Holidays

Join TBE throughout the year for holidays large and small. The following information is from hebcal.com.

Major holidays 2015

Dates in bold are yom tov, so they have similar obligations and restrictions to Shabbat in the sense that normal “work” is forbidden.

Holiday Dates Description
Purim Mar 5 Th Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar
Pesach Apr 4-5 Sa‑Su
Apr 6-9 M‑Th
Apr 10-11 F‑Sa
Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Shavuot May 24-25 Su‑M Festival of Weeks, commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai
Tish’a B’Av Jul 26 Su The Ninth of Av, fast commemorating the destruction of the two Temples
Rosh Hashana Sep 14-15 M‑Tu The Jewish New Year
Yom Kippur Sep 23 W Day of Atonement
Sukkot Sep 28-29 M‑Tu
Sep 30-Oct 4 W‑Su
Feast of Tabernacles
Shmini Atzeret Oct 5 M Eighth Day of Assembly
Simchat Torah Oct 6 Tu Day of Celebrating the Torah
Chanukah Dec 7-14 M‑M The Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the Festival of Lights

Minor holidays 2015

Holiday Dates Description
Tu BiShvat Feb 4 W New Year for Trees
Shushan Purim Mar 6 F Purim celebrated in Jerusalem and walled cities
Pesach Sheni May 3 Su Second Passover, one month after Passover
Lag B’Omer May 7 Th 33rd day of counting the Omer
Tu B’Av Jul 31 F Jewish holiday of love, similar to Valentine’s Day
Leil Selichot Sep 5 Sa Prayers for forgiveness in preparation for the High Holidays

Minor fasts

Holiday Dates Description
Asara B’Tevet Jan 1 Th
Dec 22 Tu
Fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem
Ta’anit Esther Mar 4 W Fast of Esther
Ta’anit Bechorot Apr 3 F Fast of the First Born
Tzom Tammuz Jul 5 Su Fast commemorating breaching of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Second Temple
Tzom Gedaliah Sep 16 W Fast of the Seventh Month, commemorates the assassination of the Jewish governor of Judah

Modern holidays

Holiday Dates Description
Yom HaShoah Apr 16 Th Holocaust Memorial Day
Yom HaZikaron Apr 22 W Israeli Memorial Day
Yom HaAtzma’ut Apr 23 Th Israeli Independence Day
Yom Yerushalayim May 17 Su Jerusalem Day
Sigd Nov 11 W Ethiopian Jewish holiday occurring 50 days after Yom Kippur

Special Shabbatot

Holiday Dates Description
Shabbat Shekalim Feb 14 Sa Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar
Shabbat Zachor Feb 28 Sa Shabbat before Purim
Shabbat Parah Mar 14 Sa Shabbat of the Red Heifer
Shabbat HaChodesh Mar 21 Sa Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan
Shabbat HaGadol Mar 28 Sa Shabbat before Pesach
Shabbat Chazon Jul 25 Sa Shabbat before Tish’a B’Av (Shabbat of Prophecy/Shabbat of Vision)
Shabbat Nachamu Aug 1 Sa Shabbat after Tish’a B’Av (Shabbat of Consolation)
Shabbat Shuva Sep 19 Sa Shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Shabbat of Returning)

Rosh Chodesh

Holiday Dates Description
Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat Jan 21 W Beginning of new Hebrew month of Sh’vat
Rosh Chodesh Adar Feb 19 Th Beginning of new Hebrew month of Adar
Rosh Chodesh Nisan Mar 21 Sa Beginning of new Hebrew month of Nisan
Rosh Chodesh Iyyar Apr 19 Su Beginning of new Hebrew month of Iyyar
Rosh Chodesh Sivan May 19 Tu Beginning of new Hebrew month of Sivan
Rosh Chodesh Tamuz Jun 17 W Beginning of new Hebrew month of Tamuz
Rosh Chodesh Av Jul 17 F Beginning of new Hebrew month of Av
Rosh Chodesh Elul Aug 15 Sa Beginning of new Hebrew month of Elul
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan Oct 13 Tu Beginning of new Hebrew month of Cheshvan
Rosh Chodesh Kislev Nov 12 Th Beginning of new Hebrew month of Kislev
Rosh Chodesh Tevet Dec 12 Sa Beginning of new Hebrew month of Tevet