Jewish Holidays 2011-2012
Dates of major and minor Jewish holidays for Hebrew Year 5772 (2011-2012). 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 28 and ends at nightfall on Sep 30.
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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 | ‑, 2011 Th‑F | The Jewish New Year |
| Yom Kippur | Sa | Day of Atonement |
| Sukkot | ‑, 2011 Th‑F ‑, 2011 Sa‑W |
Feast of Booths |
| Shmini Atzeret | Th | Eighth Day of Assembly |
| Simchat Torah | F | Day of Celebrating the Torah |
| Chanukah | ‑, 2011 W‑W | Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication |
| Purim | Th | Celebration of Jewish deliverance as told by Megilat Esther |
| Pesach | ‑, 2012 Sa‑Su ‑, 2012 M‑Th ‑, 2012 F‑Sa |
Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread |
| Shavuot | ‑, 2012 Su‑M | Festival of Weeks |
Minor holidays
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tu BiShvat | W | New Year for Trees |
| Shushan Purim | F | Purim celebrated in Jerusalem and walled cities |
| Pesach Sheni | Su | Second Passover, one month after Passover |
| Lag BaOmer | Th | 33rd day of counting the Omer |
| Tu B'Av | F | Minor Jewish holiday of love |
| Leil Selichot | Sep 8, 2012 Sa | Prayers for forgiveness in preparation for the High Holidays |
Minor fasts
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tzom Gedaliah | Oct 2, 2011 Su | Fast of the Seventh Month |
| Asara B'Tevet | Jan 5, 2012 Th | Fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem |
| Ta'anit Esther | Mar 7, 2012 W | Fast of Esther |
| Ta'anit Bechorot | Apr 6, 2012 F | Fast of the First Born |
| Tzom Tammuz | Jul 8, 2012 Su | Fast commemorating breaching of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Second Temple |
| Tish'a B'Av | Su | The Ninth of Av |
Modern holidays
| Holiday | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sigd | Sa | 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 | Su | 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 | F | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Cheshvan |
| Rosh Chodesh Kislev | Su | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Kislev |
| Rosh Chodesh Tevet | M | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Tevet |
| Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat | W | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Sh'vat |
| Rosh Chodesh Adar | Th | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Adar |
| Rosh Chodesh Nisan | Sa | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Nisan |
| Rosh Chodesh Iyyar | Su | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Iyyar |
| Rosh Chodesh Sivan | Tu | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Sivan |
| Rosh Chodesh Tamuz | W | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Tamuz |
| Rosh Chodesh Av | F | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Av |
| Rosh Chodesh Elul | Sa | Beginning of new Hebrew month of Elul |