18 Iyar 5785
Lag BaOmer 2025
Lag BaOmer began at sundown on Thursday 15 May, and ended at nightfall on Friday 16 May.
Lag BaOmer falls 10 days earlier than in 2024, as the Hebrew calendar does in most years: twelve lunar months come to about 354 days.
Lag BaOmer 2025 falls on Friday 16 May, and begins at sundown the evening before.
Times for Jerusalem and New York.
- Days of Lag BaOmer
- Begins at sundown
| Day | In Israel | Outside Israel |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 15 May17 Iyar | Lag BaOmer begins at sundown, everywhere | |
| Fri 16 May18 Iyar | Israel:Lag BaOmer. Candles 18:49 | Outside Israel:Lag BaOmer. Candles 19:49 |
Candles 40 minutes before sunset in Jerusalem and 18 in New York. Shabbat and yom tov end when the sun is 8.5° below the horizon. The same times as our Shabbat pages.
Lag BaOmer is the 33rd day of the Omer count between Passover and Shavuot, a break in a period of semi-mourning, associated with Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
What happens in Israel
Bonfires on every patch of open ground, built by children for weeks beforehand, and a huge pilgrimage to Mount Meron. Air quality across the country measurably drops that night.
How it is kept
- Bonfires across Israel and at Jewish communities worldwide
- The mass pilgrimage to Mount Meron, resting place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
- Weddings and haircuts, paused during the Omer, resume
- First haircuts (upsherin) for three-year-old boys
What people say
"Lag BaOmer sameach"
On the table
Anything grilled: the bonfire barbecue is the modern Israeli tradition.
Lag BaOmer moves by up to a month from one year to the next, but never leaves its season.
The Hebrew calendar follows the moon and adds a month seven years in nineteen. Here is Lag BaOmer in every year this site has computed.
| Year | Begins at sundown | Ends at nightfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sat 25 MaySaturday 25 May | Sun 26 MaySunday 26 May |
| 2025 | Thu 15 MayThursday 15 May | Fri 16 MayFriday 16 May |
| 2026 | Mon 4 MayMonday 4 May | Tue 5 MayTuesday 5 May |
| 2027 | Mon 24 MayMonday 24 May | Tue 25 MayTuesday 25 May |
| 2028 | Sat 13 MaySaturday 13 May | Sun 14 MaySunday 14 May |
| 2029 | Wed 2 MayWednesday 2 May | Thu 3 MayThursday 3 May |
| 2030 | Mon 20 MayMonday 20 May | Tue 21 MayTuesday 21 May |
14 other Jewish holidays fall in 2025.
The next 8 in the order they fall. Each has its own page for 2025.
Thursday 13 February
Tu BiShvat
The new year of the trees. Tree planting in Israel and eating the fruits of the land.
Friday 14 March
Purim
Celebrates the rescue of the Jews of Persia as told in the Book of Esther. Megillah readings, costumes, mishloach manot and festive meals.
Sunday 13 April
Passover (Pesach)
The festival of freedom, marking the Exodus from Egypt. Seder nights, matzah, and no chametz for eight days (seven in Israel).
Thursday 24 April
Yom HaShoah
Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel a two-minute siren brings the country to a standstill.
Wednesday 30 April
Yom HaZikaron
Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, the day before Independence Day.
Monday 2 June
Shavuot
The festival of receiving the Torah at Sinai. All-night learning and dairy foods. Two days in the diaspora, one in Israel.
Sunday 3 August
Tisha B'Av
Fast day mourning the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem. If the 9th of Av falls on Shabbat, the fast is observed on Sunday.
Frequently asked questions
When is Lag BaOmer 2025?+
Lag BaOmer 2025 begins at sundown on Thursday 15 May and ends at nightfall on Friday 16 May. Jewish days start in the evening, so the first full day is Friday 16 May.
How long is Lag BaOmer?+
1 day. Same date everywhere.
Is Lag BaOmer different in Israel?+
Same date everywhere.
What happens in Israel on Lag BaOmer?+
Bonfires on every patch of open ground, built by children for weeks beforehand, and a huge pilgrimage to Mount Meron. Air quality across the country measurably drops that night.
What do you say on Lag BaOmer?+
The standard greeting is "Lag BaOmer sameach".