w w w. s h o f a r t a l l i t . c o m
16-month Jewish/Christian Calendar
September 2016 through December 2017
September 2016 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
אלול תשע"ו- אב Av - Elul 5776
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: R’eh (“See”) Dt. 11:26-16:17
1
Av 28
2
Av 29
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
Elul 1
5
Elul 2
6
Elul 3
7
Elul 4
8
Elul 5
9
Elul 6
Elul 8
10
Elul 7
Torah: Ke Tetse (“When you go out”) Dt. 16:18-21:9
Grandparent’s Day
11
Av 30
Torah: Shoftim (“Judges”) Dt. 16:18-21:9
Labor Day
4
3
12
Elul 9
13
Elul 10
14
Elul 11
15
Elul 12
16
Elul 13
Elul 15
19
Elul 16
20
Elul 17
21
Elul 18
25
Elul 22
26
Elul 23
27
Elul 24
28
Elul 25
22
29
Elul 19
Elul 26
Elul 14
Torah: Ke Tavo (“When you enter in”) Dt. 21:10-25:19
Autumn Begins
18
17
23
30
Elul 20
24
Elul 21
Elul 27
Nimrod’s Castle High Above The Valleys of Northern Israel
October 2016 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
תשרי תשע"ז- אלול תשע"ו
Elul 5776 - Tishrei 5777
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah:
Nitsavim
(“You are standing”) Dt. 29:9-30:20
1 Erev Rosh Hashanah Feast of Trumpets Eve
Feast of Trumpets Rosh Hashanah 1
Rosh Hashanah 2
Torah:
Fast of Gedalia
Elul 29
3
Tishrei 1
Columbus Day
9
Tishrei 7
10
Tishrei 8
4
Tishrei 2
Erev Yom Kippur Day of Atonement Eve (Yizkor)
11
Tishrei 9
Erev Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles Eve
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 1
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 2
16 23
17 24
18
Tishrei 14
Tishrei 21 Hoshana Rabbah Sukkot 7
30
Tishrei 28
Tishrei 15
Tishrei 16
5
Tishrei 3
6
Tishrei 4
7
Tishrei 5
Tishrei 10
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 3
19
Tishrei 17
13
Tishrei 11
14
Tishrei 12
Feast of Tabernacles Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 4 Sukkot 5
20
Tishrei 18
21
Tishrei 19
Tishrei 29
Tishrei 6
15
Tishrei 13
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 6
22
Tishrei 20
Torah: B’Resheet (“In the beginning”) Gn. 1:1-6:8
Tishrei 22
Simchat Torah
31
8
Torah: Ha’azinu (“Give ear!”) Dt. 32:1-32:52
Day of Atonement Yom Kippur (Yizkor)
12
VaYelech
(“And he went”) Dt. 31:1-31:30
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
2
Elul 28
25
Tishrei 23
26
Tishrei 24
27
Tishrei 25
28
Tishrei 26
29
Tishrei 27
Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem and the World at the Temple’s Western Wall
November 2016 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
חשון תשע"ז- תשרי
Tishrei - Cheshvan 5777
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: Noach (“Noah”) Gn. 6:9-11:32
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
1
Cheshvan 5
2
Cheshvan 1
3
Cheshvan 2
Election Day
Daylight Saving Time Ends
6
Tishrei 30
7
Cheshvan 6
8
Cheshvan 7
4
Cheshvan 3
Veterans Day
9
Cheshvan 8
5
Cheshvan 4
Torah: Lech Lecha (“Go forth yourself”) Gn. 12:1-17:27
10 Cheshvan 9 11 Cheshvan 10 12 Cheshvan 11 Torah: VaYera (“And he appeared”) Gn. 18:1-22:24
13 Cheshvan 12 14 Cheshvan 13 15 Cheshvan 14 16 Cheshvan 15 17 Cheshvan 16 18 Cheshvan 17 19 Cheshvan 18 Thanksgiving Day
Torah: Chayei Sarah (“Life of Sarah”) Gn. 23:1-25:18
20 Cheshvan 19 21 Cheshvan 20 22 Cheshvan 21 23 Cheshvan 22 24 Cheshvan 23 25 Cheshvan 24 26 Cheshvan 25
27 Cheshvan 26 28 Cheshvan 27 29 Cheshvan 28 30 Cheshvan 29
Tel Aviv, the Jewel of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel’s Center for Commerce
