The High Holidays

Rosh Hashanah

• When: 1–2 Tishrei, September 11–13, 2026
• What it’s about: Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish year and the start of the Ten Days of Awe leading to Yom Kippur. While it is often called the Jewish New Year, its focus is less on celebration for its own sake and more on reflection, prayer ,self-examination, and the opportunity to begin again. According to Jewish tradition, it is a time to take stock of the year that has passed and consider how to enter the next one differently.
• What you’ll see: The shofar is the defining sound of Rosh Hashanah. Synagogue services include repeated blasts from the ram’s horn, intended as a spiritual wake-up call and a summons to reflection. At home, the meals turn noticeably sweeter: apples dipped in honey are the classic symbol of hopes for a sweet new year, and you’ll often hear people greet one another with “Shana Tova” (שנה טובה), meaning “a good year” or “Happy New Year.” Many communities also practice tashlich, gathering beside a body of water, such as a stream, river, lake, pond, or the sea, for a symbolic ritual of casting away sins and reflecting on the year ahead.

Yom Kippur

• When: 10 Tishrei, September 20–21, 2026
• What it’s about: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the Jewish year. It closes the Ten Days of Awe that begin with Rosh Hashanah and is devoted to repentance, asking forgiveness, and taking an honest account of the year that has passed. The focus is both personal and communal: many of the prayers are written in the plural, with the community collectively acknowledging wrongdoing and asking for forgiveness.
• What you’ll see: For those who observe the traditional fast, Yom Kippur means roughly 25 hours without food or water, along with other restrictions such as wearing leather shoes, bathing, and using lotions or creams. Much of the day is spent in synagogue, beginning with the haunting Kol Nidrei service on the evening Yom Kippur begins and building toward Ne’ilah, the intense final prayer service as the day draws to a close. Many people wear white, a custom associated with purity and renewal. The holiday ends at nightfall with a single long blast of the shofar, marking the close of the fast and the end of the High Holiday season.

The Fall Festivals

Sukkot

• When: 15–21 Tishrei, September 25–October 2, 2026
• What it’s about: Part harvest festival, part historical memory, Sukkot recalls the temporary shelters (Sukkahs) used by the Israelites during their time in the desert. It is one of Judaism’s three pilgrimage festivals, along with Pesach and Shavuot. The holiday also has a strong connection to the harvest season, bringing together ideas of gratitude, impermanence, and making the most of what we have. For many people, it is a chance to step outside the usual routines and spend time together in a space that is intentionally temporary.
• What you’ll see: The sukkah is impossible to miss: a temporary, open-air structure built for the week, where meals happen rain or shine. Sukkot is often marked by decorating these spaces with fruits, plants, artwork, and other personal touches, turning a simple temporary shelter into a place for gathering. The other signature ritual is the lulav and etrog, held together and waved during prayer, one of Judaism’s oldest physical gestures of gratitude for the harvest. Together, these traditions give Sukkot a distinctly hands-on feel, with much of the holiday taking place outdoors, around food, family, friends, and community. 

Shemini Atzeret

• When: 22 Tishrei, October 2–3, 2026
• What it’s about: After seven days of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret is a separate holiday that serves as the closing day of the festival season. Traditional liturgy also begins the seasonal prayer for rain, marking the transition toward the rainy season and a time when communities traditionally begin asking for the rain needed for the months ahead. While it follows Sukkot immediately, Shemini Atzeret has its own identity and traditions rather than simply being another day of Sukkot.
• What you’ll see: Special synagogue prayers, including the prayer for rain, are central to the day. In the Diaspora, Yizkor, the memorial prayer for those who have died, is also recited. The atmosphere is often quieter and more reflective than the celebrations of Sukkot, giving the holiday a natural sense of closure as the fall festival season comes to an end.

Simchat Torah

• When: 23 Tishrei, October 3–4, 2026, in the Diaspora
• What it’s about: The Torah reading cycle reaches the final verses of Deuteronomy and immediately begins again with Genesis. Finishing is followed almost instantly by starting over, turning the end of the annual reading cycle into a celebration of continuity and renewal. Rather than treating the completion as a final ending, Simchat Torah emphasizes the idea that there is always more to learn, revisit, and discover.
• What you’ll see: Torah scrolls out of the ark, dancing, singing, and repeated circuits around the synagogue. It is one of the more energetic days on the Jewish calendar, with congregations often filling the space with music, movement, and celebration. The Torah itself becomes the center of the festivities, making the day feel less like a formal conclusion and more like a joyful beginning.

