Events and Holidays- Israel

Jewish Holiday Calendar - Hebrew Year 5768

All Jewish holidays begin the evening before the date specified. In Hebrew calendar a "day" begins and ends at sunset, rather than at midnight. All holidays are celebrated on the same day of the Hebrew calendar every year (with few exceptions when some holidays fall on Shabbat).

Rosh HaShanah - Sep 13, 2007
Tishrei 1-2 - The Jewish New Year. Marks the beginning of ten days of repentance culminating with Yom Kippur.

Fast of Gedaliah - Sep 16, 2007
Tishrei 3 - Commemorates the assassination of Gedalya Ben Achikam and start of Babylonian exile of the Jewish people (Early 6th century B.C.E.)

Yom Kippur - Sep 22, 2007
Tishrei 10 - The Day of Atonement.

Sukkot - Sep 27, 2007
Tishrei 15 - Sukkot commemorates the forty years of wandering of the People of Israel in the desert after the exodus from Egypt. In memory Jewish people are commanded to build and live in temporary dwellings for seven days.

Simhat Torah - Oct 5, 2007
Tishrei 22 - Simhat Torah (Joy of Torah) marks the completion of the annual reading of the Torah. The concluding section of Torah is read followed by the reading of the first section of Genesis, symbolizing the continuing annual cycle of weekly Torah reading.

Hanukah - Dec 5, 2007
Kislev 25 - Hanuka celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian army.

Tu Bishvat - Jan 22, 2008
Shevat 15 - Tu Bishvat is also known as the New Year for Trees.

Fast of Esther - Mar 20, 2008
Adar 13 - A day of fasting in remembrance of the fast of Queen Esther prior to her attempt to save the Jewish people of ancient Persia.

Purim - Mar 21, 2008
Adar 14 - Purim commemorates the annulment of the decree against the Jewish people in ancient Persia (Late 6th century B.C.E.).

Passover - Apr 20, 2008
Nisan 15 - Passover commemorates the Exodus of the people of Israel from ancient Egypt.

Yom Hashoa - May 2, 2008
Nisan 27 - Holocaust Memorial Day in remembrance of the 6 million Jews killed by the German Nazi regime and their collaborators.

Memorial Day - May 7, 2008
Iyar 4 - Memorial Day in memory of the fallen soldiers of the Israel Defense forces and victims of Arab terrorism.

Yom HaAtzmaut - May 8, 2008
Iyar 5 - Israel Independence Day. Marks the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel in 1948.

Lag BaOmer - May 23, 2008
Iyar 18 - Lag BaOmer is the 33rd day of the Omer commemorating a break in the mourning period for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva (2nd century).

Yom Yerushalayim - Jun 2, 2008
Iyar 28 - Jerusalem Day celebrates the liberation of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War.

Shavuot - Jun 9, 2008
Sivan 6 - Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments to Israelites at Mount Sinai over 3000 years ago. Shavuot means "weeks" as Torah was given 7 weeks after the Exodus from Egypt. First harvest was brought to the Temple on Shavuot.

Shiv'ah Asar Betammuz - Jul 20, 2008
Tammuz 17 - Fast Day commemorates the breach of the walls of Jerusalem during the siege of the city by the Roman army (70 C.E.)

Tishah Beav - Aug 10, 2008
Av 9 - Fast of the Ninth of Av in Hebrew calendar commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.; the second by the Romans in 70 C.E.). Expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 also falls on this date.