** High Holy Day Services are for members & ticketed guests only; for security reasons, tickets will be checked. Unfortunately, there is no admission to High Holiday services without a ticket. If you would like to acquire tickets, please contact the office at (610)696-7210.
Holy Days begin the evening before the day noted. Holy Days are special days on which no work (Melacha) is permitted and absences from school or work should be excused.
** Rosh HaShanah - Sunset of September 8 through nightfall of September 10
Tishrei 1-2 - The Jewish New Year. Marks the beginning of ten days of repentance culminating with Yom Kippur.
Fast of Gedaliah - September 12
Tishrei 3 - Commemorates the assassination of Gedalya Ben Achikam and start of Babylonian exile of the Jewish people (Early 6th century B.C.E.)
** Yom Kippur - Sunset of September 17 through nightfall of September 18
Tishrei 10 - The Day of Atonement.
Sukkot - Sunset of September 22 through sunset of September 29
Tishrei 15 - Sukkot commemorates the forty years of wandering of the People of Israel in the desert after the exodus from Egypt. In memory Jewish people are commanded to build and live in temporary dwellings for seven days (Leviticus 23:33).
Simhat Torah - Nightfall of September 30 through nightfall of October 1
Tishrei 22 - Simhat Torah (Joy of Torah) marks the completion of the annual reading of the Torah. The concluding section of Torah is read followed by the reading of the first section of Genesis, symbolizing the continuing annual cycle of weekly Torah reading.
Chanukah - Sunset of December 1 through December 9
Kislev 25 - Hanuka celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the victory of the Maccabees over the Hellenistic (Greek) army.
Tu Bishvat - Jan 20, 2011
Shevat 15 - Tu Bishvat is also known as the New Year for Trees.
Fast of Esther - March 17
Adar 13 - A day of fasting in remembrance of the fast of Queen Esther prior to her attempt to save the Jewish people of ancient Persia.
Purim - Nightfall of March 19 through nightfall of March 20
Adar 14 - Purim commemorates the annulment of the decree against the Jewish people in ancient Persia (Late 6th century B.C.E.).
Passover - Sunset of April 18 through nightfall of April 26
Nisan 15 - Passover commemorates the Exodus of the people of Israel from ancient Egypt.
Yom Hashoa - May 1, 2011
Nisan 27 - Holocaust Memorial Day in remembrance of the 6 million Jews killed by the German Nazi regime and their collaborators.
Memorial Day - May 9, 2011
Iyar 4 - Memorial Day in memory of the fallen soldiers of the Israel Defense forces and victims of Arab terrorism.
Yom HaAtzmaut - May 10, 2011
Iyar 5 - Israel Independence Day. Marks the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel in 1948.
Lag BaOmer - May 22, 2011
Iyar 18 - Lag BaOmer is the 33rd day of the Omer commemorating a break in the mourning period for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva (2nd century).
Yom Yerushalayim - May 12, 2011
Iyar 28 - Jerusalem Day celebrates the liberation of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War.
Shavuot - Sunset of June 7 through nightfall of June 9
Sivan 6 - Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments to Israelites at Mount Sinai over 3000 years ago. Shavuot means "weeks" as Torah was given 7 weeks after the Exodus from Egypt. First harvest was brought to the Temple on Shavuot.
Shiv'ah Asar Betammuz - July 19
Tammuz 17 - Fast Day commemorates the breach of the walls of Jerusalem during the siege of the city by the Roman army (70 C.E.)
Tishah Beav - Sunset of August 8 through nightfall of August 9
Av 9 - Fast of the Ninth of Av in Hebrew calendar commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.; the second by the Romans in 70 C.E.). Expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 also falls on this date.
By Jewish law, the day begins & ends at sundown. All Jewish holidays begin at sundown of the day preceding the date shown and end at sundown of the day presented.
The Jewish calendar begins with Rosh Hashanah, so the Jewish year always includes 2 years from the civil calendar.
