How Many Jewish Holidays Are There? The Real Answer Might Surprise You

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So, you’re probably wondering: just how many holidays do Jewish people actually celebrate? It’s a fair question, especially if you’ve ever looked at a Jewish calendar and seen what feels like a new holiday every other week. But the truth is a bit more nuanced than a simple number. Jewish holidays range from major biblical festivals to minor observances, fast days, and even modern commemorations. Let me break it down for you in plain English.

First off, it depends on what you mean by “holiday.” In Judaism, there are around 10 major holidays that are widely observed by most Jewish communities around the world. These include Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, Passover (Pesach), Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), and the two days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are each considered one holiday. Plus Hanukkah and Purim are also big deals, even though they are technically minor holidays in terms of religious restrictions. That gives you about 10 major holidays, but the list can vary depending on how you count.

But wait – there’s more. Judaism also has a bunch of “minor” holidays and fast days. For example, Tu B’Shvat (the New Year for Trees), Lag B’Omer (a celebration of Jewish scholarship), and Tisha B’Av (a day of mourning and fasting). There are also modern holidays like Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day). If you count all of these, you’re looking at maybe 20 to 25 distinct observances throughout the year. But not all of them are “holidays” in the sense of taking time off work or having festive meals. Some are just days of special prayer or remembrance.

Another factor is that many Jewish holidays last multiple days. Passover is 7 or 8 days depending on where you live (in Israel it’s 7, outside it’s 8). Sukkot is 7 days, with Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah attached. Rosh Hashanah is 2 days. So if you count each day as a separate holiday, the number jumps way up. But usually, we think of each “holiday” as a single event even if it lasts several days.

So, to give you a straight answer: if you’re talking about the major holidays that most Jewish people observe (the ones with restrictions like no work, special prayers, festive meals), that’s about 7 to 10 per year. If you add in all the minor holidays and fast days, you’re looking at around 20 to 25. And if you count every single day of multi-day holidays… well, you could say there are over 40 days a year that have some sort of Jewish holiday significance. But that’s not really how people think of it.

One more thing – the Jewish calendar is lunar-based, so the dates shift around on the Gregorian calendar. That means you might feel like holidays are “early” or “late” each year. And some years have an extra month (Adar II) because it’s a leap year, which can affect the timing of Purim and Passover. So the number of holidays doesn’t change, but their spacing does.

Questions related to how many holidays do Jewish have

Now, let’s tackle some common follow-up questions I get. One is: “Are all Jewish holidays work-free?” Nope. Only the major ones – Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, first and last days of Passover, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, and Shavuot – are days when traditional Jewish law forbids work. Hanukkah and Purim are “minor” holidays – you go to work but you might light candles or give gifts. Tisha B’Av is a fast day, but it’s not a holiday – it’s a day of mourning. And modern holidays like Yom Ha’atzmaut are celebrated but not considered religiously binding. So the “work-free” holidays are about 7 to 8 days per year (plus maybe a couple extra for those outside Israel).

Another common question: “Do all Jewish people observe the same holidays?” Mostly yes, but there are differences between Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and secular Jews. For instance, some Reform Jews might not observe the second day of holidays that originated in the Diaspora. And Israeli Jews have a different calendar for some holidays because they don’t add an extra day for biblical festivals. So the count can vary by community.

People also ask: “What about Shabbat? Is that considered a holiday?” Shabbat – the weekly day of rest – is technically a holy day, but it’s not a “holiday” in the sense of a special event. It happens every week, so most folks don’t count it in the holiday list. But if you did, you’d add 52 more days! But that would be misleading – Shabbat is its own thing.

So, to sum it up: if you’re just looking for the big ones that make you take off work and have a big meal, expect around 8 to 10 holidays per year. If you want to include all the minor ones, fast days, and modern observances, it’s more like 20 to 25. And if you want to be super technical about each day of multi-day festivals, you could say there are over 40 days with religious significance. But honestly, most Jewish people will just tell you “there are a bunch, but the big ones are Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, and Hanukkah.”

public holiday calendar.COM Thank you for reading, I hope this article can help you fully understand the number of Jewish holidays. If you have more questions – like when exactly the next holiday falls or what to expect during Yom Kippur – please contact us. Your friendly Holiday Little Assistant is always here to help!