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.
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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.
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
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.
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.
May 11, 2027
Yom HaZikaron
Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, the day before Independence Day.
May 25, 2027
Lag BaOmer
The 33rd day of the Omer count. Bonfires, weddings and celebrations at Mount Meron.
Frequently asked questions
When is Yom Kippur?+
The next Yom Kippur begins at sundown on October 10, 2027 and ends at nightfall on October 11, 2027. 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.
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