How the Hebrew calendar works
The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar. Months follow the Moon and have 29 or 30 days, and a leap month is added seven times in every 19 years so that festivals stay in their seasons: Passover in spring and Sukkot in autumn. Years are counted from the traditional date of creation; the year 5787 begins in September 2026.
The months, counted from the new year, are Tishri, Heshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar (Adar I and Adar II in leap years), Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tamuz, Av and Elul. Rosh Hashanah falls on 1 Tishri, Yom Kippur on 10 Tishri and Passover begins on 15 Nisan.
Days begin at sunset
A Hebrew date runs from sunset to sunset. Shabbat and holidays begin the evening before the Gregorian date shown here, which is the day the date mostly covers.
Examples
- 15 Nisan 5786, the first day of Passover, is April 2, 2026 (the Seder is the evening before).
- 1 Tishri 5787, Rosh Hashanah, is September 12, 2026.
- October 8, 2026 is 27 Tishri 5787.
Key dates in the Hebrew year
| Occasion | Hebrew date |
|---|---|
| Rosh Hashanah | 1–2 Tishri |
| Yom Kippur | 10 Tishri |
| Sukkot begins | 15 Tishri |
| Hanukkah begins | 25 Kislev |
| Purim | 14 Adar (14 Adar II in leap years) |
| Passover begins | 15 Nisan |
| Shavuot | 6 Sivan |
Because the Hebrew year keeps pace with the seasons through its leap months, these holidays move within a window of about a month on the Gregorian calendar, rather than drifting through the year like Hijri dates.
Anniversaries and yahrzeits
Many families mark birthdays, anniversaries and yahrzeits on the Hebrew date, which moves on the Gregorian calendar each year. Convert the Hebrew date for the coming year, then set a reminder so the day never slips by.
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