Winter

Chanukah

• When: 25 Kislev–2 Tevet, December 4–12, 2026
• What it’s about: Chanukah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple after its recapture from Greek-Syrian forces. Jewish tradition also tells of a small amount of oil that burned for eight days instead of one, making light and perseverance central themes of the holiday. Today, Chanukah is celebrated as a time of warmth, gathering, and bringing a little more light into each night of the season.
• What you’ll see: Each night of Chanukah, one more light is added to the chanukkiah, the nine-branched menorah with eight lights for the holiday and a ninth, the shamash, used to light the others. By the eighth night, all eight are glowing. Fried foods are part of the tradition too, which is why latkes and sufganiyot make such a reliable appearance.  Dreidel, or sevivon (סביבון) in Hebrew, is the four-sided spinning top traditionally played with on Chanukah. Holiday songs often fill the room too, adding another layer of warmth to the nightly celebration. Explore Neshamah’s holiday playlists for songs to play alongside the candles. 

Tu BiShvat

• When: 15 Shevat, February 1–2, 2026
• What it’s about: Known as the New Year for Trees, Tu BiShvat began as an agricultural date used to calculate tithes on fruit. Over time, it also became associated with the land of Israel, nature, and spiritual reflection. In Jewish mystical tradition, trees, fruit, and the changing seasons became symbols of growth, renewal, and the inner work of becoming more thoughtful about how we live. Today, Tu BiShvat can be a chance to notice the natural world, appreciate where our food comes from, and think about what we want to nurture in ourselves and in the world around us.
• What you’ll see: Fruit, nuts, and other foods associated with Israel often feature in a Tu BiShvat seder, where different fruits, wines or grape juices, and symbolic foods are enjoyed in a particular order. For some, the seder is also a time for reflection on themes such as growth, gratitude, and renewal. Tree planting has become another popular modern custom, giving the holiday a practical link to the land and environmental responsibility.

Late Winter and Early Spring

Purim

• When: 14 Adar, March 2–3, 2026
• What it’s about: Purim tells the story of the Jewish community of ancient Persia escaping a plot to destroy them, as recorded in the Book of Esther. At the center are Esther and Mordechai, whose courage helps overturn a plan that threatened an entire community. Spiritually, Purim is also associated with hiddenness and the idea that not every turning point announces itself clearly. The Book of Esther never explicitly mentions God, yet Jewish tradition has long read the story as one of providence, courage, and recognizing meaning even when it is not obvious. It has since become one of the most playful and spirited celebrations on the Jewish calendar.
• What you’ll see: Costumes. Noise. More noise. The Megillah is read aloud, and the room drowns out Haman’s name every time it comes up, by stomping, booing, or spinning a grogger. The day rounds out with a festive meal, gifts of food, and giving to those in need. Those traditions also carry a deeper idea: Purim is not only about celebrating survival, but about showing up for other people through generosity, community, and shared joy. Costumes and a deliberately lively atmosphere give Purim its unmistakably playful character.

Spring

Pesach (Passover)

• When: 15–22 Nisan, April 1–9, 2026
• What it’s about: Pesach tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt and the Israelites’ liberation from slavery. It is one of the central stories in Jewish history and memory, retold each year not only as something that happened long ago, but as a story each generation is asked to see itself inside. Spiritually, Pesach is about freedom in a broader sense too: noticing what confines us, what we carry forward, and what it can take to move from one way of living into another. The holiday also carries a strong ethical thread, connecting Jewish memory of slavery with responsibility toward people who are vulnerable or oppressed. Pesach is the first of the three pilgrimage festivals, or Shalosh Regalim, along with Shavuot and Sukkot.
• What you’ll see: The seder is the centerpiece of the holiday. It’s built around the Haggadah, which guides participants through symbolic foods, the Four Questions, storytelling, discussion, and the retelling of the Exodus before the festive meal. Matzah, the unleavened “bread of affliction,” is eaten in place of bread throughout the holiday and serves as a physical reminder of both hardship and the haste of leaving Egypt. Many households also avoid chametz, or leavened foods, clearing their homes of it before Pesach begins. For many people, the seder is as much about reflection and asking questions as it is about remembering the story itself.

