Jewish Holidays 2020-2021
Dates of major and minor Jewish holidays for
Hebrew Year 5781 (2020-2021).
Each holiday page includes a brief overview of special observances and
customs, and any special Torah readings.
All holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the date
specified in the tables below. For example, if the dates for Rosh
Hashana were listed as -,
then the holiday begins at sundown on Sep 18
and ends at nightfall on Sep 20.
Major holidays
Holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the date specified.
Dates in bold are yom tov, so they have similar
obligations and restrictions to Shabbat in the sense that normal "work"
is forbidden.
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rosh Hashana | ‑, 2020 Sa‑Su | The Jewish New Year |
| Yom Kippur | M | Day of Atonement |
| Sukkot | ‑, 2020 Sa‑Su ‑, 2020 M‑F |
Feast of Booths |
| Shmini Atzeret | Sa | Eighth Day of Assembly |
| Simchat Torah | Su | Day of Celebrating the Torah |
| Chanukah | ‑, 2020 F‑F | Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication |
| Purim | F | Celebration of Jewish deliverance as told by Megilat Esther |
| Pesach | ‑, 2021 Su‑M ‑, 2021 Tu‑F ‑, 2021 Sa‑Su |
Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread |
| Shavuot | ‑, 2021 M‑Tu | Festival of Weeks |
| Tish'a B'Av | Su | The Ninth of Av |
Minor holidays
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tu BiShvat | Th | New Year for Trees |
| Shushan Purim | Su | Purim celebrated in Jerusalem and walled cities |
| Pesach Sheni | M | Second Passover, one month after Passover |
| Lag BaOmer | F | 33rd day of counting the Omer |
| Tu B'Av | Sa | Minor Jewish holiday of love |
| Leil Selichot | Aug 28, 2021 Sa | Prayers for forgiveness in preparation for the High Holidays |
Minor fasts
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tzom Gedaliah | Sep 21, 2020 M | Fast of the Seventh Month |
| Asara B'Tevet | Dec 25, 2020 F | Fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem |
| Ta'anit Esther | Feb 25, 2021 Th | Fast of Esther |
| Ta'anit Bechorot | Mar 25, 2021 Th | Fast of the First Born |
| Tzom Tammuz | Jun 27, 2021 Su | Fast commemorating breaching of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Second Temple |
Modern holidays
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Yom HaAliyah | Su | Recognizes Aliyah, immigration to the Jewish State of Israel |
| Sigd | M | Ethiopian Jewish holiday occurring 50 days after Yom Kippur |
| Yom HaShoah | Th | Holocaust Memorial Day |
| Yom HaZikaron | W | Israeli Memorial Day |
| Yom HaAtzma'ut | Th | Israeli Independence Day |
| Yom Yerushalayim | M | Jerusalem Day |
Special Shabbatot
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Shabbat Shuva | Sa | Shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Shabbat of Returning) |
| Shabbat Shekalim | Sa | Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar |
| Shabbat Zachor | Sa | Shabbat before Purim |
| Shabbat Parah | Sa | Shabbat of the Red Heifer |
| Shabbat HaChodesh | Sa | Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan |
| Shabbat HaGadol | Sa | Shabbat before Pesach |
| Shabbat Chazon | Sa | Shabbat before Tish'a B'Av (Shabbat of Prophecy/Shabbat of Vision) |
| Shabbat Nachamu | Sa | Shabbat after Tish'a B'Av (Shabbat of Consolation) |
Rosh Chodesh
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan | Su | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Cheshvan |
| Rosh Chodesh Kislev | Tu | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Kislev |
| Rosh Chodesh Tevet | W | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Tevet |
| Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat | Th | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Sh'vat |
| Rosh Chodesh Adar | F | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Adar |
| Rosh Chodesh Nisan | Su | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Nisan |
| Rosh Chodesh Iyyar | M | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Iyyar |
| Rosh Chodesh Sivan | W | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Sivan |
| Rosh Chodesh Tamuz | Th | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Tamuz |
| Rosh Chodesh Av | Sa | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Av |
| Rosh Chodesh Elul | Su | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Elul |