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.

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 18-Sep 20, then the holiday begins at sundown on Sep 18 and ends at nightfall on Sep 20.

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 18‑20, 2020 F‑Su
The Jewish New Year
Yom Kippur	Sep 27‑28, 2020 Su‑M
Day of Atonement
Sukkot	Oct 2‑4, 2020 F‑Su Oct 5‑9, 2020 M‑F
Feast of Booths
Shmini Atzeret	Oct 9‑10, 2020 F‑Sa
Eighth Day of Assembly
Chanukah	Dec 10‑18, 2020 Th‑F
Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication
Pesach	Mar 27‑29, 2021 Sa‑M Mar 30‑Apr 1, 2021 Tu‑Th Apr 2‑4, 2021 F‑Su
Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Shavuot	May 16‑17, 2021 Su‑M
Festival of Weeks

Minor holidays

Holiday	Dates
Tu BiShvat	Jan 27‑28, 2021 W‑Th
New Year for Trees
Purim	Feb 25‑26, 2021 Th‑F
Celebration of Jewish deliverance as told by Megilat Esther
Shushan Purim	Feb 27‑28, 2021 Sa‑Su
Purim celebrated in Jerusalem and walled cities
Pesach Sheni	Apr 25‑26, 2021 Su‑M
Second Passover, one month after Passover
Lag BaOmer	Apr 29‑30, 2021 Th‑F
33rd day of counting the Omer
Tu B'Av	Jul 23‑24, 2021 F‑Sa
Minor Jewish holiday of love
Rosh Hashana LaBehemot	Aug 8‑9, 2021 Su‑M
New Year for Tithing Animals
Leil Selichot	Aug 28, 2021 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 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
Tish'a B'Av	Jul 17‑18, 2021 Sa‑Su
The Ninth of Av

Modern holidays

Holiday	Dates
Yom HaAliyah School Observance	Oct 25‑25, 2020 Su
Aliyah Day observed in Israeli schools
Sigd	Nov 15‑16, 2020 Su‑M
Ethiopian Jewish holiday occurring 50 days after Yom Kippur
Yom HaAliyah	Mar 22‑23, 2021 M‑Tu
Recognizes Aliyah, immigration to the Jewish State of Israel
Yom HaShoah	Apr 7‑8, 2021 W‑Th
Holocaust Memorial Day
Yom HaZikaron	Apr 13‑14, 2021 Tu‑W
Israeli Memorial Day
Yom HaAtzma'ut	Apr 14‑15, 2021 W‑Th
Israeli Independence Day
Yom Yerushalayim	May 9‑10, 2021 Su‑M
Jerusalem Day

Special Shabbatot

Holiday	Dates
Shabbat Shuva	Sep 25‑26, 2020 F‑Sa
Shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Shabbat of Returning)
Shabbat Shirah	Jan 29‑30, 2021 F‑Sa
Shabbat of Song
Shabbat Shekalim	Feb 12‑13, 2021 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar
Shabbat Zachor	Feb 19‑20, 2021 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Purim
Shabbat Parah	Mar 5‑6, 2021 F‑Sa
Shabbat of the Red Heifer
Shabbat HaChodesh	Mar 12‑13, 2021 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nissan
Shabbat HaGadol	Mar 26‑27, 2021 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Pesach
Shabbat Chazon	Jul 16‑17, 2021 F‑Sa
Shabbat before Tish'a B'Av (Shabbat of Prophecy/Shabbat of Vision)
Shabbat Nachamu	Jul 23‑24, 2021 F‑Sa
Shabbat after Tish'a B'Av (Shabbat of Consolation)

Rosh Chodesh

Holiday	Dates
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan	Oct 17‑19, 2020 Sa‑M
Start of month of Cheshvan on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Kislev	Nov 16‑17, 2020 M‑Tu
Start of month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Tevet	Dec 15‑16, 2020 Tu‑W
Start of month of Tevet on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat	Jan 13‑14, 2021 W‑Th
Start of month of Sh'vat on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Adar	Feb 11‑13, 2021 Th‑Sa
Start of month of Adar on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Nisan	Mar 13‑14, 2021 Sa‑Su
Start of month of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Iyyar	Apr 11‑13, 2021 Su‑Tu
Start of month of Iyyar on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Sivan	May 11‑12, 2021 Tu‑W
Start of month of Sivan on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Tamuz	Jun 9‑11, 2021 W‑F
Start of month of Tamuz on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Av	Jul 9‑10, 2021 F‑Sa
Start of month of Av on the Hebrew calendar
Rosh Chodesh Elul	Aug 7‑9, 2021 Sa‑M
Start of month of Elul on the Hebrew calendar