Counting the Omer

The second night of Pesach begins a 49-day count leading to Shavuot. The period connects the Exodus from Egypt with the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, creating a bridge between freedom and what comes next: purpose, responsibility, and growth. In Jewish spiritual tradition, these seven weeks can also be a time for reflection and working intentionally on different aspects of character.

Traditionally, the Omer is counted each evening with a blessing. Parts of the period are also observed as a time of semi-mourning, with customs varying between communities.

Lag BaOmer

• When: 18 Iyyar, May 4–5, 2026
• What it’s about: Lag BaOmer is the 33rd day of the Omer, the seven-week counting period between Pesach and Shavuot. It marks a pause in the Omer’s semi-mourning customs and is traditionally associated with the end of the plague that struck Rabbi Akiva’s students. The day also honors Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, one of Rabbi Akiva’s students and a major figure in Jewish mystical tradition. Spiritually, Lag BaOmer is closely associated with the idea of revealing deeper, hidden layers of Torah and bringing light into places that feel obscure or difficult.
• What you’ll see: Bonfires are the day’s most recognizable feature, especially in Israel, where large gatherings take place in Meron near Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s burial site. The fires are often understood as symbols of spiritual light and the mystical teachings associated with him. Weddings and haircuts are common, including upsherin, the traditional first haircut for three-year-old boys. Many communities also mark the day with outdoor gatherings, picnics, music, and archery, connecting the holiday’s spiritual themes with a distinctly celebratory atmosphere.

Shavuot

• When: 6–7 Sivan, May 21–23, 2026
• What it’s about: Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and completes the seven-week count that began during Pesach. It connects the Exodus from Egypt with the receiving of the Torah, moving the story from freedom to responsibility, purpose, and the question of what we do with that freedom. Spiritually, Shavuot is often understood as a moment of renewed commitment to learning, values, and Jewish tradition. It also leaves plenty of room for questions, interpretation, and debate, which is part of what makes Torah study so central to the holiday.
• What you’ll see: Staying up very late, sometimes all night, to study Jewish texts is a widespread Shavuot tradition known as Tikkun Leil Shavuot. Dairy foods are also customary, and many communities read the Book of Ruth, a story closely associated with loyalty, belonging, and choosing to become part of the Jewish people. Study sessions can range from traditional text learning to lectures, conversations, and community gatherings, giving Shavuot a distinctly thoughtful, learning-focused atmosphere.

Summer

The Three Weeks and Tisha B’Av

• When: July 2–23, 2026, from 17 Tammuz through 9 Av
• What it’s about: The Three Weeks are a period of mourning that culminates in Tisha B’Av, which commemorates the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, along with other tragedies in Jewish history. But the period is about more than remembering what was lost. Jewish tradition also treats it as a time to reflect on the forces that can fracture a community, including hatred, division, and moral failure, and on the responsibility to repair what has been broken. As Tisha B’Av approaches, the mourning customs gradually intensify, creating a noticeable shift in the rhythm of Jewish life.
• What you’ll see: Traditional restrictions increase as Tisha B’Av approaches and can include avoiding music, haircuts, weddings, and other celebrations. Tisha B’Av itself is observed with a full fast and the reading of the Book of Lamentations, Eicha. Synagogue services are typically quiet and subdued, with many people sitting low to the ground as the text is read. Alongside grief and remembrance, the day carries a spiritual theme of reckoning and rebuilding: looking honestly at loss while asking what it takes to create something stronger in its place.