December 2016 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
טבת תשע"ז- כסלו
Kislev - Tevet 5777
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: Toldot (“Generations”) Gn. 25:19-28:9
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
1
Kislev 1
2
Kislev 2
3
Kislev 3
Torah: VaYetze (“And he went out”) Gn. 28:10-32:3
4
Kislev 4
5
Kislev 5
6
Kislev 6
7
Kislev 7
8
Kislev 8
9
Kislev 9
10
Kislev 10
Torah: VaYishlach (“And he sent”) Gn. 32:4-36:43
11
Kislev 11
12
Kislev 12
13
Kislev 13
14
Kislev 14
15
Kislev 15
16
Kislev 16
17
Kislev 17
Torah: VaYeshev (“And he settled”) Gn. 37:1-40:23
Winter Begins
Christmas Eve
18
Kislev 18
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 1
19
Kislev 19
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 2
20
Kislev 20
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 3
21
Kislev 21
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 4
22
Kislev 22
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 5
Kislev 25
Kislev 23
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 6 New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
Christmas Day
25
23
26
Kislev 26
27
Kislev 27
28
Kislev 28
29
Kislev 29
30
Tevet 1
24
Kislev 24
Torah: Miketz (“At the end of”) Gn. 41:1-44:17
New Year’s Eve Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 7
31
Tevet 2
Celebrating the Festival of Hanukkah in the Holy City, Jerusalem of Gold
January 2017 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
שבט תשע"ז- טבת
Tevet - Shvat 5777
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat
New Year’s Day
Torah: VaYigash (“And he drew near”) Gn. 44:18-47:27
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 8
1
Tevet 3
2
Tevet 4
3
Tevet 5
4
Tevet 6
5
Tevet 7
6
Tevet 8
Tevet 10
9
Tevet 11
10
Tevet 12
11
Tevet 13
12
Tevet 14
13
Tevet 15
Martin Luther King’s Day
15
Tevet 17
Tevet 9
Torah: VaYechi (“And he lived”) Gn. 47:28-50:26
Fast of Tevet
8
7
16
Tevet 18
14
Tevet 16
Torah: Sh’mot (“Names”) Ex. 1:1-6:1
17
Tevet 19
18
Tevet 20
19
Tevet 21
20
Tevet 22
21
Tevet 23
Torah: Va’era (“And I appeared”) Ex. 6:2-9:35
22
29
Tevet 24
Shvat 2
23
30
Tevet 25
Shvat 3
24
31
Tevet 26
25
Tevet 27
26
Tevet 28
27
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
Tevet 29
28
Shvat 4
The Beautiful Fields and Villages that Surround the Sea of Galilee
Shvat 1
February 2017 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
אדר תשע"ז- שבט
Shvat - Adar 5777
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat
Groundhog Day
1
Shvat 5
2
Shvat 6
Torah: Bo (“Enter!”) Ex. 10:1-13:16
3
Shvat 7
4
Shvat 8
Torah: B’Shalach (“When he let go”) Ex. 13:17-17:16
Tu B’Shvat
5
Shvat 9
6
Shvat 10
Lincoln’s Birthday
12
Shvat 16
7
Shvat 11
Shvat 23
Shvat 12
9
Shvat 13
10
Shvat 14
13
Shvat 17
14
Shvat 18
20
Shvat 24
15
Shvat 19
16
Shvat 20
17
Shvat 21
Shvat 25
22
Shvat 26
18
23
Shvat 27
24
Shvat 28
25
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
26
Shvat 30
27
Adar 1
28
Shvat 15
Shvat 22
Torah: Mishpatim (“Judgments”) Ex. 21:1-24:18
Washington’s Birthday
21
11
Torah: Yitro (“Jethro”) Ex. 18:1-20:23
Valentine’s Day
President’s Day
19
8
Adar 2
The Fortress at Akko, Ancient Defenses that Protected the Land of Israel
Shvat 29
March 2017 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
ניסן תשע"ז- אדר
Adar - Nisan 5777 Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Ash Wednesday
1
Adar 3
Torah: T’ruma (“Offering”) Ex. 25:1-27:19
2
Adar 4
3
Adar 5
Adar 7
6
Adar 8
