Many people are familiar with Hanukkah, Passover, and Rosh Hashanah, three major Jewish holidays, but there are a number of other important holidays in the Hebrew calendar to commemorate various events in Jewish history and to celebrate the Jewish faith. In communities with a large Jewish population, they may be designated as official holidays, although for devout Jews, the holiday actually starts the night before, which is something important to keep in mind when scheduling events which coincide with these days.

The Hebrew calendar starts with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which falls in late September or early October. Ten days after the New Year, Jews around the world observe Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On this day, people fast for 25 hours and attend special religiousservices. Yom Kippur is a day of reflection, and a chance for Jewish people to have a private conversation with God about their deeds in the past year.

Five days after Yom Kippur falls the holiday of Sukkot, which usually occurs in October. On Sukkot, Jewish people commemorate the 40 years their ancestors spent wandering in the desert. Some families build a small shelter, called a sukkah, and spend time in the shelter during this holiday. After Sukkot ends, people celebrate Simchat Torah, the date when the annual cycle of reading the Torah is over, and the cycle begins again for the year. Typically, the Torah scrolls are carried in a parade on Simchat Torah.

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In December, people of the Jewish faith celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, commemorating the