Modern Israeli and Jewish Commemorations

Yom HaShoah

• When: 27 Nisan, April 13–14, 2026
• What It’s About: Yom HaShoah is dedicated to honoring the six million Jewish lives lost during the Holocaust. It is a sacred day to mourn the victims, pay tribute to the incredible resilience of survivors, and remember those who bravely fought back through active resistance.
• What You’ll See: Across Israel, a national siren sounds to bring much of the country to a complete standstill for a solemn two-minute silence. Traffic stops and people pause wherever they are to remember. Worldwide, Jewish communities gather for memorial ceremonies, hear firsthand survivor testimonies, host educational programs, and participate in the poignant reading of victims’ names to preserve their memory for future generations.

Yom HaZikaron

• When: 4 Iyyar, April 20–21, 2026
• What it’s about: Yom HaZikaron is Israel’s official Memorial Day, dedicated to honoring fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending the state and civilians lost to acts of terror. It is a day of profound national grief and unity, serving as a reminder of the ultimate cost paid for the existence and security of the Jewish homeland. 
• What you’ll see: Air-raid sirens sound twice across Israel, bringing daily life and highway traffic to an absolute standstill as the entire country stands in solemn silence. Memorial services take place at military cemeteries, schools, and civic centers nationwide, leading directly into the joyous celebrations of Israel’s Independence Day, Yom HaAtzmaut, at sundown. 

Yom HaAtzmaut

• When: 5 Iyyar, April 21–22, 2026
• What it’s about: Yom HaAtzmaut celebrates Israel’s official declaration of independence in 1948. It marks the rebirth of a sovereign Jewish homeland and serves as a joyful tribute to the resilience, vibrant culture, and achievements of the state. 
• What you’ll see: The transition from the grief of Yom HaZikaron to the jubilation of Yom HaAtzmaut is intentionally swift and powerful. As darkness falls, solemn remembrance turns into widespread national joy. Across Israel and in Jewish communities worldwide, the holiday is marked by official torch-lighting ceremonies, street parties, live concerts, family barbecues, and festive gatherings. 

Yom Yerushalayim

• When: 28 Iyyar, May 14–15, 2026
• What it’s about: Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem following the Six-Day War in 1967. It is a national holiday celebrating the historic, spiritual, and cultural significance of the ancient capital to the Jewish people, as well as the freedom of access restored to its holy sites. 
• What you’ll see: In Jerusalem, the day features the iconic Flag March (Rikud Degalim), where thousands of people parade through the streets with Israeli flags, dancing and singing. Across the globe, Jewish communities and schools mark the occasion with special festive prayer services, lectures, concert events, and educational programming centered on the city’s rich history

The Dates That Keep Coming Back

Not everything on the Jewish calendar happens once a year.

Shabbat

Shabbat arrives every week, from sundown Friday until nightfall Saturday.

Traditionally, it recalls the seventh day of creation and creates a weekly pause from ordinary work. What that looks like varies widely. For some people it means candles, challah, and Friday-night dinner, often with music playing in the background. Spiritually, Shabbat is also about stepping out of the constant pressure to produce, achieve, and keep moving. It creates space for rest, presence, gratitude, community, and noticing what can easily get lost during the week.

What that looks like varies widely. For some people it means candles, challah, Kiddush, and a long Friday-night dinner with family or friends. For others, it may simply mean making the day feel different from the rest of the week. If you’re looking to bring more Shabbat into your week,  If you’re looking to build that into a weekly habit, Neshamah’s Shabbat collections are worth a look. 

Either way, Shabbat occupies a category of its own: one Jewish date you never have to wait very long for.

Rosh Chodesh

Rosh Chodesh marks the beginning of a new Hebrew month and is traditionally connected to the appearance of the new moon. Beyond marking time, it carries a spiritual theme of renewal: a recurring chance to pause, reset, and consider what you want to bring into the month ahead. The waxing and waning of the moon has also become a natural symbol of change, resilience, and beginning again.

The day includes additions to the regular prayer service and has long held a particular association with women in many Jewish communities, with some observing it as a time for gathering, learning, or reflection. Because Rosh Chodesh follows the Hebrew lunisolar calendar, its date on the Civil Calendar changes from year to year.

So, What’s the Next Jewish Holiday?

There’s always another Jewish date coming up sooner than you’d think. Check the calendar for what’s next, candle-lighting times, and reminders, or pick a holiday above and go deeper into the history and the traditions behind it.