Daylight Savings Time Begins Purim
Shushan Purim
12
13
Adar 14
Adar 15
7
14
Adar 9
Adar 16
8
15
Adar 10
Adar 17
9
16
Adar 11
Adar 18
10
Adar 12
Adar 21
20
Adar 22
11
Torah: Ki Tisa (“When you elevate”) Ex. 30:11-34:35
17
18
Adar 19
Adar 28
27
Adar 29
Adar 20
Torah: VaYakhel (“And he assembled”) Ex. 35:1-38:20 Torah: P’kudei (“Accountings of”) Ex. 38:21-40:38
21
Adar 23
22
Adar 24
23
Adar 25
24
Adar 26
25
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
26
Adar 13
St. Patrick’s Day
Spring Begins
19
Adar 6
Torah: Tetsaveh (“You shall command”) Ex. 27:20-30:10
Fast of Esther
5
4
28
Nisan 1
29
Nisan 2
30
Nisan 3
31
Nisan 4
The Almond Tree, Called by Some the “Tree of Life,” Announces the Beginning of Spring
Adar 27
April 2017
אייר תשע"ז- ניסן
Nisan - Iyyar 5777
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Torah: Va Yikra (“And he called”) Lv. 1:1-5:26
1
Nisan 5
Torah: Tzav (“Command!”) Lv. 6:1-8:36
Great Saturday
2
Nisan 6
Palm Sunday
3
Nisan 7
Passover Eve Erev Pesach (Unleavened Bread)
4
Nisan 8
Passover Mazot 1 (Unleavened Bread)
5
Nisan 9
Passover Mazot 2 (Unleavened Bread)
6
Nisan 10
7
Nisan 11
8
Nisan 12
Passover Mazot 3
Passover Mazot 4
(Unleavened Bread)
Passover Mazot 5
(Unleavened Bread)
(Unleavened Bread)
Good Friday
9
Nisan 13
10
Nisan 14
11
Nisan 15
12
Nisan 16
13
Nisan 17
14
Nisan 18
Passover Mazot 7
Passover Mazot 6 (Unleavened Bread)
15
Nisan 19
Torah: Sh’mini (“Eighth”) Lv. 9:1-11:47
(Unleavened Bread)
Easter Sunday
16 23
Nisan 20
Nisan 27 Yom Hashoah Eve Yom HaZikaron IDF Memorial Eve
30
Iyyar 4
17
Nisan 21
18
Nisan 22
19
Nisan 23
20
Nisan 24
21
Nisan 25
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
Nisan 28
25
Nisan 29
26
Nisan 30
27
Iyyar 1
Nisan 26
Torah: Tazriah (“She bears seed”) Lv. 12:1-13:59
Yom Hashoah
24
22
28
Torah: Metsora (“Infected one”) Lv. 14:1-15:33
Iyyar 2
29
The Empty Garden Tomb near the City Jerusalem: A Symbol of Resurrection
Iyyar 3
May 2017
סיון תשע"ז- אייר
Iyyar - Sivan 5777
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
IDF Memorial Day Yom HaZikaron Independence Day
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: Acharai Mot (“After the death”) Lv. 16:1-18:30
Independence Day Yom Ha’Atzmaut
Torah: K’doshim (“Holy ones”) Lv. 19:1-20:27
Yom Ha’Atzmaut Eve
1
Iyyar 5
2
Iyyar 6
3
Iyyar 7
4
Iyyar 8
5
Iyyar 9
6
Iyyar 10
Torah: Emor (“Say!”) Lv. 21:1-24:23
Pesach Sheni
Lag B’Omer Eve
7
Iyyar 11
8
Iyyar 12
9
Iyyar 13
10
Iyyar 14
11
Iyyar 15
12
Iyyar 16
Iyyar 18
15
Iyyar 19
16
Iyyar 20
17
Iyyar 21
18
Iyyar 22
Jerusalem Day
21
Iyyar 25
22
Iyyar 26
Memorial Day
28
Sivan 3
Iyyar 17
Torah: B’har (“On the Mount”) Lv. 25:1-26:2
Mother’s Day Lag B’Omer
14
13
29
Sivan 4
23
Iyyar 27
Shavuot Eve
30
Sivan 5
24
Iyyar 28
19
Torah: B’chukotai (“In my statutes”) Lv. 26:3-27:34
Iyyar 23
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
25
Iyyar 29
26
Sivan 1
20
Iyyar 24
Torah: B’midbar (“In the wilderness”) Nu. 1:1-4:20
27
Sivan 2
Shavuot
31
Sivan 6
Shimmering Israeli Wheat Fields Announce the Festival of Shavuot (Pentecost)
June 2017
תמוז תשע"ז- סיון
Sivan - Tamuz 5777
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: Nasso (“Elevate!”) Nu. 4:21-7:89
1
Sivan 7
2
Sivan 8
3
Sivan 9
Torah: B’ha’alotcha (“In your setting up”) Nu. 8:1-12:16
4
Sivan 10
5
Sivan 11
6
Sivan 12
7
Sivan 13
8
Sivan 14
9
Sivan 15
Flag Day
11
Sivan 17
12
Sivan 18
13
Sivan 19
Sivan 24
19
Sivan 25
20
26
Tamuz 2
27
Sivan 26
Sivan 20
15
Sivan 21
16
Sivan 22
