman conquest in 70 CE, at the end of theSecond Templeperiod.According to tradition, this day has had negative connotations since Moses broke the first set of tablets on this day.The Mishnah cites five negative events that happened on 17 Tammuz.

This fast is observed like other minor fasts (seeTzom Gedalia,above). When this fast falls out on Shabbat, its observance is postponed until Sunday.

The Three Weeks and the Nine Days

Main articles:The Three WeeksandThe Nine Days

• The Three Weeks: 17 Tammuz – 9Av
• The Nine Days: 1–9 Av
• The Week of Tisha B'Av (beginning at the conclusion of Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av)

The period between the fasts of 17 Tammuz and 9 Av, known as the "Three Weeks" (Hebrew: בין המצרים, "between the straits"), features a steadily increasing level of mourning practices as Tisha B'Av approaches. Ashkenazi Jews refrain from conducting weddings and other joyful events throughout the period unless the date is established by Jewish law (as for abrisorpidyon haben).They do not cut their hair during this period.Starting on the first of Av and throughout the nine days between the 1st and 9th days of Av, Ashkenazim traditionally refrain from eatingmeatand drinkingwine,except on Shabbat or at aSeudat Mitzvah(aMitzvahmeal, such as for a bris orsiyum).They also refrain from bathing for pleasure.Sefardic practice varies some from this; the less severe restrictions usually begin on 1 Av, while the more severe restrictions apply during the week of Tisha B'Av itself.

Subject to the variations described above,Orthodox Judaismcontinues to maintain the traditional prohibitions. InConservative Judaism,theRabbinical Assembly's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has issued severalresponsa (legal rulings)which hold that the prohibitions against weddings in this timeframe are deeply held traditions, but should not be construed as binding law. Thus, Conservative Jewish practice would allow weddings during this time, except on the 17th of Tammuz and 9th of Av themselves.Rabbis withinReform JudaismandReconstructionist Judaismhold that halakha (Jewish law) is no longer binding and follow their individual consciences on such matters. Nevertheless, the rabbinical manual of the Reform movement encourages Reform rabbis not to conduct weddings on Tisha B'Av itself "out of historical consciousness and respect" for the Jewish community.

Tisha B'Av—Ninth of Av

Worshipers seated on the floor of thesynagoguebefore the reading ofLamentationsonTisha B'Av

Main article:Tisha B'Av

• Tisha B'Av: 9 Av

Tisha B'Av(תשעה באב) is a major fast day and day of mourning. A Midrashic tradition states that the spies' negative report concerning the Land of Israel was delivered on Tisha B'Av. Consequently, the day became auspicious for negative events in Jewish history. Most notably, both theFirst Temple,originally built by KingSolomon,and theSecond Templeof Roman times were destroyed on Tisha B'Av.Other calamities throughout Jewish history are said to have taken place on Tisha B'Av, including KingEdward I's edict compelling the Jews to leave England (1290) and theJewish expulsionfrom Spain in 1492.

Tisha B'Av is a major fast. It is a 25-hour fast, running from sundown to nightfall. As on Yom Kippur, not only are eating and drinking prohibited, but also bathing, anointing, marital relations and the wearing of leather shoes. Work is not prohibited, as on biblical holidays, but is discouraged. In the evening, theBook of Lamentationsis read in the synagogue, while in the morning lengthykinot,poems of elegy, are recited. From evening until noon mourning rituals resembling those ofshivaare observed, including sitting on low stools or the floor; after noon those restrictions are somewhat lightened, in keeping with the tradition that Messiah will be born on Tisha B'Av.

While the fast ends at nightfall of 9–10 Av, the restrictions of the Three Weeks and Nine Days continue through noon on 10 Av because the Second Temple continued to burn through most of that day. When 9 Av falls on Shabbat, when fasting is prohibited, the fast is postponed until 10 Av. In that case, the restrictions of the Three Weeks and Nine Days end with the fast, except for the prohibition against eating meat and drinking wine, which extend until the morning of 10 Av.

