DESCRIPTION:

THE JEWISH YEAR OF 5785

CORRESPONDING TO 2024-2025

The Jewish Year 5785 corresponds to the years 2024 and 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. It is not a year of Jubilee in the Jewish faith. 2025 is a year of Jubilee in the Christian faith. Year 5785 is not a jubilee year in Judaism. 2025 is a jubilee year in Christianity. 

 ABOUT THE HEBREW CALENDAR

 The Hebrew calendar marks day one as the seventh day of the creation story from the book of Genesis. Hebrew scholars determined year one by adding the ages of all those mentioned in the Torah and going backward.

The Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar consisting of 12 months, with a leap year adding a 13th month. Each month has its unique significance and religious observances.

Here's a month-by-month summary, typically beginning in September and ending in September or October each year.


 MONTH OF TISHREI


 Rosh Hashanah—Jewish New Year, marked by prayer, reflection, and the shofar sounding.

 Yom Kippur—Day of Atonement, the year's holiest day, focused on fasting and repentance.

 Sukkot—Feast of Tabernacles, commemorating the Israelites' journey in the desert.

 Shemini Atzeret—Eighth day of Sukkot, a separate festival day.

 Simchat Torah—Celebration of the completion and restarting of the Torah reading cycle.


 MONTH OF CHESHVAN

 Often referred to as Mar-Cheshvan (bitter Cheshvan) due to the lack of major holidays. It is a month for reflection and settling into the new year.


 MONTH OF KISLEV

 Hanukkah—Festival of Lights, celebrating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the oil lasting eight days.


 MONTH OF TEVET

Tenth of Tevet—A minor fast day commemorating the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II.


MONTH OF SHEVAT

 Tu Bishvat—New Year for Trees, often celebrated by planting trees and eating fruits.


MONTH OF ADAR

Purim—Celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them, as recounted in the Book of Esther.

(In a leap year, Adar is split into Adar I and Adar II, with Purim celebrated in Adar II.)


MONTH OF NISAN

Passover (Pesach)—Commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery.

Counting of the Omer—Begins on the second night of Passover and continues for 49 days until Shavuot.


MONTH OF IYAR

Lag B'Omer—Celebrates the end of a plague among the students of Rabbi Akiva and the death anniversary of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.


MONTH OF SIVAN

Shavuot—Feast of Weeks, celebrating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.


MONTH OF TAMMUZ

Seventeenth of Tammuz—A minor fast day marking the breach of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Second Temple.


MONTH OF AV

Tisha B'Av—A significant fast day commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem and other tragedies in Jewish history.


MONTH OF ELUL

The last month of the Hebrew calendar is one of introspection and preparation for the High Holy Days, with the shofar sounding each day (except Shabbat)."