17
Tamuz 1
Tamuz 3
Sivan 23
Torah: Korach (“Korah”) Nu. 16:1-18:32
21
Sivan 27
22
Sivan 28
28
Tamuz 4
29
Tamuz 5
23
Sivan 29
24
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
25
Sivan 16
Torah: Sh’lach L’cha (“Send for yourself”) Nu. 13:1-15:41
Summer Begins
Father’s Day
18
14
10
30
Tamuz 6
Reminders of the Grapes of Eschol, the Bounty of Fruit in Israel
Sivan 30
July 2017
אב תשע"ז- תמוז
Tamuz - Av 5777
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: Chukat (“Ordinance of”) Nu. 19:1-22:1
1 Independence Day
2
Tamuz 8
3
Tamuz 9
4
Tamuz 10
Torah: Balak (“Balak”) Nu. 22:2-25:9
5
Tamuz 11
6
Tamuz 12
7
Tamuz 13
Tamuz 15
10
Tamuz 16
11
Tamuz 17
8
Tamuz 14
Torah: Pinchas (“Pinchas”) Nu. 25:10-30:1
Fast of Tamuz
9
Tamuz 7
12
Tamuz 18
13
Tamuz 19
14
Tamuz20
15
Tamuz 21
Torah: Matot (“Tribes”) Nu. 30:2-32:42
20 16 23
Tamuz 22 Tamuz 29
Parents’ Day
30
Av 7
17 24
Tamuz 23
18
Tamuz 24
19
Tamuz 25
Torah: Masei (“Journeys of”) Nu. 33:1-36:13
Tamuz
21
26
Tamuz 27
Av 8
Tamuz 28
Torah: Dvarim (“Words”) Dt. 1:1-3:22
Av 1
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
31
22
25
Av 1
26
Av 3
27
Av 4
28
Av 5
29
The Soaring Mount Arbel, Overlooking the Sea of Galilee and Northern Galilee
Av 6
August 2017 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
אלול תשע"ז- אב
Av - Elul 5777
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: V’Et’chanan (“And I pleaded”) Dt. 3:23-7:11
Tisha B’Av
1
Av 9
2
Av 10
3
Av 11
4
Av 12
Av 14
7
Av 13
Torah: Ekev (“As a result”) Dt. 7:12-11:25
Tu B’Av
6
5
Av 15
8
Av 16
9
Av 17
10
Av 18
11
Av 19
12
Av 20
Torah: R’eh (“See”) Dt. 11:26-16:17
13
Av 21
14
Av 22
15
Av 23
16
Av 24
17
Av 25
18
Av 26
Av 28
21
Av 29
27
Elul 5
28
Elul 6
22
29
Av 30
Elul 7
23
30
Elul 1
Elul 8
Av 27
Torah: Shoftim (“Judges”) Dt. 16:18-21:9
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
20
19
24
31
Elul 2
25
Elul 3
26
Elul 9
Majestic Monuments in the Desert on the Road to Eilat in Southern Israel
Elul 4
September 2017 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
תשרי תשע"ח- אלול תשע"ז
Elul 5777 - Tishrei 5778
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: Ke Tetse (“When you go out”) Dt. 16:18-21:9
1 Labor Day
3
Elul 12
4
2
Elul 10
Elul 11
Torah: Ke Tavo (“When you enter in”) Dt. 21:10-25:19
Elul 13
5
Elul 14
6
Elul 15
7
Elul 16
8
9
Elul 18
Torah:
Nitsavim
Elul 17
Grandparent’s Day
(“You are standing”) Dt. 29:9-30:20
Torah:
10
Elul 19
11
Elul 20
12
Elul 21
13
Elul 22
Feast of Trumpets Eve Erev Rosh Hashanah
14
Elul 23
Autumn Begins Feast of Trumpets Rosh Hashanah 1
15
VaYelech
(“And he went”) Dt. 31:1-31:30
Elul 24
Rosh Hashanah 2
16
Elul 25
Torah: Ha’azinu (“Give ear!”) Dt. 32:1-32:52
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
17
Elul 26
18
Elul 27
19
Elul 28
20
Elul 29
21
Tishrei 1
Fast of Gedalia
24
Tishrei 4
25
Tishrei 5
26
Tishrei 6
27
Tishrei 7
28
Tishrei 8
22
23
Tishrei 2
Tishrei 3
Day of Atonement Eve Erev Yom Kippur (Yizkor)
Day of Atonement Yom Kippur (Yizkor)
29
30
Tishrei 9
Mount Tabor Rising over the Jezreel Valley in the Lower Galilee of Israel
Tishrei 10
October 2017 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
1
Tishrei 11
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 4
2
Tishrei 12 Columbus Day Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 5
3
Tishrei 13
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 6
חשון תשע"ח- תשרי
Tishrei - Cheshvan 5778
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat
Feast of Tabernacles Eve Erev Sukkot
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 1
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 2
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 3
4
5
6
7
Tishrei 14
Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 7
Tishrei 15
Tishrei 16
Tishrei 17
Torah: B’Resheet (“In the beginning”) Gn. 1:1-6:8
Simchat Torah
Hoshana Rabbah
8
Tishrei 18
9
Tishrei 19
10
Tishrei 20
11
Tishrei 21
12
Tishrei 22
13
Tishrei 23
14
Tishrei 24
Torah: Noach (“Noah”) Gn. 6:9-11:32
New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
15
Tishrei 25
16
Tishrei 26
17
Tishrei 27
18
Tishrei 28
19
Tishrei 29
20
Tishrei 30
21 Cheshvan 1 Torah: Lech Lecha (“Go forth yourself”) Gn. 12:1-17:27
22 Cheshvan 2 23 Cheshvan 3 24 Cheshvan 4 25 Cheshvan 5 26 Cheshvan 6 27 Cheshvan 7 28 Cheshvan 8
29 Cheshvan 9 30 Cheshvan 10 31 Cheshvan 11
Impressive View of Tel Megiddo, Known as Armageddon, Site of History’s Final Battle
November 2017 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
כסלו תשע"ח- חשון
Cheshvan - Kislev 5778
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: VaYera (“And he appeared”) Gn. 18:1-22:24
1 Daylight Saving Time Ends
5
Cheshvan 16
Cheshvan 12
2
Cheshvan 13
Election day
6
Cheshvan 17
7
Cheshvan 18
3
Cheshvan 14
Veterans Day
8
Cheshvan 19
9
Cheshvan 20
4
Cheshvan 15
Torah: Chayei Sarah (“Life of Sarah”) Gn. 23:1-25:18
10 Cheshvan 21 11 Cheshvan 22 Torah: Toldot (“Generations”) Gn. 25:19-28:9
12 Cheshvan 23 13 Cheshvan 24 14 Cheshvan 25 15 Cheshvan 26 16 Cheshvan 27 17 Cheshvan 28 18 Cheshvan 29 Torah: VaYetze (“And he went out”) Gn. 28:10-32:3
Thanksgiving Day New Month/New Moon Rosh Chodesh
19
26
Kislev 1
Kislev 8
20
27
Kislev 2
Kislev 9
21
Kislev 3
28
Kislev 10
22
29
Kislev 4
Kislev 11
23
30
Kislev 5
24
Kislev 6
25
Kislev 12
Ancient Synagogue Ruins at Chorazin on the Northeast of the Sea of Galilee
Kislev 7
December 2017 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
ראשוןRishon
שניSheni
שלישיShlishi
טבת תשע"ח- כסלו
Kislev - Tevet 5778
Wednesday Thursday רביעיRevii
חמישיChamishi
Friday
Saturday
שישיShishi
שבתShabbat Torah: VaYishlach (“And he sent”) Gn. 32:4-36:43
1
Kislev 13
2
Kislev 14
Torah: VaYeshev (“And he settled”) Gn. 37:1-40:23
3
Kislev 15
4
Kislev 16
5
Kislev 17
6
Kislev 18
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 1
7
Kislev 19
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 2
8
Kislev 20
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 3
9
Kislev 21
Torah: Miketz (“At the end of”) Gn. 41:1-44:17
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 4
10
Kislev 22
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 5
17
Kislev 29
Christmas Eve
11 Kislev 23 Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 6
18
12 Kislev 24 Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 7 New Month/ New Moon Rosh Chodesh
Kislev 30
19
Tevet 1
13
Kislev 25
14
Kislev 26
Feast of Dedication Hanukkah 8
Winter Begins
20
21
Tevet 2
Christmas Day
Tevet 3
15
Kislev 27
Kislev 28
Torah: VaYigash (“And he drew near”) Gn. 44:18-47:27
22 Tevet 4
23 Tevet 5 Torah: VaYechi (“And he lived”) Gn. 47:28-50:26
Fast of Tevet
24 Tevet 6
16
New Year’s Eve
31 Tevet 13
25 Tevet 7
26 Tevet 8
27 Tevet 9
28 Tevet 10
29 Tevet 11
30 Tevet 12
Time to Celebrate the Ancient Festival of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights
A Jewish/Christian Holiday Calendar A Circle of Blessing
ניסן
Nisa
אב
l
אל לו
El u