Tu B'Av

Main article:Tu B'Av

• Tu B'Av: 15 Av

Tu B'av(ט״ו באב), lit. "15th of Av", is a day mentioned in the Talmud alongside Yom Kippur as "happiest of the year".It was a day celebrating the bringing of wood used for the Temple Service, as well as a day when marriages were arranged. Today, it is marked by a small change in liturgy. In modern Israel, the day has become somewhat of an analog toValentine's Day.

Other fasts

Main article:Ta'anit

Several other fast days of ancient or medieval origin continue to be observed to some degree in modern times. Such continued observance is usually by Orthodox Jews only, and is not universal today even among Orthodox Jews.

• Fasts for droughts and other public troubles. Much of the Talmudic tractateTa'anitis devoted to the proclamation and execution of public fasts. The most detailed description refers to fasts in times ofdroughtin the Land of Israel.Apparently these fasts included aNe'ilah(closing) prayer, a prayer now reserved for recitation on Yom Kippur only.

While the specific fasts described in the Mishnah fell into disuse once Jews were exiled from the land of Israel, various Jewish communities have declared fasts over the years, using these as a model. Two examples include a fast among Polish Jews commemorating the massacre of Jews during theKhmelnytsky Uprisingand one among Russian Jews during anti-Jewishpogroms of the 1880s.

Since the establishment of the State of Israel, theChief Rabbinate of Israelhas urged fasting in times of drought.

• Fast of Behav(בה "ב). The fasts ofbet-hey-bet—Monday-Thursday-Monday—were established as a vehicle for atonement from possible excesses during the extended holiday periods of Passover and Sukkot. They are proclaimed on the first Shabbat of the month of Iyar following Passover, and at some point in Marcheshvan following Sukkot. Based on the model of MishnahTa'anit,they are then observed on the Monday, Thursday and Monday following the Shabbat on which they are announced.
• Yom Kippur Katan( "little Yom Kippur" ). These fasts originated in the sixteenth-centuryKabbalisticcommunity ofSafed.They are conceptually linked to the sin-offerings that were brought to the Temple in Jerusalem on eachRosh Chodesh.These fasts are observed on the day before Rosh Chodesh in most months, and usually observed on the previous Thursday if Rosh Chodesh is on Shabbat or Sunday.

Israeli/Jewish national holidays and days of remembrance

Main article:Public holidays in Israel

As a general rule, the biblical Jewish holidays (Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot and Purim) are observed as public holidays in Israel. Chanukah is a school holiday, but businesses remain open. On Tisha B'Av, restaurants and places of entertainment are closed. Other Jewish holidays listed above are observed in varying ways and to varying degrees.

Between the creation of theState of Israelin 1948 and the aftermath of theSix-Day War,theKnesset,generally in consultation with theChief Rabbinate of Israel,established four national holidays or days of remembrance:

• Yom HaShoah:Holocaust Remembrance Day
• Yom Hazikaron:Memorial Day
• Yom Ha'atzmaut:Israel Independence Day
• Yom Yerushalayim:Jerusalem Day

The status of these days asreligiousevents is not uniform within the Jewish world. Non-Orthodox,Religious ZionistandModern OrthodoxJewish religious movementsaccept these days asreligiousas well asnationalin nature.

As a rule, these four days are not accepted as religious observances by mostHaredi Jews,includingHasidim.Someḥaredimare opposed to the existence of the State of Israel altogether on religious grounds; others simply feel that there are not sufficient grounds under Jewish law to justify the establishment of new religious holidays. For details, seeHaredim and Zionism.

Observance of these days inJewish communities outside Israelis typically more muted than their observance in Israel. Events held in government and public venues within Israel are often held in Jewish communal settings (synagogues and community centers) abroad.

More recently, the Knesset established two additional holidays:

• Yom HaAliyah:Aliyah Day
• A day to commemorate the expulsion of Jews from Arab lands and Iran

Finally, the Israeli government also recognizes severalethnic Jewish observanceswith holiday status.

