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Jewish life moves to the rhythm of its own calendar. From the weekly pause of Shabbat to holidays marking joy, reflection, remembrance, nature, freedom, and renewal, Jewish sacred time connects us to generations past, Jewish communities around the world, and the world around us.
At the Weinstein JCC, we seek to bring the Jewish calendar to life through learning, programs, traditions, and opportunities for connection. Whether a holiday is deeply familiar or completely new to you, we invite you to explore the rhythms, stories, and meaning of the Jewish year.
In the Jewish calendar, it isn’t only holidays that begin at sundown—every day does. Unlike the secular calendar, where a new day begins at midnight, a Jewish day begins in the evening and continues until the following evening. This is why Shabbat begins Friday evening and Jewish holidays begin the evening before the date shown on a secular calendar. This tradition comes from the creation story in Genesis, where each day is described: “And there was evening, and there was morning…” Evening comes first, followed by morning. But there is also a beautiful idea within this understanding of time: darkness comes before light. Night isn’t simply an ending; it is the beginning of a new day. Jewish time reminds us that even in periods of darkness or uncertainty, morning is still ahead. First the evening, then the morning. First the darkness, then the light.
Rosh Hashanah, meaning “Head of the Year,” marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year and the High Holy Days. It begins a ten-day period of refl ection and renewal leading to Yom Kippur. Traditions include sounding the shofar (ram’s horn), sharing festive meals, eating round challah, and dipping apples in honey for a sweet new year. In many Sephardi and Mizrahi communities, families also gather for a Rosh Hashanah seder featuring symbolic foods (simanim)—such as dates, pomegranates, leeks, and other foods accompanied by blessings and wishes for the year ahead.
Yom Kippur, meaning “Day of Atonement,” is the holiest day of the Jewish year and concludes the ten Days of Awe that begin with Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally observed through fasting, prayer, and reflection, it is a time to step away from our physical needs and focus inward.
Yom Kippur calls us toward repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation—with God, with one another, and with ourselves—and offers the opportunity to begin the new year with greater intention.
Sukkot, meaning “booths” or “huts” in Hebrew, is the Jewish harvest festival celebrated five days after Yom Kippur. It also recalls the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the desert. During the festival, Jews gather in a sukkah, a temporary outdoor shelter symbolizing both the fragility of human existence and the enduring protection God provides.
Another tradition is bringing together the Four Species—the lulav (palm), myrtle, willow, and etrog (citron). One Jewish teaching sees their differences as representing the many kinds of people within the Jewish community: distinct from one another, yet strongest when brought together.
Known as Z’man Simchateinu (Season of Our Rejoicing) and Chag HaAsif (Festival of Ingathering), Sukkot is a joyful time to give thanks for the earth’s bounty, celebrate community, and reflect on faith, gratitude, and resilience.
Immediately following Sukkot come Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Shemini Atzeret, meaning “Eighth Day of Assembly,” is a sacred day of gathering that brings the Sukkot season to a close. Simchat Torah, meaning “Rejoicing with the Torah,” joyfully celebrates the completion of the annual cycle of Torah reading.
Torah scrolls are taken from the ark and carried or danced with in celebration. The final verses of D’varim (Deuteronomy) are read, followed immediately by the opening verses of B’reishit (Genesis)—ending the Torah and beginning it again without pause. This beautiful tradition reminds us that Jewish learning is a continuous cycle: there is always more to discover, and always an opportunity to begin again.
Sigd is a holiday celebrated by the Ethiopian Jewish community 50 days after Yom Kippur. Rooted in centuries-old tradition, it is a day of prayer, reflection, and renewal that celebrates the Jewish people’s covenant with God and connection to Torah.
Traditionally, Ethiopian Jews gathered on a mountaintop to pray, fast, and express their longing to return to Jerusalem. Today, Sigd is an official holiday in Israel and celebrates Jewish unity, Ethiopian Jewish heritage, and the rich diversity of the Jewish people. Sigd invites us to reflect on community, gratitude, and the strength found in shared identity.
