what are the jewish holidays for 2025?

New Update 2025

3 min read 02-12-2024

Meta Description: Discover all the important dates for Jewish holidays in 2025! This comprehensive guide provides accurate dates for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and more, helping you plan your year. Learn about the significance of each holiday and how they are celebrated.

This guide provides the dates for major Jewish holidays in 2025, observing both the Gregorian and Hebrew calendars. Remember that the precise start and end times may vary slightly depending on location and community observance. Always consult a local Jewish calendar or authority for the most accurate times.

High Holidays: A Time of Reflection and Renewal

The High Holidays, also known as the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), are a period of intense introspection and spiritual renewal.

Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)

Date: September 18-20, 2025 (Gregorian Calendar)
Significance: Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. It's a time for reflection on the past year and setting intentions for the year ahead. Traditionally, apples dipped in honey are eaten to symbolize a sweet new year. Shofar (ram's horn) blowing is a central part of the services.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

Date: September 27-28, 2025 (Gregorian Calendar)
Significance: Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is a day of fasting, prayer, and repentance, focused on seeking forgiveness for sins committed against God and others. The day concludes with the Ne'ila service, a deeply moving closing prayer.

Festivals of the Fall Harvest

The fall season brings a series of joyous festivals celebrating the harvest and God's blessings.

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)

Date: October 4-11, 2025 (Gregorian Calendar)
Significance: Sukkot commemorates the Israelites' 40 years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Families build and dwell in temporary shelters called sukkahs, symbolizing the fragility of life and dependence on God. The holiday is filled with festive meals and prayers.

Shemini Atzeret

Date: October 11-12, 2025 (Gregorian Calendar)
Significance: Shemini Atzeret ("the eighth day") is a continuation of Sukkot. It marks the conclusion of the harvest festival and is a time for additional prayer and rejoicing. In some communities, this day also incorporates Simchat Torah celebrations.

Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah)

Date: October 12, 2025 (Gregorian Calendar)
Significance: Simchat Torah celebrates the completion of the annual cycle of Torah reading and the beginning of a new cycle. Congregations joyfully dance with the Torah scrolls, creating a vibrant atmosphere of celebration.

Other Notable Jewish Holidays in 2025

This section covers other important holidays celebrated throughout the year. Note that dates may shift slightly based on the Hebrew calendar. Consult a Jewish calendar for precise timings.

Passover (Pesach)

Significance: Commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. A week-long holiday involving special meals (Seder), abstaining from leavened bread (chametz), and telling the story of Passover.
Approximate Date: April 8-16, 2025 (Consult a Jewish calendar for exact dates).

Shavuot (Feast of Weeks)

Significance: Celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Often involves studying Torah and eating dairy foods.
Approximate Date: May 27-28, 2025 (Consult a Jewish calendar for exact dates).

Hanukkah (Festival of Lights)

Significance: An eight-day festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Observed with the lighting of the menorah, playing dreidel, and eating latkes (potato pancakes).
Approximate Date: December 10-18, 2025 (Consult a Jewish calendar for exact dates).

Planning Your Year with the Jewish Holidays

This comprehensive guide gives you the key dates for Jewish holidays in 2025. Remember to consult a reliable Jewish calendar for the most accurate times, as they can vary slightly based on location and community customs. May these holidays bring you a year filled with joy, reflection, and spiritual growth. Chag Sameach! (Happy Holiday!)