Yom HaShoah—Holocaust Remembrance Day

A lit Yom HaShoah Yellow Candle

• Yom HaShoah:(nominally) 27Nisan

Yom HaShoah(lit. "Holocaust Day" ) is a day of remembrance for victims of theHolocaust.Its full name isYom Hazikaron LaShoah v'LiGevurah(lit. "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day" ) (יום הזכרון לשואה ולגבורה), and reflects a desire to recognize martyrs who died in activeresistanceto theNazisalongside those who died as passive victims. Its date, 27 Nisan, was chosen because it commemorates theWarsaw Ghetto uprising,the best known of the armed Jewish uprisings.

Places of public entertainment are closed throughout Israel in recognition of the day.Publiccommemorationof Yom HaShoah usually includes religious elements such as the recitation ofPsalms,memorial prayers, andkaddish,and the lighting ofmemorial candles.In Israel,the most notable observances are the State memorial ceremony atYad Vashemand the sirens marking off a two-minute silence at 10:00 am. Religious Zionist and Modern Orthodox Jews generally participate in such public observances along with secular Jews and Jews who adhere to more liberal religious movements.Outside Israel,Jewish communities observe Yom HaShoah in addition to or instead of their countries'Holocaust Memorial Days.Probably the most notable commemoration is theMarch of the Living,held at the site ofAuschwitz-Birkenau,attended by Jews from all parts of the world.

Outside Orthodoxy, a liturgy for Yom HaShoah is beginning to develop. The Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist prayer books all includeliturgical elements for Yom HaShoah,to be added to the regular weekday prayers. Conservative Judaism has written a scroll, calledMegillat HaShoah,intended to become a definitive liturgical reading for Yom HaShoah.The Orthodox world–even the segment that participates publicly in Yom HaShoah–has been reluctant to write a liturgy for the day, preferring to composeKinnot(prayers of lamentation) for recitation onTisha B'Av.

In order to ensure that public Yom HaShoah ceremonies in Israel do not violate Shabbat prohibitions, the date for Yom HaShoah variesas follows:

• If 27 Nisan occurs on a Friday, the observance of Yom HaShoah is advanced to the previous day (Thursday, 26 Nisan).
• If 27 Nisan occurs on a Sunday, the observance of Yom HaShoah is delayed to the following day (Monday, 28 Nisan).

Yom Hazikaron—Memorial Day

Amoment of silenceas the siren is sounded inTel Aviv,Yom Hazikaron 2007

• Yom Hazikaron:(nominally) 4Iyar

Yom Hazikaron(lit. "Memorial Day" ) is a day of remembrance of the fallen of Israel's wars. During the first years of Israel's independence, this remembrance was observed onYom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day)itself. However, by 1951, the memorial observance was separated from the festive celebration of Independence Day and moved to its current date, the day before Yom Ha'atzmaut.Since 2000, the scope of the memorial has expanded to include civilians slain by acts of hostileterrorism.Its full name is nowיום הזכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל ולנפגעי פעולות האיבה( "Day of Remembrance for the Fallen of the Battles of Israel and the Victims of Terror" ).

Places of public entertainment are closed throughout Israel in recognition of the day.Many schools, businesses and other institutions conduct memorial services on this day, and it is customary to visit the graves of fallen soldiers and to recite memorial prayers there. The principal public observances are the evening opening ceremony at theWestern Walland the morning services of remembrance at military cemeteries throughout the country, each opened by the sounding of sirens. The public observances conclude with the service at the military cemetery onMount Herzlthat serves as the transition to Yom Ha'atzmaut.

Outside Israel, Yom HaZikaron observances are often folded into Yom Ha'atzmaut celebrations. Within Israel, Yom Hazikaron is always the day before Yom Ha'atzmaut, but that date moves to prevent violation of Sabbath prohibitions during the ceremonies of either day. See following section for details.

Yom Ha'atzmaut—Israel Independence Day

The final round of theInternational Bible Contest(here in 1985) is held on Yom Ha'atzmaut

Jerusalem Daycelebrations

• Yom Ha'atzmaut:(nominally) 5 Iyar

Yom Ha'atzmaut(יום העצמאות) is Israel'sIndependence Day.Observance of this day by Jews inside and outside Israel is widespread,and varies in tone from secular (military parades and barbecues) to religious (recitation of Hallel and new liturgies).