Hanukkah, meaning “dedication” in Hebrew, is the joyous eight-night celebration commemorating the Maccabees’ victory over the Syrian-Greek forces in the second century BCE and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Each night, Jews light the hanukkiah, the nine-branched Hanukkah menorah, adding another light until all eight shine together. Traditions include eating foods cooked in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts), playing dreidel, singing, and gathering with family and community.
At its heart, Hanukkah is a celebration of Jewish resilience, religious freedom, and identity—and a reminder of our ability to bring light into darkness.
Tu BiShvat is the Jewish “New Year for the Trees” and a celebration of nature and our relationship with the earth. Once connected primarily to the agricultural cycle of ancient Israel, today it is often celebrated by planting trees, eating fruits associated with Israel, holding a Tu B’Shvat seder, and reflecting on our responsibility to care for the environment.
Purim tells the story of Queen Esther, whose courage helped save the Jewish people of ancient Persia from a plot to destroy them. The story is read aloud from the Book of Esther (Megillat Esther), often accompanied by costumes, celebration, and plenty of noise whenever the villain Haman’s name is mentioned. Traditions also include giving gifts of food, helping those in need, and sharing a festive meal. Purim is a joyful celebration of courage, community, and Jewish survival.
Passover (Pesach) commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and the Jewish people’s journey from slavery to freedom. Families and communities gather for a seder, a ritual meal during which the story is retold through readings, questions, symbolic foods, songs, and conversation. Matzah, or unleavened bread, is eaten throughout the holiday. More than 3,000 years after the Exodus story, Passover continues to invite us to consider what freedom means—for ourselves and for others.
The Omer is the 49-day period between Passover and Shavuot. The Omer begins on the second night of Passover, 16 Nisan, and the 49th count occurs on 5 Sivan, immediately before Shavuot begins on 6 Sivan. Each evening, Jews “count the Omer,” marking the journey from the Exodus from Egypt to receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. The progression from Passover’s celebration of freedom to Shavuot’s celebration of Torah reminds us that freedom is not simply an end in itself—it comes with purpose, responsibility, and the opportunity to grow.
Yom HaShoah is a day dedicated to remembering the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, honoring survivors, and preserving their stories for future generations. Through remembrance, education, testimony, and commemoration, we honor those who were lost while reaffirming our responsibility to confront antisemitism, hatred, and dehumanization wherever they appear.
Yom HaZikaron is Israel’s national day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. Observed immediately before Yom Ha’atzmaut, it is a solemn day of communal mourning and remembrance. The transition directly from Yom HaZikaron into Israel’s Independence Day reflects the profound connection between sacrifice, memory, and the establishment and continued existence of the State of Israel.
Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrates the establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948. In Israel and Jewish communities around the world, the day is marked with celebrations, music, food, community gatherings, and expressions of connection to Israel. Coming immediately after Yom HaZikaron, the holiday moves from remembrance into celebration, reflecting both the complexity and joy of Israel’s story.
Shavuot occurs seven weeks after Passover and marks the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Originally an agricultural pilgrimage festival celebrating the harvest, today Shavuot celebrates Torah, learning, and the ongoing Jewish commitment to study and discovery. Traditions include studying late into the night, reading the Book of Ruth, decorating with greenery, and—perhaps most deliciously—eating dairy foods such as cheesecake.
The Three Weeks is a period of mourning leading to Tisha B’Av, beginning with the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, which commemorates the breaching of Jerusalem’s walls before the destruction of the Second Temple. During this period, many Jews observe customs that gradually increase in intensity, particularly during the final Nine Days. The Three Weeks invite reflection on loss, division, and the importance of building a more compassionate and connected world.
Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, is the most solemn day of mourning on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates the destruction of both ancient Temples in Jerusalem and other tragedies experienced by the Jewish people throughout history. Traditionally observed through fasting, prayer, and the reading of the Book of Lamentations (Eicha), Tisha B’Av gives us space to grieve collective loss, remember generations who came before us, and consider our responsibility to repair what has been broken.
Tu B’Av, celebrated on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Av, is an ancient Jewish holiday associated with love, joy, and new beginnings. The Talmud describes it as one of the happiest days of the Jewish year, when young people gathered in the fields and vineyards in search of their partners. Today, Tu B’Av is often called the “Jewish Day of Love” and is celebrated as a time to appreciate love, relationships, and connection.