Holiday guide
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Shemini Atzeret follows straight after Sukkot, and Simchat Torah marks the completion and immediate restart of the annual Torah reading cycle, celebrated with dancing and hakafot.
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Israel or the diaspora?
This is the sharpest Israel-diaspora split of the year. In Israel the two are a single day. In the diaspora they are two separate days, with Simchat Torah on the second.
On the ground
What happens in Israel
One day, and the dancing spills into the streets outside synagogues in the evening.
Year by year
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 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 21, 2026
Yom Kippur
The Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year. A 25-hour fast from sundown to nightfall.
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.
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 Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah?+
The next Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah begins at sundown on October 2, 2026 and ends at nightfall on October 4, 2026. Because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, the Gregorian date shifts each year while the season stays fixed.
What is Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah?+
Shemini Atzeret follows straight after Sukkot, and Simchat Torah marks the completion and immediate restart of the annual Torah reading cycle, celebrated with dancing and hakafot.
Does Israel observe Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah differently?+
This is the sharpest Israel-diaspora split of the year. In Israel the two are a single day. In the diaspora they are two separate days, with Simchat Torah on the second.
What is Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah like in Israel?+
One day, and the dancing spills into the streets outside synagogues in the evening.