Jewish Holidays

Learn about the Jewish holidays, their meanings, history, and rituals. 

Explore Upcoming Jewish Holidays

- 14 Nisan 5783 to 21 Nisan 5783

Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is a major Jewish spring festival celebrating freedom and family as we remember the Exodus from Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.

Why Does the Jewish Calendar Change Every Year?

People often say: "The Jewish holidays are late this year" or "The Jewish holidays are early this year." In fact, the holidays never are early or late; they are always on time, according to the Jewish calendar. Unlike the Gregorian (civil) calendar, which is based on the sun (solar), the Jewish calendar is based primarily on the moon (lunar), with periodic adjustments made to account for the differences between the solar and lunar cycles.

Learn More Printable Calendar

Why Does the Jewish Calendar Change Every Year?

Why do Jewish holidays move around on the calendar? Why do we sometimes have Hanukkah on Thanksgiving? Find some answers and learn more about how the Jewish calendar works in this video featuring Joshua Mallett from BimBam.

Jewish holidays begin at sunset. Dates specified are for evenings, so the holiday extends from sunset on the noted date until dusk on the last day of the holiday.

What's New

He’Brews, He’Leads

February 23, 2023
Third-year Hebrew Union College-NYC student Jesse Epstein hopes to make Judaism more accessible, meaningful, and relevant for today’s Jewish community – through beer. He recently became the owner of Shmaltz Brewing Company, a beer-brewing brand aimed at providing community members with a mode and environment for consumption steeped in Jewish ethics, text, and tradition.

Find a Congregation Near You

Find connection, community, learning, and spirituality at a welcoming Reform congregation near you.

Image
Congregation Beth Am photo at Pride March