Although Israel's independence was declared on a Friday, the Chief Rabbinate has long been mindful of the possibility of Yom Ha'atzmaut (and Yom Hazikaron) observances leading to violation of Sabbath prohibitions. To prevent such violations, the dates of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut varyas follows:

• If 4–5 Iyar occur on a Sunday-Monday, the observances are delayed to Monday-Tuesday, 5–6 Iyar.
• If 4–5 Iyar occur on a Tuesday-Wednesday, the observances are not moved.
• If 4–5 Iyar occur on a Thursday-Friday, the observances are advanced to Wednesday-Thursday, 3–4 Iyar.
• If 4–5 Iyar occur on a Friday-Shabbat, the observances are advanced to Wednesday-Thursday, 2–3 Iyar.

Nearly all non-ḥarediJewish religious communities have incorporated changes or enhancements to the liturgy in honor of Yom Ha'atzmaut and suspend the mourning practices ofthe period of Sefirat Ha'Omer.(SeeYom Ha'atzmaut—Religious Customsfor details.) Within the Religious Zionist and Modern Orthodox communities, these changes are not without controversy, and customs continue to evolve.

Ḥaredireligious observance of Yom Ha'atzmaut varies widely. A fewḥaredim(especiallySefardic Ḥaredim) celebrate the day in a reasonably similar way to the way non-ḥaredimdo.Mostḥaredimsimply treat the day indifferently;i.e.,as a regular day.And finally others (notablySatmar ḤasidimandNeturei Karta) mourn on the day because of their opposition to the enterprise of the State of Israel.

Yom Yerushalayim—Jerusalem Day

• Yom Yerushalayim:28 Iyar

Jerusalem Day (יום ירושלים) marks the 1967reunification of Jerusalemunder Israeli control during theSix-Day War.This marked the first time in 19 years that theTemple Mountwas accessible to Jews, and the first time since the destruction of theSecond Temple1897 years earlier that the Temple Mount was under Jewish political control.

As with Yom Ha'atzmaut, celebrations of Yom Yerushalayim range from completely secular (including hikes to Jerusalem and a large parade through downtown Jerusalem) to religious (recitation of Hallel and new liturgies). Although Haredim do not participate in the liturgical changes, they are somewhat more likely to celebrate Yom Yerushalayim than the other modern Israeli holidays because of the importance of the liberation of theWestern Walland theOld City of Jerusalem.

Outside Israel, observance of Yom Yerushalayim is widespread, especially in Orthodox circles. It has not gained as widespread acceptance as Yom Ha'atzmaut, especially among more politically liberal Jews, because of the continuing conflicts over the future of the city.

Yom Yerushalayim has not traditionally moved to avoid Shabbat desecration, although in 2012 the Chief Rabbinate began some efforts in that direction.

Yom HaAliyah—Aliyah Day

• Yom HaAliyah:10 Nisan

Joshua passing the River Jordan with the Ark of the CovenantbyBenjamin West

Aliyah Day (יום העלייה) is an Israeli national holiday celebrated annually on the tenth of Nisan.The day was established to acknowledgeAliyah,immigration to the Jewish state, as a core value of the State of Israel, and honor the ongoing contributions of Olim (immigrants) to Israeli society.

Immigration to Israel is a recognized religious value of Judaism, sometimes referred to as theGathering of Israel.The date chosen for Yom HaAliyah, 10 Nisan, has religious significance: it is the day on which Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan River atGilgalinto the Promised Land. It was thus the first documented "mass Aliyah".The alternative date observed in the school system, 7Heshvan,falls during the week of the Torah portion in which God instructsAbrahamto leave his home and his family and go up to the Land of Israel.

At the present time, observance of this day appears to be secular in nature.

