Jewish Holidays

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

Explore Upcoming Jewish Holidays

- 14 Nisan 5784 to 21 Nisan 5784

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 Calendar

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

Passover 2024: The Three Central Messages of Pesach

The Exodus story is the master narrative of the Jewish people. As most of us know, it tells the story of the Hebrew slaves in Egypt and the rise of Moses as their liberator. It reminds us that in 2024, the universality of Passover's three-part message again reverberates through the generations: freedom, love, and justice.

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Congregation Beth Am photo at Pride March