Jewish Holidays 2020-2021 (Jewish Year 5781)
Holidays marked with ** (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Shemini Atzeret, Pesach and Shavuot) are days when traditionally work is forbidden and some students may not travel or write. We ask that there be no university wide programming on the 1st night/day of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Passover as those are days observed by the vast majority of American Jews.
Jewish Holidays 5781 Dates in 2020-2021 Rosh Hashanah** Evening of September 18-20, 2020 New Year Friday Night - Sunday No university wide programming on the 1st night/day Yom Kippur** Evening of September 27-28, 2020 Day of Atonement Sunday Night – Monday Major Fast Day – full 25 hour fast No university wide programming on the night/day Sukkot** Evening of October 2-9, 2020 Festival of Tabernacles (Booths) Friday Night – Next Friday All meals are eaten in the Sukkah Shemini Atzeret** Evening of October 9-10, 2020 8th Day Feast of Assembly (end of Sukkot) Friday Night – Saturday Simchat Torah** Evening of October 10-11, 2020 Festival of Rejoicing with the Torah Saturday Night – Sunday Hanukkah Evening of December 10-18, 2020 Festival of Lights (Rededication of the Temple) Thursday Night – Next Friday Tu BiShvat Evening of January 27-28, 2021 New Year for Trees Wednesday Night – Thursday Purim Evening of February 25-26, 2021 Festival of Lots (the story of Esther) Thursday Night – Friday A very joyous holiday Pesach** Evening of March 27-April 4, 2021 Passover, Feast of Freedom and Unleavened Bread Saturday Night – Next Sunday No university wide programming on the 1st night/day 3 meals a day available at various campus locations Significant food restrictions, no leavened products Yom HaShoah Evening of April 7-8, 2021 Holocaust Remembrance Day Wednesday Night – Thursday Yom HaZikaron Evening of April 13-14, 2021 Israel's Memorial Day Tuesday Night – Wednesday Yom HaAtzmaut Evening of April 14-15, 2021 Israel's Independence Day Wednesday Night – Thursday Lag B'Omer Evening of April 29-30, 2021 33rd day of the Omer Thursday Night – Friday Archery, Bonfires and Barbecues Shavuot** Evening of May 16-18, 2021 Giving of the Torah/Pentecost Sunday Night – Tuesday Festival of First Fruits/Weeks Tisha B'Av Evening of July 17-18, 2021 Ninth of Av - Fast of the Destruction Saturday Night - Sunday Major Fast Day – full 25 hour fast
Please Note: All Jewish holidays/observances begin in the evening at sundown and terminate an hour after sundown on their final day. Feel free to reach out to Rabbi Elana Friedman ([email protected]) with any questions.