Pu
rim
ar
א er
emb
Tor Octo ber er emb N S e p t b e r ove m b e r N D ove Octo ec m e b m be er r
Rosahna HashKippur YomSukot hat Simc ah
i Tishr
תשרי
דר
Ad
Ja n u a y Febru ry F r a u ary e Ja n M bru ar ar ch y
Av
Dec
Jewish Holiday Calendar
Tish Be`aavh
m
M Ju ay ne
Ju l y A u g u s t S e Au p g
Puri
t
תמוז
Tu Bi s h e va t
uo
z Tamu
S h e va t
av
Ju n e Ju l y
Ch
Chesh va
n
a
nu k
K
ah
isl e
t e v e T
ס יון
April May
Sh
n
h Marcil r p A
HaatYzom m L aut Ba`oamg er
va
ch Pesam Yo ah o a H sh
Si
שבט
I ya r
n
te us m t be r
ט בת
אייר
v
לו ס כ
חשון
“These Are My Feasts, Says the LORD. ”
(Leviticus 23:2)
The Biblical Calendar The Jewish Calendar
The calendar that was used in Israel during the time of Jesus and the apostles was much different from the one that most of the world uses today. The biblical calendar was lunar based rather than solar based, with the year composed of twelve months that coincided with the phases of the moon. The timing of the first day of each month (Rosh Chodesh) was established when two witnesses reported to the Sanhedrin that they had observed the first sliver of the new moon. The biblical month was a synodic month of 29.5306 days (29 days, 12 hours, 44+ minutes). Since a new moon appears approximately every 29.5 days, the Jewish calendar alternates between months of 29 and 30 days. Twelve months of the lunar calendar @29.5 days per month totals 354 days. This is 11.25 days short of the full solar year, the time that is required for the earth to revolve around the sun, which is 365.2425 days. This differential would have caused a seasonal drift so that the agricultural seasons and the biblical festivals that are associated with those seasons would not have been properly aligned. (For example, Passover was to be on the fourteenth day of the first month, Aviv (meaning literally the “earing” of the barley), which means that it would have had to be at the beginning of Spring.) In order to compensate for this differential, the Sanhedrin observed the agricultural circumstances associated with the description of the first month (the “earing” of the barley, the equinox, and the fruiting of the trees), and when they found it necessary, they added an additional month to the year before the last month of the year so that the new moon heralding the first month would occur at the proper agricultural season. This month was called v’Adar (“and” Adar), Adar Rishon, or Adar Alef (“first” Adar), meaning that there were two months of Adar in each leap year. Today’s Jewish calendar dates from the fourth century when Hillel II used both astronomical and mathematical calculations to establish a fixed calendar. In order to keep the festivals (e.g. Passover) in their proper seasons, he added the extra month, v’Adar, at regular intervals over a nineteen year cycle, producing leap years on the third, sixth, eighth, eleventh, fourteenth, seventeenth, and nineteenth years of each nineteen year cycle. The adding of a month at regular intervals is very similar to the addition of an extra day to the month of February every fourth year (called leap year) in the Gregorian calendar. Yet another rabbinic calculation was later used to ensure the fact that Yom Kippur would not fall on Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday and so that Hoshanah Rabbah would not fall on a Sabbath. This was done by adding a day to the eighth month or subtracting a day from the ninth month of the previous year. In total, there are fourteen different patterns that a Jewish year can take. Nisan (called Aviv at that time) was the first month in the most ancient Jewish calendar. It was actually decreed by God himself: “This month [the month of the Exodus] shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you” (Exodus 12:2).
