Jewish holidays in 2026.

Also: Tu BiShvat · New Year of the Trees

The New Year of the Trees. Eat fruits of the Land of Israel, plant something, and learn the Shivat HaMinim (the seven species).

Exact timing: Begins Sunday evening, Feb 1; ends Monday night, Feb 2, 2026.

Also: Feast of Esther

Queen Esther's story. Read the megillah, send mishloach manot, give matanot la'evyonim, and feast at the seudat Purim.

Exact timing: Begins Monday evening, Mar 2; ends Tuesday night, Mar 3, 2026.

Also: Passover

The Holiday of Freedom. Two seder nights (one in Israel), eat matzah for a week, tell the going-out-of-Mitzrayim story.

Exact timing: Begins Wednesday evening, Apr 1; ends Thursday night, Apr 9, 2026. (8 days)

Also: Israel Independence Day

Israel's Independence Day — the modern state was declared on 5 Iyar 5708 / May 14, 1948. Sing HaTikvah, learn about the Israeli flag, celebrate the journey home.

Exact timing: Begins Tuesday evening, Apr 21; ends Wednesday night, Apr 22, 2026.

Also: Lag BaOmer · 33rd day of the Omer

The 33rd day of the Omer count. A pause in the Omer's semi-mourning customs — bonfires, weddings, and first haircuts (upsherin) all happen on this day.

Exact timing: Begins Monday evening, May 4; ends Tuesday night, May 5, 2026.

Also: Jerusalem Day

Jerusalem Day — the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. The eight gates of the Old City, the Kotel, and the joy of return.

Exact timing: Begins Thursday evening, May 14; ends Friday night, May 15, 2026.

Also: Shavuos · Feast of Weeks

Receiving the Torah at Har Sinai. Eat dairy, decorate with flowers, learn all night (Tikkun Leil Shavuot), and read Megillat Rut.

Exact timing: Begins Thursday evening, May 21; ends Saturday night, May 23, 2026. (2 days)

Also: 9th of Av · Day of Mourning

A day of fasting and mourning for the destruction of both Temples. K–3 framing: the saddest day of the year, but it leads to comfort and rebuilding. Children do not fast.

Exact timing: Begins Wednesday evening, Jul 22; ends Thursday night, Jul 23, 2026.

Also: Jewish New Year

The Jewish new year. Hear the shofar, dip apples in honey, and pray for a sweet year ahead. The two-day yom tov begins the month of Tishrei.

Exact timing: Begins Friday evening, Sep 11; ends Sunday night, Sep 13, 2026. (2 days)

Also: Day of Atonement

The holiest day of the Jewish year — a full day of fasting and prayer. For K–3 families: kids don't fast, but they can come to shul, hear the shofar at the end, and join the meal that breaks the fast.

Exact timing: Begins Sunday evening, Sep 20; ends Monday night, Sep 21, 2026.

Also: Festival of Booths · Sukkos

The Festival of Booths. Build a sukkah, wave the four species (lulav, etrog, hadas, aravah), and eat your meals under the stars for a week.

Exact timing: Begins Friday evening, Sep 25; ends Friday night, Oct 2, 2026. (7 days)

Also: Eighth-day Assembly

The eighth-day yom tov that immediately follows Sukkot. We pray for rain (Tefillat Geshem) and begin saying "Mashiv haRuach."

Exact timing: Begins Friday evening, Oct 2; ends Saturday night, Oct 3, 2026.

Also: Joy of the Torah

Finish the annual Torah reading, dance the hakafot with the sifrei Torah, and start Bereshit all over again.

Exact timing: Begins Saturday evening, Oct 3; ends Sunday night, Oct 4, 2026.

Also: Hanukkah · Festival of Lights

Eight nights of lighting the chanukiah, remembering the oil that lasted eight days and the rededication of the Beit HaMikdash.

Exact timing: Begins Thursday evening, Dec 3; ends Friday night, Dec 11, 2026. (8 days)