Dates
Shavuot 2026
Begins at sundown on May 21, 2026 and ends at nightfall on May 23, 2026.
Starts
May 21, 2026
at sundown
Ends
May 23, 2026
at nightfall
Length
2 days
work restricted
Candles, Jerusalem
18:52
on May 21, 2026
Shavuot 2026 ended on May 23, 2026. The dates, times and customs below are kept as a record.
Next: Shavuot 2027, sundown June 10, 2027 →Israel or the diaspora?
One day in Israel, two days in the diaspora.
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.
Candle lighting for Shavuot 2026
Times for the evening it begins, May 21, 2026. Calculated from sunset: 18 minutes before in most communities, 20 in Israel, 40 in Jerusalem and 30 in Haifa.
Your city not here? All 106 cities.
On the ground
What happens in Israel
Dairy everything, water fights among children, and kibbutz harvest festivals. A single day off rather than the diaspora's two.
Practice
How it is observed
- 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
"Chag Shavuot sameach"
Dairy foods: cheesecake, blintzes and cheese-filled pastries.
Every year on file
Shavuot in other years
The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, so the Gregorian date moves by up to a month from year to year but stays in the same season.
The rest of 2026
Other Jewish holidays in 2026
8 of the 14 other dates on the 2026 calendar, in the order they fall. Each has its own page for 2026.
February 2, 2026
Tu BiShvat 2026
The new year of the trees. Tree planting in Israel and eating the fruits of the land.
March 3, 2026
Purim 2026
Celebrates the rescue of the Jews of Persia as told in the Book of Esther. Megillah readings, costumes, mishloach manot and festive meals.
April 2, 2026
Passover (Pesach) 2026
The festival of freedom, marking the Exodus from Egypt. Seder nights, matzah, and no chametz for eight days (seven in Israel).
April 14, 2026
Yom HaShoah 2026
Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel a two-minute siren brings the country to a standstill.
April 21, 2026
Yom HaZikaron 2026
Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, the day before Independence Day.
April 22, 2026
Yom HaAtzmaut 2026
Israel's Independence Day, marking the declaration of the state in 1948.
May 5, 2026
Lag BaOmer 2026
The 33rd day of the Omer count. Bonfires, weddings and celebrations at Mount Meron.
July 23, 2026
Tisha B'Av 2026
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 May 21, 2026 and ends at nightfall on May 23, 2026. Jewish days start in the evening, so the first full day is May 22, 2026.
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".