2002-2003 (5763)

2003-2004 (5764)

2004-2005 (5765)

2005-2006 (5766)

Rosh HaShanah

Sep 7-8
Sat-Sun

Sep 27-28
Sat-Sun

Sep 16-17
Thur-Fri

Oct 4-5
Tues-Wed

The origin of Rosh HaShanah is Biblical (Lev. 23:23-25): "a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts (of the Shofar, the ram's horn)."  In Talmudic times, Rosh HaShanah became a celebration of the anniversary of the world's creation and a day of self-examination, repentance and judgment.  Rosh HaShanah is both a solemn and happy day. It is a time for introspection, asking for forgiveness, giving forgiveness, resolving to do better, and praying for a healthy and happy year to come.

Yom Kippur

Sep 16
Mon

Oct 6
Mon

Sep 25
Sat

Oct 13
Thurs

Yom Kippur, literally "Day of Atonement," is the holiest day of the Jewish year.  Yom Kippur is a day of "self-denial" (Lev. 23-27) so that we may be cleansed of our sins. It is observed eight days after Rosh HaShanah. It is believed that on Rosh HaShanah God inscribes all of our names in the "books", and on Yom Kippur the judgment entered in these books is sealed. The days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are called the Days of Awe. Yom Kippur is, essentially, our last chance to demonstrate repentance and change the judgment. 

Sukkot

Sep 21-27
Sat-Fri

Oct 11-17
Sat-Fri

Sep 30-Oct 5
Thurs-Wed

Oct 18-24
Tues-Mon

Sukkot is described in the Bible (Lev. 23:34) as the "Feast of Tabernacles." Sukkot is a pilgrimage festival; It is one of three festivals that were celebrated until 70 CE by mass pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.  Sukkot is also a harvest festival.  On Sukkot, we give thanks for a bountiful harvest.  Thirdly, we remember the exodus from Egypt on Sukkot. The holiday commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters.

Shemini Atzeret

Sep 28
Sat

Oct 18
Sat

Oct 6
Thurs

Oct 25
Tues

Simchat Torah

Sep 29
Sun

Oct 19
Sun

Oct 7
Fri

Oct 26
Wed

Shemini Atzeret, meaning "the eighth day of assembly," follows Sukkot.  Shemini Atzeret marks the beginning of the rainy season following the harvest in Israel. The prayer for rain, tefilat geshem, is one of the central prayers recited. Simchat Torah focuses on the Torah. The annual cycle of weekly Torah readings is completed at this time. We read the last Torah portion, and then immediately proceed to the first chapter of Genesis. This reminds us that the Torah is a circle, and it never ends. This completion of the Torah readings is a time of great celebration. There are processions around the synagogue carrying Torahs. As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll in these processions. We celebrate our love of Torah with lots of joyful singing and dancing.

Hanukkah

Nov 30-Dec 7
Sat-Sat

Dec 20-27
Sat-Sat

Dec 9-16
Thurs-Thurs

Dec 26-Jan 2
Mon-Mon

Hanukkah commemorates the Maccabees’ military victory over the Greek Syrians and the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah is a celebration of Jewish national survival and religious freedom.

Tu B'Shvat

Jan 18
Sat

Feb 7
Sat

Jan 25
Tues

Feb 13
Mon

Tu B'Shvat, the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, is the New Year for trees.  In Israel, many people celebrate Tu B'Shvat by planting trees. Outside of Israel, some collect money for planting trees in Israel.  A Tu B'Shvat Seder is a special way to celebrate the holiday. This seder follows a specific order and includes recitations and songs. Participants in the seder drink four cups of wine and eat special fruits and nuts. Some people eat the fruits for which the Torah praises the Land of Israel. These include wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.  It is customary to eat fruit that we have not eaten during the year so we can say the Shehehiyanu blessing. In that blessing we thank God for keeping us alive and healthy until this day.

Purim

Mar 18
Tues

Mar 7
Sun

Mar 25
Fri

Mar 14
Tues

On Purim we remember how Esther saved the Jews from annihilation in Persia.  Despite the plans of others to persecute and even annihilate Jews in the past, the Jewish People has survived.  Purim is a celebration of Jewish survival. With costumes, noisemakers, food baskets, hamantashen cookies, a festive meal, and carnivals, Purim is a favorite Jewish holiday for many.

Pesach

Apr 17-24
Thurs-Thurs

Apr 6-13
Tues-Tues

Apr 24-May 1
Sun-Sun

Apr 13-20
Thurs-Thurs

Every year, on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan, Jews worldwide commemorate the birth of the Jewish nation by celebrating Pesach.  After 210 years of slavery in Egypt, Moses told Pharaoh that he must "Let My People Go." Each time Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites, God brought another plague upon the Egyptians. The tenth and final plague was the death of firstborn children. The Israelites were then released from bondage. Thus, the Jewish nation was born. Every Pesach, we are commanded to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt.  

Yom HaShoah

Apr 29
Tues

Apr 18
Sun

May 6
Fri

Apr 25
Tues

Yom HaShoah is a day set aside for remembering the Holocaust.

Yom HaZikaron

May 6
Tues

Apr 25
Sun

May 11
Wed

May 2
Tues

Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, celebrated the day before Israel's Independence Day, is devoted to the memory of those who have given their lives so the State of Israel can exist today. Ceremonies are held throughout Israel at schools, cemeteries, and memorial sites. A one-minute siren is blown on the eve of Memorial Day and a two-minute siren is blown on the morning of Memorial Day. During the siren, the whole country comes to a standstill - people stop working, children stop playing, and even drivers stop driving. Everyone stands at attention in silence as the siren wails in memory of the fallen.

Yom HaAtzmaut

May 7
Wed

Apr 26
Mon

May 12
Thurs

May 3
Wed

Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, begins the minute Israel's Memorial Day ends, and the switch from sorrow to joy is quite sudden and dramatic. Israel's Independence Day is celebrated each year on 5 Iyar, which corresponds to May 14, 1948, the day that the State of Israel was proclaimed.

Lag B'Omer

May 20
Tues

May 9
Sun

May 27
Fri

May 16
Tues

Lag B’Omer is the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer and is a semi-holiday, an interruption in the Sefirat HaOmer period of mourning. Weddings, festivities, music, dancing and haircuts are allowed.

Shavuot

Jun 6-7
Fri-Sat

May 26-27
Wed-Thurs

Jun 13-14
Mon-Tues

Jun 2-3
Fri-Sat

In the Bible, Shavuot was an agricultural festival.  In the Talmud, Shavuot is called "Atzeret" (stop) as it was considered to be the conclusion of Passover.  It is believed that while we gained our freedom from Pharaoh on Passover, we were only truly free on Shavuot when we received the Torah.  Lastly, Shavuot is called "Zman Matan Torateinu" (the time of the giving of our Torah) because it commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish People on Mount Sinai.

Tisha B’Av

Aug 7
Thurs

July 27
Tues

Aug 14
Sun

Aug 3
Thurs

Tisha B'Av (the ninth day in the Jewish month of Av) is a fast day.  It is a day of mourning that primarily commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples. The first Temple was destroyed on the ninth of Av by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E., and the second Temple was destroyed on the ninth of Av by the Romans in 70 C.E.   In addition to being the day on which the first and second temples were destroyed, many other tragic events (including the expulsion from Spain) are said to have happened on this day.