TL;DR

The Jewish calendar is a lunisolar calendar based on 12 months in a regular year (354 days) and 13 in a leap year (384 days). It includes 43 holidays, observances, new-month markers, and fast days. GoMixApp digital signage automatically detects every holiday and displays the relevant content in the synagogue.

The Hebrew calendar is the calendar of the Jewish people since biblical times – a lunisolar calendar synchronized with the cycles of the moon and sun. In this article we’ll review the calendar’s structure, the 12 months of the year, the 43 holidays and observances, the fasts and new-month days, and how to display all of this automatically on digital signage in the synagogue.

Structure of the Hebrew Calendar – A Lunisolar Calendar

The Jewish calendar is lunisolar (luni-solar): months are based on the lunar cycle, but the year is adjusted to the seasons (so the holidays remain in their proper seasons). A Hebrew month = 29.5 days (average) – so months alternate between 29 and 30 days. A regular year = 12 x 29.5 = 354 days.

The problem: a solar year = 365 days. The gap is 11 days per year. Without correction – within 30 years the holidays would drift into another season (Passover would fall in winter!). The solution: a leap year – a 13-month year in which an “Adar I” is added before the regular Adar (“Adar II”). A leap year recurs 7 times every 19 years (the Metonic cycle) – roughly once every 2-3 years.

The 12 Months of the Year (and the 13th)

  • Tishrei (September-October) – the month of holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah
  • Cheshvan (Marcheshvan) (October-November) – “the bitter month” (no holidays)
  • Kislev (November-December) – Hanukkah (starting on the 25th of Kislev)
  • Tevet (December-January) – the Tenth of Tevet fast
  • Shevat (January-February) – Tu BiShvat (New Year of the Trees)
  • Adar (February-March) – Purim (14th of Adar), Purim Katan in a leap year
  • Nisan (March-April) – Passover (15th-22nd of Nisan), the Counting of the Omer begins
  • Iyar (April-May) – Pesach Sheni, Israel Independence Day, Lag BaOmer, Jerusalem Day
  • Sivan (May-June) – Shavuot (6th of Sivan)
  • Tammuz (June-July) – the 17th of Tammuz fast (start of “The Three Weeks”)
  • Av (July-August) – Tisha B’Av, Tu B’Av
  • Elul (August-September) – the month of Selichot, preparation for Rosh Hashanah

In a leap year, Adar I is added after Shevat. The regular Adar becomes Adar II. Purim is celebrated in Adar II (the month adjacent to Nisan), but “Purim Katan” is marked in Adar I.

Infographic - cycle of holidays and observances in the Hebrew calendar
43 holidays and observances in the annual Hebrew calendar

43 Holidays and Observances

The GoMixApp system supports 43 holidays and observances, grouped by category:

  • Biblical holidays (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret)
  • Rabbinic holidays (Hanukkah, Purim, Purim Katan, Shushan Purim)
  • Israeli national holidays (Independence Day, Memorial Day, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jerusalem Day, Herzl Day)
  • Fast days (Tisha B’Av, Fast of Gedaliah, 17th of Tammuz, 10th of Tevet, Fast of Esther)
  • Memorial days (Ben-Gurion Day, Rabin Day, Jabotinsky Day, Hebrew Language Day)
  • Additional traditional holidays (Lag BaOmer, Tu BiShvat, Tu B’Av, Chag HaBanot, Sigd)
  • Special days (Erev Pesach, Chol HaMoed Pesach, Chol HaMoed Sukkot, Pesach Sheni)

For information on the Counting of the Omer (49 days between Passover and Shavuot), see the Counting of the Omer guide. For information on Shabbat times throughout the year, see the guide to Shabbat candle-lighting times.

Rosh Chodesh and Special Shabbatot

Rosh Chodesh is the first day of a Hebrew month. In months with 30 days – Rosh Chodesh = two days (day 30 of the previous month + day 1 of the new month). In months with 29 days – day 1 only.

Synagogue markers of Rosh Chodesh: “Ya’aleh VeYavo” added in the prayer, half Hallel, the Torah reading (a special portion from Numbers 28), and a unique Haftarah when it falls on Shabbat.

Special Shabbatot are marked in the calendar: Shekalim, Zachor, Parah, HaChodesh (the four Shabbatot before Passover), HaGadol (before Passover), Shirah (Parashat Beshalach), Chazon (before Tisha B’Av), and Nachamu (after Tisha B’Av). For more information, see the Weekly Torah portion guide.

