As Hebrews in exile, we are subject to at least two major calendars; i.e., methods of dividing and naming days, weeks, months, and years. Practically speaking, it is impossible to live and work in “the world” without making concessions to their standard calendar, which is the Gregorian. Although there are many culture-based calendars that are not the Gregorian, every culture on the planet recognizes and refers to the Gregorian calendar as a common standard.
The Hebrew calendar, like almost all non-Gregorian calendars, is lunisolar, meaning essentially that the changing of the months is based on phases of the moon and changes from one year to the next are based on the relative position of the Sun in relation to the Earth.
Biblical references to times and dates are generally in relation to the Hebrew calendar.
The calendar can easily become a subject of much discussion, disagreement, and controversy. Agreeing on exactly which day(s) to observe the various moedim (appointed times; i.e., times appointed by YHVH through the instructions of Torah) can be challenging, and brethren have been known to discontinue fellowship over these types of disagreements.
Our hope, desire, and intent at BYNA is to extend love, grace, and understanding toward any who might disagree so that the spirits of worship, devotion, obedience, grace, peace, and righteousness might prevail.
With that in mind, we offer the following “calendar,” not as an expression of legal exactitude, but as a guide for personal consideration, examination, and observance.
We include the biblical Feasts as well as some Jewish traditional commemorations and some Israeli civil holidays, for your information and as a reference for further study and research.
We present this in the context of the Gregorian year designated 2020, which includes the last several months of the Jewish year 5780 and the first few months of the Jewish year 5781.
In the Hebrew manner of reckoning, the day begins at sundown, so the translation to Gregorian requires a two-date span of reference.
Keeping Shabbat – Exodus 31:13-17, 35:2-3, Lev. 23:3, 26:2, Deut. 15:12-15, 28:9, Is. 58:13-14, Jer. 17:21-27
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) – means “beginning, head, or renewal” (Num 10: 10, Num 28:11-15, Ps 81:3)
* Traditional Jewish Holiday/Festivals (not Biblical)
Moedim as identified in Torah
*Asarah B’Tevet – commemoration of Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem in 425 BCE. 1/7 (10 Tevet) A day of fasting for Jews.
*Tu B’Shevat – Jewish new year of the trees. 2/10 (15 Shevat)
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Tevet / Shevat
Sundown 1/26 to sundown 1/27
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Shevat / Adar
Sundown 2/25 to sundown 2/26
*Purim (Feast of Lots)
Sundown 3/9 to sundown 3/10 (14 Adar)
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Adar / Nisan
*Rosh Hashanah (biblical: Exodus 12:2)
Sundown 3/25 to sundown 3/26
Our understanding of how the first three commanded feasts should be observed…
Pesach (Passover) one night – (Lev 23:5, Deut. 16:1) this is when the commemorative meal should be shared among immediate family (traditional Jewish Seder is somewhat more elaborate than what scripture calls for)
Sundown 4/7 (since 14 Nisan begins at sundown 4/7)
Feast of Matzot (Unleavened Bread) SOLEMN ASSEMBLY (Ex. 12:15-20)
(aka holy convocation to commence Matzot; essentially an “extra” Shabbat)
Sundown 4/8 to sundown 4/9
Matzot (Unleavened Bread)
Sundown 4/8 to sundown 4/16
Matzot (Unleavened Bread) SOLEMN ASSEMBLY
(aka holy convocation to end Matzot: essentially an “extra” Shabbat)
Sundown 4/15 to sundown 4/16
Our understanding is that First Fruits should be observed on “the morrow” of the regular Shabbat that happens in the midst of Matzot. Shavuot should always be on a Yom Rishon; thus, counting omer from one Yom Rishon (First Fruits) to another, seven weeks later. Leviticus 23:15-16
Bikkurim (First Fruits) commence the Counting of the Omer (Deut. 16:9-12)
Sundown 4/11 to sundown 4/12
*Yom Hasho’ah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
Sundown 4/20 to sundown 4/21 (27 Nisan)
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Nisan / Iyyar
Sundown 4/24 to sundown 4/25
*Yom HaZichron (Israel Memorial Day)
Sundown 4/28 to sundown 4/29 (5 Iyyar)
*Yom HaAtzma’ut (Israel Independence Day)
Sundown 4/29 to sundown 4/30
*Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)
Sundown 5/21 to sundown 5/22
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Iyyar / Sivan
Sundown 5/23 to sundown 5/24
Shavu’ot (Feast of Weeks) (Lev 23:5, Deut. 16:1)
Sundown 5/30 to sundown 5/31
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Sivan / Tammuz
Sundown 6/22 to sundown 6/23
*Tzom Tammuz (Fast of Tammuz)
Sundown 7/8 to sundown 7/9 (17 Tammuz)
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Tammuz / Av
Sundown 7/21 to sundown 7/22
*Tisha B’Av (Ninth of Av)
Sundown 7/29 to sundown 7/30
*Tu B’Av (15th of Av)
Sundown 8/4 to sundown 8/5 (15 Av)
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Av / Elul
Sundown 8/20 to sundown 8/21
40 Days of Repentance / Teshuvah (all of Elul plus first ten days of Tishrei)
Sundown 8/20 to sundown 9/27
Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) (Lev 23:23-24)
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Elul / Tishrei
Rosh Hashanah (Civil New Year)
Sundown 9/18 to sundown 9/19
Days of Awe
Sundown 9/18 to sundown 9/28
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) (10 Tishrei) – SOLEMN ASSEMBLY (Lev 23:27)
Sundown 9/27 to sundown 9/28
*Tashlikh (Micha 7:18-20, Ps 33, 118:5-9. 130)
Afternoon of 9/20
Sukkot (Feast of Booths/Tabernacles) (Lev 23:41-43, Deut 16:13-17)
Sundown 10/2 to sundown 10/9 (15 Tishrei thru 21 Tishrei)
SOLEMN ASSEMBLIES
Sundown 10/2 to sundown 10/3 – beginning of Sukkot
Sundown 10/8 to sundown 10/9 – end of Sukkot
*Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day)
Sundown 10/9 to sundown 10/10
*Simchat Torah
Sundown 10/10 to sundown 10/11
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Tishrei / Cheshvan
Sundown 10/18 to sundown 10/19
*Yom HaAliyah (Israel Immigration Day)
Sundown 10/24 to sundown 10/25 (7 Cheshvan)
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Cheshvan / Kislev
Sundown 11/16 to sundown 11/17
*Chanukah (Feast of Dedication / Festival of Lights)
Sundown 12/10 to sundown 12/18
Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Kislev / Tevet
Sundown 12/15 to sundown 12/16
*Asarah B’Tevet
Sundown 12/24 to sundown 12/25
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