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Jewish Holy days and Observances
Jewish holy days, religious festivals and the weekly Sabbath begin at sunset on the day preceding the given date.
| SHABBAT The Sabbath, every week from Friday evening to Saturday evening: one of the holiest days in the calendar | |
| ROSH HASHANAH The Jewish New Year: start of the Ten Days of Penitence | Saturday, September 14, 1996 Sunday, September 15, 1996 |
| FAST OF GEDALIAH | Monday, September 16, 1996 |
| YOM KIPPUR Day of Atonement: a very solemn day of the year, devoted to fasting, prayer, and repentance | Monday, September 23, 1996 |
| SUKKOT The seven day holiday commemorates the dwelling of the Israelites in booths during their travels in the desert. The first two days are observed as a holiday. | Saturday, September 28, 1996 Sunday, September 29, 1996 |
| SHEMINI ATZERET Eight day of Assembly and SIMCHAT TORAH Rejoicing of the Law | Saturday, October 5, 1996 Sunday, October 6, 1996 |
| HANUKAH Festival of Lights: the chanukkiah is lit for eight nights to commemorate the miracles of the Maccabees' victory and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. | Friday, December 6, 1996 Friday, December 13, 1996 |
| FAST OF TEVET marks the siege of Jerusalem in the year 586 BCE | Friday, December 20, 1996 |
| TU BISHVAT Jewish Arbor Day | Thursday, January 23, 1997 |
| FAST OF ESTHER marks Queen Esther's fast before she risked her life to save the Jews. | Thursday, March 20, 1997 |
| PURIM Celebrates defeat of Haman's plot to destroy the Jews of Persia | Sunday, March 23, 1997 |
| PESACH Passover: the eight day holiday celebrating the deliverance of the Jewish people from Egypt. The seder service on the first two evenings recounts the story of the Exodus. The last two days are also observed as full holy days. | Saturday, April 11, 1997 Sunday, April 12, 1997 Monday, April 28, 1997 Tuesday, April 29, 1997 |
| YOM HASHOAH Holocaust remembrance day. | Sunday, May 4, 1997 |
| YOM HAZIKARON Israel memorial day for soldiers that fell in Israel's wars. | Sunday, May 11, 1997 |
| YOM HA'ATZMAUT Israel Independence day: celebrates the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. | Monday, May 12, 1997 |
| LAG B'OMER 33rd day of the counting of Omer—the time between Pesach and Shavuot | Sunday, May 25, 1997 |
| YOM YERUSHALAYIM celebrates the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. | Wednesday, June 4, 1997 |
| SHAVUOT Feast of Weeks: marks the giving of the Law(Torah) at Mt. Sinai | Wednesday, June 11, 1997 Thursday, June 12, 1997 |
| FAST of the 17th of TAMMUZ marks the day the walls of Jerusalem were breached before its eventual destruction. | Tuesday, July 2, 1997 |
| FAST of the 9th of AV mourns the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temple in Jerusalem. | Tuesday, August 12, 1997 |
| ROSH HASHANAH The Jewish New Year: start of the Ten Days of Penitence | Thursday, October 2, 1997 Friday, October 3, 1997 |
| YOM KIPPUR Day of Atonement: a very solemn day of the year, devoted to fasting, prayer, and repentance | Saturday, October 11, 1997 |
| SUKKOT The seven day holiday commemorates the dwelling of the Israelites in booths during their travels in the desert. The first two days are observed as a holiday. | Thursday, October 16, 1997 Friday, October 17, 1997 |
| SHEMINI ATZERET Eight day of Assembly and SIMCHAT TORAH Rejoicing of the Law | Thursday, October 23, 1997 Friday, October 24, 1997 |
| HANUKAH Festival of Lights: the chanukkiah is lit for eight nights to commemorate the miracles of the Maccabees' victory and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. | Wednesday, December 24, 1997 Wednesday, December 31, 1997 |
| Don't forget to order your Jewish Calendar now! | |
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