On the Jewish calendar, a day begins at sunset. The dates DI provides for Jewish holidays generally will include the beginning of the holiday, so students may still be available for morning class on the first day of a holiday.
Chanukah is an 8 day celebration of religious freedom commemorated by lighting the menorah. Work is permitted.
Holiday greetings: Happy Hanukah, Hanukah Sameach (Happy Hanukah)
These fall holidays begin with Rosh Hashana and conclude with Yom Kippur.
Rosh Hashana is a two day holiday. It is a festival for reflection and planning for the future. Services are held and work traditionally is not permitted.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is a fast day. It the holiest day of the year on the Jewish calendar and is spent in prayer and reflection. Services are held and work traditionally is not permitted.
Many Jewish people who do not observe other holidays observe Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
Holiday greetings: Shana Tova (happy new year), Shana Tova Umetukah (may you have a good and sweet new year), and more can be found here. On Rosh Hashanah, it is appropriate to say Hag Sameach (happy holiday) - hag rhymes with log. It is not customary to wish someone a happy Yom Kippur. Instead, it is traditional to wish someone a meaningful holiday.
Passover (or Pesach) is a seven or eight day holiday celebrating freedom. A traditional meal (seder) is held on the first one or two nights. Passover also kicks off the spring harvest festival (Counting the Omer). Traditionally work is not permitted on the first two days and the last two days.
Dietary note: No grains are eaten on Passover with the exception of matzah. Many Jewish people observe stricter kosher standards on Passover.
Many Jewish people who do not observe other holidays observe Passover.
Holiday greetings: Happy Passover, Hag Sameach (happy holiday - hag rhymes with log), Hag Pesach Sameach (happy Passover holiday)
Purim is a raucous celebration observed through costumes, drinking, and gift-giving. No work restrictions accompany this day, but traditionally this day does require attending religious services. It is usually in February or March.
Holiday greetings: Happy Purim, Hag Purim Sameach (Happy Purim holiday - hag rhymes with log)
Shavuot is a one or two day holiday celebrating receiving the Torah and is the end of the spring harvest festival. It is celebrated with religious study (traditionally all night) and eating dairy foods. Work traditionally is not permitted.
Holiday Greeting: Hag Sameach (happy holiday - hag rhymes with log), good yontiff (happy holiday)
Sukkot is a joyous fall harvest festival that lasts for seven days and is celebrated by building temporary shelters outdoors.
It is immediately followed by Shemini Atzerat and Simchat Torah. Shemini Atzerat marks the end of Sukkot and the beginning of the rainy season. Simchat Torah celebrates the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle and is observed with religious services and dancing. Depending on denomination and location, Shemini Atzerat and Simchat Torah may be celebrated on two consecutive days or on the same day.
Traditionally, no work is permitted on the first two days of Sukkot, the last day of Sukkot, and Simchat Torah.
Holiday Greeting: Hag Sameach (happy holiday - hag rhymes with log), good yontiff (happy holiday)
Tisha B'Av is the Jewish day of mourning and is a fast day. It falls in July or August.
Holiday greeting: Traditionally mourners are not greeted. On this day, those observing do not say hello and it is polite not to say hello to them.
Yom Hashoah is Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day.
To read these ebooks, click the links below and use your Microsoft 365 login credentials (your DI email address and password).
You can also click the LIRN Library tab in Canvas, which will take you to the LIRN Library Portal and log you into all of the library resources. Need help? Contact the DI Library.
The Routledge Dictionary of Judaism (ebook) by 