6 to 7 Sivan 5786
Shavuot 2026
Shavuot began at sundown on Thursday 21 May, and ended at nightfall on Friday 22 May in Israel and Saturday 23 May elsewhere.
Shavuot falls 11 days earlier than in 2025, as the Hebrew calendar does in most years: twelve lunar months come to about 354 days.
Candle-lighting on Thursday 21 May, for Shavuot
Of the three days below, work stops on two, in Israel and outside it.
Times for Jerusalem and New York.
- Work stops
- Begins at sundown
| Day | In Israel | Outside Israel |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 21 May5 Sivan | Israel:Erev Shavuot. Candles 18:53 | Outside Israel:Erev Shavuot. Candles 19:54 |
| Fri 22 May6 Sivan | Israel:Shavuot. Shabbat candles 18:53 | Outside Israel:First day. Shabbat candles 19:54 |
| Sat 23 May7 Sivan | Israel:Shabbat. Ends 20:15 | Outside Israel:Second day, on Shabbat. Ends 21:02 |
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.
Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah at Sinai and the wheat harvest. Many stay up through the first night learning, and the Book of Ruth is read.
What happens in Israel
Dairy everything, water fights among children, and kibbutz harvest festivals. A single day off rather than the diaspora's two.
How it is kept
- Tikkun leil Shavuot: staying up all night learning Torah
- Reading the Ten Commandments and the Book of Ruth
- Decorating homes and synagogues with greenery and flowers
What people say
"Chag Shavuot sameach"
On the table
Dairy foods: cheesecake, blintzes and cheese-filled pastries.
These Hanukkah gifts are drawn from the same calendars as this site.
A city's Shabbat times for 2027, the moon on the night someone was born, a bar or bat mitzvah portion, the Kinneret on a day that matters. Each one is drawn for the person you choose, then printed and shipped free.
Order by November 18 for delivery in the US before the first candle, or by November 11 for Israel.
Shabbat in your city, 2027
From $36
The moon they were born under
From $36
Their Torah portion
From $36
The Kinneret mug
From $29
Shavuot 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 Shavuot in every year this site has computed.
| Year | Begins at sundown | Ends in Israel | Ends elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tue 11 JunTuesday 11 June | Wed 12 JunWednesday 12 June | Thu 13 JunThursday 13 June |
| 2025 | Sun 1 JunSunday 1 June | Mon 2 JunMonday 2 June | Tue 3 JunTuesday 3 June |
| 2026 | Thu 21 MayThursday 21 May | Fri 22 MayFriday 22 May | Sat 23 MaySaturday 23 May |
| 2027 | Thu 10 JunThursday 10 June | Fri 11 JunFriday 11 June | Sat 12 JunSaturday 12 June |
| 2028 | Tue 30 MayTuesday 30 May | Wed 31 MayWednesday 31 May | Thu 1 JunThursday 1 June |
| 2029 | Sat 19 MaySaturday 19 May | Sun 20 MaySunday 20 May | Mon 21 MayMonday 21 May |
| 2030 | Thu 6 JunThursday 6 June | Fri 7 JunFriday 7 June | Sat 8 JunSaturday 8 June |
14 other Jewish holidays fall in 2026.
The next 8 in the order they fall. Each has its own page for 2026.
Monday 2 February
Tu BiShvat
The new year of the trees. Tree planting in Israel and eating the fruits of the land.
Tuesday 3 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.
Thursday 2 April
Passover (Pesach)
The festival of freedom, marking the Exodus from Egypt. Seder nights, matzah, and no chametz for eight days (seven in Israel).
Tuesday 14 April
Yom HaShoah
Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel a two-minute siren brings the country to a standstill.
Tuesday 21 April
Yom HaZikaron
Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, the day before Independence Day.
Wednesday 22 April
Yom HaAtzmaut
Israel's Independence Day, marking the declaration of the state in 1948.
Tuesday 5 May
Lag BaOmer
The 33rd day of the Omer count. Bonfires, weddings and celebrations at Mount Meron.
Thursday 23 July
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 Shavuot 2026?+
Shavuot 2026 begins at sundown on Thursday 21 May and ends at nightfall on Saturday 23 May (Friday 22 May in Israel). Jewish days start in the evening, so the first full day is Friday 22 May.
How long is Shavuot?+
2 days. One day in Israel, two days in the diaspora.
Is Shavuot different in Israel?+
One day in Israel, two days in the diaspora.
What happens in Israel on Shavuot?+
Dairy everything, water fights among children, and kibbutz harvest festivals. A single day off rather than the diaspora's two.
What do you say on Shavuot?+
The standard greeting is "Chag Shavuot sameach".
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