Holiday guide
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is eight nights of candle lighting marking the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean revolt, and the jar of oil that burned eight days instead of one.
…
Israel or the diaspora?
Eight nights everywhere, on the same dates. No difference.
On the ground
What happens in Israel
Not a public holiday, so work continues, but schools close for the week. Sufganiyot appear in every bakery from late November, and public menorahs are lit in every town square.
Practice
How it is observed
- Lighting the menorah for eight nights, adding one candle each night
- Playing dreidel, the four-letter spinning top
- Chocolate gelt and gift-giving, especially for children
- Placing the menorah in a window to publicize the miracle
"Chag Hanukkah sameach" or simply "Happy Hanukkah"
Foods fried in oil for the oil miracle: latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts).
Year by year
Hanukkah dates, year by year
Every date from 2024 to 2030, computed from the Hebrew calendar. Each year has its own page with candle lighting times.
The rest of the calendar
Other Jewish holidays
8 of the 14 other holidays on the Hebrew calendar, nearest date first. Every card opens a guide with dates from 2024 to 2030.
September 12, 2026
Rosh Hashanah
The Jewish New Year (start of Hebrew year 5787). Shofar blasts, apples and honey, two days of prayer and festive meals.
September 21, 2026
Yom Kippur
The Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year. A 25-hour fast from sundown to nightfall.
September 26, 2026
Sukkot
The festival of booths. A week of meals in the sukkah with the four species. The first two days are yom tov in the diaspora.
October 3, 2026
Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah
The closing festival of Sukkot, followed by Simchat Torah: finishing and restarting the Torah reading with dancing. One combined day in Israel, two in the diaspora.
January 23, 2027
Tu BiShvat
The new year of the trees. Tree planting in Israel and eating the fruits of the land.
March 23, 2027
Purim
Celebrates the rescue of the Jews of Persia as told in the Book of Esther. Megillah readings, costumes, mishloach manot and festive meals.
April 22, 2027
Passover (Pesach)
The festival of freedom, marking the Exodus from Egypt. Seder nights, matzah, and no chametz for eight days (seven in Israel).
May 4, 2027
Yom HaShoah
Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel a two-minute siren brings the country to a standstill.
Frequently asked questions
When is Hanukkah?+
The next Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 4, 2026 and ends at nightfall on December 12, 2026. Because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, the Gregorian date shifts each year while the season stays fixed.
What is Hanukkah?+
Hanukkah is eight nights of candle lighting marking the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean revolt, and the jar of oil that burned eight days instead of one.
Does Israel observe Hanukkah differently?+
Eight nights everywhere, on the same dates. No difference.
What is Hanukkah like in Israel?+
Not a public holiday, so work continues, but schools close for the week. Sufganiyot appear in every bakery from late November, and public menorahs are lit in every town square.