Jewish holidays calendar 2026-2027
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the autumn, meals in the sukkah, Hanukkah lights in the depths of winter, Purim costumes, the Passover Seder in spring, a night of study on Shavuot: the Jewish year has a rhythm of its own. This Jewish holidays calendar brings together the start and end dates of each festival, calculated from the Hebrew calendar, along with what it means, how it is celebrated and what ends up on the table. Whether you observe every detail or mainly look forward to the big family meals, it will help you plan the year, as a couple or with the people you love.
Next holiday : Hanukkah — in 27 days
Jewish holiday dates
Every holiday begins at sunset the evening before and ends at nightfall; dates shown are those observed outside Israel, with Israel’s dates noted where they differ.
| Holiday | Starts – Ends |
|---|---|
| Hanukkah The Festival of Lights: eight nights of candles, the cruse of oil, doughnuts and the dreidel. | From the evening of Friday 4 December until nightfall on Saturday, 12 December 2026 |
| Tu BiShvat The New Year of the Trees: dried fruit and the fruits of the Land of Israel, sometimes at a special Seder. | From the evening of Friday 22 January until nightfall on Saturday, 23 January 2027 |
| Purim The festival of Esther: reading the Megillah, costumes, gifts of food, gifts to the poor and a feast. | From the evening of Monday 22 March until nightfall on Tuesday, 23 March 2027 |
| Passover Pesach: the Exodus from Egypt, the Seder, the Haggadah, matzah and the great clear-out of chametz. | From the evening of Wednesday 21 April until nightfall on Thursday, 29 April 2027 In Israel: until Wednesday, 28 April 2027 |
| Lag BaOmer The thirty-third day of the Omer: bonfires, a pilgrimage to Meron, and weddings held once again. | From the evening of Monday 24 May until nightfall on Tuesday, 25 May 2027 |
| Shavuot The Festival of Weeks: the giving of the Torah at Sinai, the Book of Ruth, dairy food and a night of study. | From the evening of Thursday 10 June until nightfall on Saturday, 12 June 2027 In Israel: until Friday, 11 June 2027 |
| Tisha B’Av A day of fasting and mourning for the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem. | From the evening of Wednesday 11 August until nightfall on Thursday, 12 August 2027 |
| Rosh Hashanah The Jewish New Year: the shofar, apple dipped in honey and the start of the Ten Days of Repentance. | From the evening of Friday 1 October until nightfall on Sunday, 3 October 2027 |
| Yom Kippur The Day of Atonement: a day of fasting and prayer, from Kol Nidre to Neilah and the final shofar blast. | From the evening of Sunday 10 October until nightfall on Monday, 11 October 2027 |
| Sukkot The Feast of Tabernacles: meals in the sukkah, the four species, then Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. | From the evening of Friday 15 October until nightfall on Friday, 22 October 2027 |
| Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah The close of the autumn festivals: the prayer for rain, then dancing with the Torah scrolls. | From the evening of Friday 22 October until nightfall on Sunday, 24 October 2027 In Israel: until Saturday, 23 October 2027 |
Dates are calculated from the Hebrew calendar; some communities may, rarely, differ by a day, and start and end times depend on your city.
How the Hebrew calendar works
The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar: months follow the moon and last twenty-nine or thirty days, while the year as a whole stays in step with the seasons. An ordinary year has twelve months, from Tishrei, which opens with Rosh Hashanah, to Elul. Because twelve lunar months fall about eleven days short of a solar year, a thirteenth month, Adar II, is added seven times every nineteen years, creating a leap year. That is why Jewish holidays never fall on the same civil date from one year to the next, yet always stay in the same season: Passover is always in spring, Sukkot always in autumn. And the Hebrew day itself begins at sunset, not at midnight.
And every week, Shabbat
Before any of the festivals comes Shabbat, which returns every week from sunset on the eve of the seventh day until nightfall the next evening. Candles, Kiddush, challah, a long meal with family or friends, then Havdalah: for many, it is the heart of Jewish life. Candle lighting and end times shift every week and from city to city, so check the Shabbat times for where you live.
Shabbat times by city →Jewish holidays as a couple and as a family
Holidays are rarely spent alone: a Seder table, a Rosh Hashanah dinner, a menorah lit together. When you meet someone, they quickly become very practical questions. Whose family hosts Passover? Do you both fast on Yom Kippur? Will you build a sukkah? How do you share the holidays between two families? Each of you brings your own habits, Ashkenazi or Sephardic, secular or observant, and your own childhood memories. Talking about it early, without judgement, is how couples gradually build traditions of their own, the ones they may one day pass on.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the dates of Jewish holidays change every year?
Each holiday has a fixed date in the Hebrew calendar, which is lunisolar. Since the lunar year is shorter than the solar year, holidays move about ten days earlier on the civil calendar, then jump back roughly a month in years when Adar II is added. That keeps them in the same season.
Why do some holidays last an extra day outside Israel?
In ancient times, the new month was declared in Jerusalem based on sighting the new moon, and the news took time to reach distant communities, which kept two days to be safe. The custom continues outside Israel for Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot. Rosh Hashanah lasts two days everywhere, Yom Kippur one day everywhere.
What is the most important Jewish holiday?
Yom Kippur is often seen as the most solemn day of the year, and it is when synagogues are fullest. Passover is probably the holiday most widely celebrated at home, around the Seder. And many point out that Shabbat, every single week, ranks among the most important of all.
Are Jewish holidays public holidays?
In Israel, yes. Elsewhere, generally not: in France, the UK, the US and Canada, people usually take a day of leave or arrange time off with their employer or school. In France, public employees and pupils can request leave of absence for the main holidays. It helps to check the calendar early in the year.
Can you get married at any time of year?
Not quite. Weddings are not held on Shabbat or on festival days. Many communities also avoid part of the Omer period between Passover and Shavuot, except on Lag BaOmer, and the Three Weeks leading up to Tisha B’Av. Customs vary, so the best approach is to ask the rabbi who will officiate.
Share the holidays with the right person
On MeetJudaic, your relationship to Judaism, Shabbat and kashrut are covered in the quiz and shown on your profile. Sign up for free and meet someone who wants to live the Jewish year your way.