Day to commemorate the expulsion of Jews from Arab lands and Iran

• Day to Mark the Departure and Expulsion of Jews from the Arab Countries and Iran:30 November (on the Gregorian calendar)

The Knesset established this observance in 2014. The purpose of this observance is to recognize the collective trauma ofMizrahi Jewsduring the period around the establishment of the State of Israel. Many Mizrachi Jews felt that their own suffering was being ignored, both in comparison to the suffering ofEuropean Jewryduring theHolocaustand in comparison to the PalestinianNakba.The Gregorian-calendar date chosen is the day after theUnited Nations Partition Plan for Palestinewas adopted, as that date marked the beginning of concentrated pressure and hostility against the community.

At the present time, observance of this day appears to be secular in nature.

National Remembrance Day for October 7 Disaster and the Swords of Iron War

• 24 Tishrei (25 Tishrei if 24 Tishrei coincides with Shabbat).

The Israeli government established this national remembrance day in March 2024. It is designed to be a national remembrance day for those who died in the2023 Hamas-led attack on Israeland theIsrael-Hamas Waras a whole.

Ethnic holidays

Main articles:Mimouna,Seharane,andSigd

The Israeli government officially recognizes three traditional holidays of ethnic Jewish communities in Israel. These days are also observed by their respective communities outside Israel.

• Mimounabegan as a holiday amongMoroccan Jews,while similar celebrations also exist amongTurkish JewsandPersian Jews.These festivals are observed on theday after Passover,when the eating of ordinary food ( "chametz" ) resumes. In Israel, the observance of Mimouna has spread widely in recent years; it has been estimated that up to two million Jews who live in Israel now participate in Mimouna celebrations.

On the evening concluding Passover,the celebration centers on visiting the homes of friends and neighbors, Jewish and non-Jewish. A variety of traditional foods are served, and symbols which represent good luck and prosperity are prominently displayed. The next day, barbecues and picnics are among the most widespread activities of the celebration.

• TheSeharanewas celebrated byKurdish Jewsas a multi-day nature festival starting the day after Passover. Communities would leave their villages and camp out for several days, celebrating with eating and drinking, nature walks, singing and dancing.

Its observance was interrupted after therelocation of this community to Israel in the 1950s.In recent years it has been revived. But because of the already-widespread celebration of Mimouna in Israel, the celebration of the Seharane was moved toChol HaMoedSukkot.

• TheSigdbegan among theBeta Israel(Ethiopian) community as a variation of the observance of Yom Kippur. Currentlythat communitynow observes it in addition to Yom Kippur; its date is 29Heshvan,49 days after Yom Kippur. It shares some features of Yom Kippur, Shavuot, and other holidays.

The Sigd is modeled on a ceremony of fasting, study and prayer described in Nehemiah 8, when the Jews rededicated themselves to religious observance on return to Israel after theBabylonian exile.In Ethiopia, the community would gather on a mountaintop and pray for a return to Jerusalem. The modern Sigd is centered on a promenade overlooking theOld City of Jerusalem.The day's observance ends with a celebratorybreak fast.

See also

• Chabad holidays
• Jewish greetings
• Jewish and Israeli holidays 2000–2050
• List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar
• List of Gregorian Jewish-related and Israeli holidays
• Religious festival
• Yom Tov Torah readings

Further reading

• Brofsky, David.Hilkhot Moadim: Understanding the Laws of the Festivals.Jerusalem: Koren Publishers, 2013.
• Greenberg, Irving.The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays.New York: Touchstone, 1988.
• Renberg, Dalia H.The Complete Family Guide to Jewish Holidays.New York: Adama, 1985.
• Strassfeld, Michael.The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary.New York: Harper & Row, 1985.

External links

• Jewish Holidays OnlineList of all Jewish holidays for the current year (or any given year)
• Jewish holiday calendars & Hebrew date converter.Hebcal home page. Interactive Jewish calendar with candle lighting times and Torah readings.
• Jewish HolidaysHebcal. Major and Minor holidays and fasts for 6 Jewish year
• Four-year calendar of major Jewish holidays; Summary Explanation of the Jewish Holidays.JewishColumbus
• Jewish Holidays. Upcoming Holidays,links to others; atOrthodox Union.
• JewishGen Jewish Festival Dates calculator of the dates of Jewish holidays
• Jewish Holidays: A PrimerPatheos