LED screen in a synagogue displaying a Hebrew month grid with holiday markers
Rosh Chodesh and holidays automatically detected by the system

How to Display a Hebrew Calendar Automatically on the Synagogue Screen

The GoMixApp system for synagogues displays all Hebrew calendar information automatically:

  • Hebrew date (HEBREW_DATE) – in multiple formats: full (“25th of Adar II 5786”), abbreviated, numeric, or transliteration
  • 43 holidays and observances – automatic scheduling of pages by holiday
  • Current holiday name (HOLIDAY_NAME) – displayed automatically while an active holiday is in effect
  • Israel/Diaspora detection – automatic by synagogue location. Handles the Second Day of Yom Tov in the Diaspora.
  • Yom Tov + Yom Kippur exclusion – separate scheduling for each
  • Rosh Chodesh (ROSH_CHODESH) and Shabbat Rosh Chodesh (SHABBAT_ROSH_CHODESH)
  • Special Shabbat (SPECIAL_SHABBAT) – automatically detected

Frequently Asked Questions about the Hebrew Calendar

How many months are there in a Hebrew year?

In a regular year (354 days) – 12 months: Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, Elul. In a leap year (384 days) – 13 months, in which “Adar I” and “Adar II” are added (after Shevat, before Nisan). A leap year recurs every 2-3 years, seven times every 19 years.

Why is the Hebrew calendar a lunisolar calendar?

The months are based on the lunar cycle (29.5 days) – so a Hebrew month is 29 or 30 days. But the holidays must fall in specific seasons (Passover in spring, Sukkot in autumn) – so there is a leap year that adds a 13th month every 2-3 years, so the holidays don’t “drift” over time. Coordinating sun and moon = lunisolar.

How many holidays are there in the Hebrew year?

The GoMixApp system supports 43 holidays and observances: biblical religious holidays (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur), rabbinic holidays (Hanukkah, Purim), Israeli national holidays (Independence Day, Memorial Day, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jerusalem Day), fasts (Tisha B’Av, 17th of Tammuz, Gedaliah, 10th of Tevet, Esther), and memorial days (Ben-Gurion Day, Rabin, Jabotinsky).

What is Rosh Chodesh?

Rosh Chodesh is the first day of a Hebrew month. In months with 30 days – Rosh Chodesh falls both on day 30 (last day of the previous month) and on day 1 of the new month = two days. In months with 29 days – Rosh Chodesh falls on day 1 only. Halachic sign: on Rosh Chodesh “Ya’aleh VeYavo” is added to the prayer, and half Hallel is recited. The synagogue marks Rosh Chodesh on the calendar.

What are the 4 special Shabbatot before Passover?

On the four Shabbatot before Passover, a supplemental Torah portion is read in addition to the weekly portion: Shabbat Shekalim (before Adar/Adar II), Shabbat Zachor (before Purim), Shabbat Parah (after Purim), Shabbat HaChodesh (before Rosh Chodesh Nisan). All four prepare for Passover. In addition, there is Shabbat HaGadol immediately before Passover (in most cases).

What is the difference between holidays in Israel and the Diaspora?

In the Diaspora, the Second Day of Yom Tov (Yom Tov Sheni shel Galuyot) is observed – an additional day of the holiday (Passover: 8 days in the Diaspora, 7 in Israel; Sukkot: 9 in the Diaspora, 8 in Israel; Shavuot: 2 in the Diaspora, 1 in Israel; Rosh Hashanah: 2 everywhere). The reason: in the past, it was not 100% certain exactly when the holiday fell on the calendar, so in the Diaspora an extra day was added for safety. The GoMixApp system detects this automatically by synagogue location.

Can a Hebrew calendar be displayed automatically on a synagogue screen?

Yes. The GoMixApp system displays automatically: 43 holidays and observances with Israel/Diaspora detection, Rosh Chodesh (one or two days), special Shabbatot (Shekalim/Zachor/Parah/HaChodesh/HaGadol/Shirah/Chazon/Nachamu), Hebrew date in multiple formats, and current holiday name. Page scheduling by holiday is performed automatically.

Summary

The Jewish calendar is one of the most sophisticated calendars in the world – lunisolar, computed on a 19-year cycle, with 43 different holidays that appear precisely in their proper seasons. Manually managing all the holidays and Hebrew date updates in the synagogue is a nightmare. A digital signage system that natively understands the Hebrew calendar – including Israel/Diaspora detection, Rosh Chodesh, special Shabbatot, and per-holiday page scheduling – is the professional solution for every synagogue.

More information about the digital signage system for synagogues ->