The year was calculated from the time of deliverance from Egyptian slavery; therefore, the Jewish year was focused from the time of Israel’s redemption. Over time, this new year in Spring came to be called the New Year of Kings, Festivals, and Months while the seventh month of the religious calendar came to be recognized as the first month of the Jewish civil calendar as it is to this day; therefore, the traditional Jewish new year (Rosh HaShanah) now begins on the first day of the month Tishrei with the biblical Feast of Trumpets (shofars). Despite the de facto recognition of Rosh HaShanah as the new year in virtually all of the Jewish community, the religious year is used to establish all festival observances, Torah readings, Psalm readings, and other religious occasions and activities. As one might imagine, there was considerable controversy in the centuries prior to and following the time of Jesus as to the precise application of the biblical calendar. This led to different interpretations as to the timing of festivals and holy days. It is certain, however, that Jesus and his earliest Jewish disciples followed the biblical calendar (now called the Jewish calendar), which was the lunar calendar. It is very clear that both Jesus and the disciples observed the biblical festivals of Passover (John 2:13; 2:23; 6:4; 11:55), Unleavened Bread (Matthew 26:17; 1 Corinthians 5:8), Pentecost (Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8), Tabernacles (John 7:2) and also the post-Torah festivals, which included Hanukkah (John 10:22). The timing of each of these events was determined by the Hebrew lunar calendar. For centuries, the Jewish lunar calendar was even respected and consulted by the leaders of the Christian church for the establishment of the day of Passover (the fourteenth day of Nisan) from which the timing of the memorial of Jesus’ death and resurrection were dated. This practice continued until the fourth century in Western Christianity and until the eleventh century in Eastern Christianity. It is clear that Paul observed the Jewish calendar. He instructed the Gentiles to celebrate the Festival of Passover in I Corinthians 5:7-8. He did, however, make it clear that no person’s salvation or relationship with God could be judged by the calendar: “Let no one judge you . . . regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths” (Colossians 2:16). The term new moon specifically addressed the subject of the calendar. This statement was no doubt made because of the fact that some had become judgmental of others because of their views on the calendar. The biblical calendar was very important in the times of the prophets and apostles, and it should still have significance in the Christian community as believers identify the Jewish roots of their faith and seek to profit from understanding the ancient Hebraic foundations on which Christianity was established. © 2009 Dr. John D. Garr, President, Hebraic Christian Global Community. This material may not be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the author. www.HebraicCommunity.org.