Holiday guide
Tu B'Av
Tu B'Av is a minor festival described in the Mishnah as one of the happiest days of the year, when unmarried women would dance in the vineyards.
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Israel or the diaspora?
Same date everywhere; barely marked outside Israel.
On the ground
What happens in Israel
Modern Israel treats it as a day for love and romance, with weddings, concerts and heavy advertising.
Year by year
Tu B'Av 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.
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).
Frequently asked questions
When is Tu B'Av?+
The next Tu B'Av begins at sundown on August 17, 2027 and ends at nightfall on August 18, 2027. Because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, the Gregorian date shifts each year while the season stays fixed.
What is Tu B'Av?+
Tu B'Av is a minor festival described in the Mishnah as one of the happiest days of the year, when unmarried women would dance in the vineyards.
Does Israel observe Tu B'Av differently?+
Same date everywhere; barely marked outside Israel.
What is Tu B'Av like in Israel?+
Modern Israel treats it as a day for love and romance, with weddings, concerts and heavy advertising.