Are you searching for the Jewish holidays in 2018? Want to be ready with a plan for the holidays? Read the following article to get more information on the same.
The year 2018 is just around the corner, and most of us are already planning on what to do for the upcoming holidays. No matter what religion and culture we believe in, the festivals are always the best way to bring family, friends, neighbors, and the community closer. We forgive and forget all that has happened in the past and relish in the glorious present.
However, at times the pressures at work, school, and/or home can become so intense that we may never realize which holidays are upcoming or have passed us by. Which is why, since you don’t get to miss out on any of the holidays and to help you keep yourself available and spend as much time as possible with your family, we have put together a list of Jewish holidays in 2018.
This new year, you can start afresh and spend time at home for any and all the holidays you like. Instead of making last-minute flight bookings and taking time off work, you can easily plan your entire schedule with ease. So here’s a complete list of the dates divided into the months that they appear in.
List of Holidays
Even though Hanukkah is one of the most popular holidays that people around the world are familiar with, there are other major Jewish holidays as well. In Jewish culture, a day begins and ends right at sunset. Hence, the holidays also follow the same pattern; they begin a day before and end of the day at sunset on the date given below. This table will get you familiarized with the calendar of major holidays.
January
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 17th January | Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat | It marks the beginning of the Shevat month |
| 31th January | Tu BiShvat | The 15th day of the Shevat month, also know as “The New Year of the Trees”. |
February
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 10th February | Shabbat Shekalim | It is read in the preparation of the Purim |
| 15th February | Rosh Chodesh Adar | It celebrates the beginning of the month of Adar |
| 24th February | Shabbat Zachor | The commandment to remember the attack of Amalek is read on this auspicious day |
| 28th February | Ta’anit Esther | Ta’anit Esther is a fast from dawn till dusk. It’s the commemoration of the three day fast which was observed in the story of Purim |
March
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1st March | Purim | It commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the Haman |
| 10th March | Shabbat Parah | It is the preparation for the Passover |
| 17th March | Rosh Chodesh Nisan, Shabbat HaChodesh | The beginning of the new month of Nisan |
| 24th March | Shabbat HaGadol | It’s the Shabbat that’s immediately preceding the Passover |
| 30th March | Ta’anit Bechorot, Erev Pesach | The Passover starts today. |
April
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 12th April | Yom HaShoah | The holocaust remembrance day |
| 15th April | Rosh Chodesh Iyyar | The beginning of the month of Iyyar |
| 18th April | Yom HaZikaron | It’s the Israeli memorial day |
| 19th April | Yom HaAtzma’ut | It’s the Israeli Independence day |
| 29th April | Pesach Sheni | The second passover commences on this day |
May
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd May | Lag BaOmer | According to Jewish tradition, this day commemorates the Bar Kokhba Revolt against the Roman empire. |
| 12th-13th May | Yom Yerushalayim | The Jerusalem day |
| 15th May | Rosh Chodesh Sivan | The beginning of the month of Sivan |
| 19th -21st May | Erev Shavuot | The Feast of Weeks, is said to have a very important place in Jewish tradition |
June
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 13th-14th June | Rosh Chodesh Tamuz | The beginning of the month of Tamuz |
July
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1st July | Tzom Tammuz | It commemorates the day when the walls of Jerusalem were breached before the destruction of the second temple |
| 13th July | Rosh Chodesh Av | The Beginning of the month of Av |
| 21st July | Shabbat Chazon Erev Tish’a B’Av | It’s an annual fast commemorating the fall of the first and the second temple. It’s called the Black Shabbats |
| 27th-28th July | Shabbat Nachamu | First of the seven haftarahs of consolidation. |
August
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 11th August | Rosh Chodesh Elul | The beginning of the month of Elul |
September
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9th-11th September | Rosh Hashana | It’s the Jewish new year |
| 18th-19th September | Yom Kippur | The Day of Atonement. |
| 23rd September | Sukkot | Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of the Ingathering. It’s a biblical holiday |
October
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9th October | Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan | The beginning of the month of Cheshvan |
| 16th October | Yom HaAliyah | Israeli national holiday |
November
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 8th November | Rosh Chodesh Kislev | The beginning of the month of Kislev |
December
| Date | Holiday | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 8th December | Rosh Chodesh Tevet | The beginning of the Hebrew month of Tevet |
| 10th December | Chanukah | Hanukkah |
There are certain holidays when work is not permitted or should be avoided. These holidays are Purim, Passover, Shavuot, Tisha B’Av, Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah. During Hanukkah, you are allowed to work but not during Shabbat. Apart from these holidays, there are a few holidays when work can be commenced. However, in order to be absolutely sure, you should speak to your Rabbi for details.
Now that we have seen a detailed list, you might be interested in knowing what are some other holidays coming up in the year of 2018. As mentioned earlier, plan ahead of time and spend as much quality time as possible with your family and friends. There’s nothing like being home for the holidays. Make the new year twice as nice as this year was. Happy Holidays in advance!
