Jewish Holy Day Calendar

A calendar to help educators & school administrators plan their academic year around the Jewish Holy Days

The Jewish religion celebrates a number of special days of observance. These dates occur according to the Jewish calendar. The Jewish holy days fall on different dates from year to year within the .

Traditional celebration of Jewish holy days calls for abstaining from work, school, and other everyday activities, and for participating in religious observances. begin at sunset on the evening preceding the . See the next page for a helpful calendar and explanation of each of these

Jewish Holy Days.

Scheduling School Activities The law requires schools to provide make-up opportunities for students who are absent due to religious observance. However, there would be less disruption for students and teachers if the major Jewish holy days were taken into account in the scheduling of exams, field trips, and major assignments. Non- academic activities such as back-to-school nights, concerts, photo days, school dances, etc., are also important to students, parents and teachers.

Please check the Jewish Holy Day calendar (see next page) when scheduling school activities.

Want to learn more?

Jewish Contact Rachel Nelson Community Relations Director of the Educational Initiatives Council at [email protected] or 503.892.7415.

6680 SW Capitol Hwy | Portland, OR 97219 | www.jewishportland.org Jewish Holy Day Descriptions

Rosh Hashanah • is the beginning of the Jewish year. It is the first of the and marks the start of the ten‐day period of penitence and spiritual renewal. •Yom Kippur is the tenth day of penitence. This is the most holy day in the Jewish year. it is marked by fasting and prayer, as people ask for forgiveness from both God and fellow humans. •Sukkot is the eight‐day Jewish festival of thanksgiving and harvest. The eighth day is (see below). Shemini Atzeret

•Shemini Atzeret is the eighth and final day of Sukkot, on which special memorial prayers are said. Simchat • celebrates the conclusion of the public reading of the five books of Moses and its beginning anew, thus affirming that the study of God's word is an unending process. Hanukkah •Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in . It is observed for eight days •Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays of the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination. Pesach •Pesach or celebrates the liberation of the from Egyptian bondage. During this eight day festival, matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten. The Seder is a ritual meal that occurs on the eves of the first two days of Passover. •Shavuot celebrates the covenant established at Mount Sinai between God and , and the revelation of the Ten Commandments. Calendar of Jewish Holidays 2017-2024

* Holidays begin the prior evening 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 (except Hanukkah, which denotes 5778 5779 5780 5781 5782 5783 5784 when to light the first candle)

Thurs. Sept. 21 Mon. Sept. 10 Mon. Sept. 30 Sat. Sept. 19 Tues. Sept. 7 Mon. Sept. 26 Sat. Sept. 16 Rosh Hashanah Fri. Sept. 22 Tues. Sept. 11 Tues. Oct. 1 Sun. Sept. 20 Wed. Sept. 8 Tues. Sept. 27 Sun. Sept. 17

Yom Kippur Sat. Sept. 30 Wed. Sept. 19 Wed. Oct. 9 Mon. Sept. 28 Thurs. Sept. 16 Wed. Oct. 5 Mon. Sept. 25

Thurs. Oct. 5 Mon. Sept. 24 Mon. Oct. 14 Sat. Oct. 3 Tues. Sept. 21 Mon. Oct. 10 Sat. Sept. 30 Sukkot Fri. Oct. 6 Tues. Sept. 25 Tues. Oct. 15 Sun. Oct 4 Wed. Sept. 22 Tues. Oct. 11 Sun. Oct. 1

Shemini Atzeret Thurs. Oct. 12 Mon. Oct. 1 Mon. Oct. 21 Sat. Oct. 10 Tues. Sept. 28 Mon. Oct. 17 Sat. Oct. 7

Fri. Oct. 13 Tues. Oct. 2 Tues. Oct. 22 Sun. Oct. 11 Wed. Sept. 29 Tues. Oct. 18 Sun. Oct. 8 Simchat Torah

Tues. Dec. 12- Sun. Dec. 2- Sun. Dec. 22- Thur. Dec. 10- Sun. Nov. 28- Sun. Dec. 18- Thurs. Dec. 7- Mon. Dec. 6 Hanukkah Wed. Dec. 20 Tues. Dec. 10 Mon. Dec. 30 Fri. Dec. 18 Mon. Dec. 26 Fri. Dec. 15

Thurs. Mar. 1 Thurs. Mar. 21 Tues. Mar. 10 Thurs. Mar. 21 Thurs. Mar. 17 Tues. Mar. 7 Sun. Mar. 24 Purim

Sat. Mar. 31 Sat. Apr. 20 Thurs. Apr. 9 Sun. Mar. 28 Sat. Apr. 16 Thurs. Apr. 6 Tues. Apr. 23 Sun. Apr. 1 Sun. Apr. 21 Fri. Apr. 10 Mon. Mar. 29 Sun. Apr. 17 Fri. Apr. 7 Wed. Apr. 24 Pesach Fri. Apr. 6 Fri. Apr. 26 Wed. Apr. 15 Sat. Apr. 3 Fri. Apr. 22 Wed. Apr. 12 Mon. Apr. 29 Sat. Apr. 7 Sat. Apr. 27 Thurs. Apr. 16 Sun. Apr. 4 Sat. Apr. 23 Thurs. Apr. 13 Tues. Apr. 30

Sun. May 20 Sun. June 9 Fri. May 29 Mon. May 17 Sun. Jun. 5 Fri. May 26 Wed. June 12 Shavuot Mon. May 21 Mon. June 10 Sat. May 30 Tues. May 18 Mon. Jun. 6 Sat. May 27 Thurs. June 13