Holiday guide
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, a 25-hour fast spent almost entirely in synagogue. No food, no drink, no leather shoes, five prayer services, ending with the single long shofar blast at Ne'ilah.
…
Israel or the diaspora?
One day everywhere. The date and the practice are identical in Israel and the diaspora.
On the ground
What happens in Israel
Israel effectively stops. There are no flights, no broadcasts, no public transport and almost no cars, and children ride bicycles down empty motorways. It is the quietest day of the Israeli year.
Practice
How it is observed
- A 25-hour complete fast: no food or drink from sundown to nightfall
- Five prayer services, from Kol Nidrei through Ne'ilah
- Wearing white, and for many, canvas shoes instead of leather
- Asking forgiveness from people you have wronged before the day begins
"G'mar chatimah tovah" (may you be sealed for good) or an easy fast: "Tzom kal"
A festive pre-fast meal (seudah mafseket) before sundown; the fast breaks after nightfall, traditionally with something light and sweet.
Year by year
Yom Kippur 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 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.
December 5, 2026
Hanukkah
The festival of lights: eight nights of candle lighting marking the rededication of the Temple. Latkes, sufganiyot and dreidels.
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 Yom Kippur?+
The next Yom Kippur begins at sundown on September 20, 2026 and ends at nightfall on September 21, 2026. Because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, the Gregorian date shifts each year while the season stays fixed.
What is Yom Kippur?+
Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, a 25-hour fast spent almost entirely in synagogue. No food, no drink, no leather shoes, five prayer services, ending with the single long shofar blast at Ne'ilah.
Does Israel observe Yom Kippur differently?+
One day everywhere. The date and the practice are identical in Israel and the diaspora.
What is Yom Kippur like in Israel?+
Israel effectively stops. There are no flights, no broadcasts, no public transport and almost no cars, and children ride bicycles down empty motorways. It is the quietest day of the Israeli year.