Jewish Calendar and Resource Guide
This resource guide is designed to
encourage public awareness of the
religious and ethnic observances followed
by the Jewish people. Teachers may find
this calendar helpful as it identifies
opportunities for objective instruction
about Jewish culture. It also serves as a
reminder of observances that may result
in absences from school.
Administrators and teachers may find the
calendar useful when scheduling special
programs and examinations by helping
them avoid those Jewish observances
that fall on school days. There is wide
variation of religious Jewish practices.
Therefore, some students and staff members will be absent for religious purposes
such as synagogue attendance and religious ceremonies, while others may not.
In America today, the three largest Jewish
movements are orthodox, conservative,
and reform.
Resources
To view this guide online visit: www.jfed.org/jcrc
Websites
www.myjewishlearning.com  www.judaism.about.com  www.jewfaq.com
Books
Mordechai Becher: Gateway to Judaism: The What, How, and Why of Jewish Life.
Mesorah Publications, 2005.
Nina Beth Cardini and Gila Gevertz: Rediscovery of Jewish Holidays:
Tradition in a Modern Voice. Behrman House Publishing, 2002.
Michael Strassfeld: The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary. Collins, 1993.
Organizations
Jewish Community Relations Council, East Bay Region 510-318-6417
Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay 510-839-2900
Jewish Community Information and Referral 415-777-4545
Holocaust Library and Education Program of Northern California 415-777-9060
For general information about the JCRC go to www.jcrc.org
Observances 2012-2015
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Sept. 17-18
Sept. 5-6
Sept. 25-26
Yom Kippur
Sept. 26
Sept. 14
Oct. 4
Sukkot
Oct. 1-7
Sept. 19-25
Oct. 9-15
Shemini Atzeret
Oct. 8
Sept. 26
Oct. 16
Simchat Torah
Oct. 9
Sept. 27
Oct. 17
Dec. 9-16
Nov. 28-Dec. 5
Dec. 17-24
Tu B’Shevat
Jan. 26
Jan. 16
Feb. 4
Purim
Feb. 24
Mar. 16
Mar. 5
Mar. 26-Apr. 2
Apr. 15-22
Apr. 4-11
Yom HaShoah
Apr. 7
Apr. 27
Apr. 16
Yom Ha’Atzmaut
Apr. 16
May 6
Apr. 23
May 15-16
June 4-5
May 24-25
Rosh Hashanah
Chanukah
Passover
Shavu’ot
Please note: All Jewish religious observances begin at sundown on the evening before
the date above. For example, Rosh Hashanah 2012 (the Jewish New Year) begins the
evening of September 16.
The East Bay region of the Jewish
Community Relations Council (JCRC)
serves as the central public affairs arm
of the organized Jewish community and
empowers the community to engage in
tikkun olam (repairing the world) through
social justice projects. The JCRC is a
beneficiary of The Jewish Federation of
the East Bay.
Jewish Community Relations Council
East Bay Region
300 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610
510-318-6417
www.jcrc.org
JCRC: Pursuing a just society and
secure Jewish future
Jewish Holidays Throughout The Year
Spring Observances
The Jewish year celebrates events from
the bible, middle ages, and modern
history. September 17, 2012 marks the
beginning of the Jewish year 5773. The
Jewish calendar is a lunar/solar calendar;
therefore, the dates of these holy days,
festivals, and days of remembrance will
vary from year to year. Even though the
dates of the Jewish religious observances
will be different each year, they will
always be celebrated in the same season.
The Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat) begins each
week on Friday at sundown and ends
Saturday at sundown.
Fall Observances
ROSH HASHANAH
(Jewish New Year)
This two-day observance marks the
beginning of the holiest time of
the year for Jews: the Ten Days of
Penitence. It is a time for synagogue
services, reflection, prayer, repentance,
and family gatherings. Jews do not attend school or work on these holy days.
YOM KIPPUR
(Day of Atonement)
This is the most solemn day of the
Jewish year and signals the end of the
Ten Days of Penitence. It is devoted
to fasting, prayer, and synagogue
services. Jews do not attend school
or work on this holy day.
SUKKOT
(Harvest Festival)
This eight-day celebration is actually
made up of three distinct holidays. The
first two days are Sukkot, a time of
thanksgiving. To commemorate the
dwellings of the ancient Israelites during
the harvest, many families build temporary huts (sukkot) in which they eat and
even sleep. The seventh day, Shemini
Atzeret, marks the end of the holiday
season that began with Rosh Hashanah.
The eighth day, Simchat Torah,
celebrates the conclusion of the year-long
cycle of reading the Torah (the five books
of Moses) and the beginning of a new
cycle. Some may miss school or work for
the first two and last two days of this
eight-day celebration.
Winter Observances
CHANUKAH
(Festival of Lights)
This eight-day holiday is a celebration
of religious freedom and commemorates the re-dedication of the Temple in
Jerusalem in 165 B.C.E. Families celebrate in their homes by lighting candles
for eight nights, exchanging gifts, eating
special foods, and playing dreidel, a
spinning top game. No school or work
is missed.
TU B’SHEVAT
(Festival for Trees)
This holiday is similar to Earth Day.
People plant trees and celebrate all
the things that trees provide for us.
No school or work is missed.
PURIM
(Feast of Lots)
Based on the biblical Book of Esther
(The Megillah), Purim celebrates the
foiling of a plot to kill the Jews in
ancient Persia. A ritual of Purim is to
read the story from The Megillah of
how Esther and Mordecai prevented
Haman from exterminating the Jews.
No school or work is missed.
PESACH
(Passover)
This eight-day Festival of Freedom
celebrates the deliverance of the
ancient Israelites from Egyptian bondage. The most commonly observed
ritual of Passover is the abstention of
consuming leavened bread products to
symbolize that when the Jews fled
Egypt, they did not have time to let
their breads rise. Families gather for a
traditional meal, or seder, where the
story is retold, and symbolic foods are
eaten. Many students will eat matzo
instead of bread, and other dietary
restrictions may be observed. Students
may miss school the first two and last
two days of this holiday.
YOM HASHOAH
(Holocaust Remembrance)
Yom HaShoah commemorates the
victims of the Holocaust of World
War II. Under Hitler’s “Final Solution,”
six million Jews were annihilated. In
many ceremonies, six candles are lit
—one for each million Jews who
perished. Kaddish, the traditional
mourners’ prayer, is usually recited at
the end of the ceremony. Jews unite in
universal mourning and remembrance.
No school or work is missed.
YOM HA’ATZMAUT
(Israel Independence Day)
Yom Ha’Atzmaut is the celebration of
Israel’s independence, subsequent
to the United Nations’ vote to establish
the state of Israel. Festivities may include fireworks, parties, or picnics. The
observance in the United States is a
way for American Jews to express their
solidarity with Israel. No school or
work is missed.
SHAVU’OT
(Festival of Weeks)
Coming in late Spring, this two-day
holiday observes the giving of the
Torah (the Five Books of Moses) on
Mount Sinai, and commemorates
ancient Israel’s acceptance of the Torah
and its obligations. School or work may
be missed.