Jewish Holidays 2012-2013

Dates of major and minor Jewish holidays for Hebrew Year 5773 (2012-2013). Each holiday page includes a brief overview of special observances and customs, and any special Torah readings.

Except for minor fasts, holidays begin at sundown on the date specified in the tables below. For example, if the dates for Rosh Hashana are listed as Sep 16-Sep 18, then the holiday begins at sundown on Sep 16 and ends at nightfall on Sep 18.

Major holidays

Holidays begin at sundown on the first date specified and end at nightfall on the last 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
Rosh Hashana	Sep 16‑18, 2012 Su‑Tu
The Jewish New Year
Yom Kippur	Sep 25‑26, 2012 Tu‑W
Day of Atonement
Sukkot	Sep 30‑Oct 2, 2012 Su‑Tu Oct 3‑7, 2012 W‑Su
Feast of Booths
Shmini Atzeret	Oct 7‑8, 2012 Su‑M
Eighth Day of Assembly
Simchat Torah	Oct 8‑9, 2012 M‑Tu
Day of Celebrating the Torah
Chanukah	Dec 8‑16, 2012 Sa‑Su
Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication
Purim	Feb 23‑24, 2013 Sa‑Su
Celebration of Jewish deliverance as told by Megilat Esther
Pesach	Mar 25‑27, 2013 M‑W Mar 28‑30, 2013 Th‑Sa Mar 31‑Apr 2, 2013 Su‑Tu
Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Shavuot	May 14‑16, 2013 Tu‑Th
Festival of Weeks

Minor holidays

Holiday	Dates
Tu BiShvat	Jan 25‑26, 2013 F‑Sa
New Year for Trees
Shushan Purim	Feb 24‑25, 2013 Su‑M
Purim celebrated in Jerusalem and walled cities
Pesach Sheni	Apr 23‑24, 2013 Tu‑W
Second Passover, one month after Passover
Lag BaOmer	Apr 27‑28, 2013 Sa‑Su
33rd day of counting the Omer
Tu B'Av	Jul 21‑22, 2013 Su‑M
Minor Jewish holiday of love
Leil Selichot	Aug 31, 2013 Sa
Prayers for forgiveness in preparation for the High Holidays

Minor fasts

Minor fasts begin at dawn and end at nightfall.

Tish'a B'Av begins at sundown on the first date specified and ends at nightfall on the second date specified.

Holiday	Dates
Tzom Gedaliah	Sep 19, 2012 W
Fast of the Seventh Month
Asara B'Tevet	Dec 23, 2012 Su
Fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem
Ta'anit Esther	Feb 21, 2013 Th
Fast of Esther
Ta'anit Bechorot	Mar 25, 2013 M
Fast of the First Born
Tzom Tammuz	Jun 25, 2013 Tu
Fast commemorating breaching of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Second Temple
Tish'a B'Av	Jul 15‑16, 2013 M‑Tu
The Ninth of Av

Modern holidays

Holiday	Dates
Sigd	Nov 13‑14, 2012 Tu‑W
Ethiopian Jewish holiday occurring 50 days after Yom Kippur
Yom HaShoah	Apr 7‑8, 2013 Su‑M
Holocaust Memorial Day
Yom HaZikaron	Apr 14‑15, 2013 Su‑M
Israeli Memorial Day
Yom HaAtzma'ut	Apr 15‑16, 2013 M‑Tu
Israeli Independence Day
Yom Yerushalayim	May 7‑8, 2013 Tu‑W
Jerusalem Day

Special Shabbatot

Holiday	Dates
Shabbat Shuva	Sep 21‑22, 2012 F‑Sa
Shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Shabbat of Returning)
Shabbat Shirah	Jan 25‑26, 2013 F‑Sa
Shabbat of Song
Shabbat Shekalim	Feb 8‑9, 2013 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar
Shabbat Zachor	Feb 22‑23, 2013 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Purim
Shabbat Parah	Mar 1‑2, 2013 F‑Sa
Shabbat of the Red Heifer
Shabbat HaChodesh	Mar 8‑9, 2013 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan
Shabbat HaGadol	Mar 22‑23, 2013 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Pesach
Shabbat Chazon	Jul 12‑13, 2013 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Tish'a B'Av (Shabbat of Prophecy/Shabbat of Vision)
Shabbat Nachamu	Jul 19‑20, 2013 F‑Sa
Shabbat after Tish'a B'Av (Shabbat of Consolation)

Rosh Chodesh

Holiday	Dates
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan	Oct 15‑17, 2012 M‑W
Start of month of Cheshvan on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Kislev	Nov 14‑15, 2012 W‑Th
Start of month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Tevet	Dec 13‑14, 2012 Th‑F
Start of month of Tevet on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat	Jan 11‑12, 2013 F‑Sa
Start of month of Sh'vat on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Adar	Feb 9‑11, 2013 Sa‑M
Start of month of Adar on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Nisan	Mar 11‑12, 2013 M‑Tu
Start of month of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Iyyar	Apr 9‑11, 2013 Tu‑Th
Start of month of Iyyar on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Sivan	May 9‑10, 2013 Th‑F
Start of month of Sivan on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Tamuz	Jun 7‑9, 2013 F‑Su
Start of month of Tamuz on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Av	Jul 7‑8, 2013 Su‑M
Start of month of Av on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Elul	Aug 5‑7, 2013 M‑W
Start of month of Elul on the Hebrew calendar