Here's a guide to scheduling around
the Jewish holy days that I thought you might find useful. I didn't write it, only edited it slightly
and updated it each year, but I vouch for its accuracy.
Category
I. MOST JEWS PARTICIPATE. Please do not schedule meetings around these
dates.
ROSH HASHANAH (Jewish New Year) begins at sunset Monday, September 6, 2021
and continues through Wednesday, September 8.
YOM KIPPUR (Day of Repentance) begins at sunset on Wednesday, September 15,
2021 and continues through Thursday, September 16. While Yom Kippur is a fasting day, meals are
prepared in advance for the breaking of the fast at the end of 27 hours.
Typically, even some of the least religiously observant members of the Jewish community do not work on Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah. Please keep in mind that even though the holy day may begin at sunset, these are home ritual centered holy days, so a great deal of advance preparation is required. In other words, please
don't schedule a meeting for the afternoon preceding the holiday because I will be cooking!
PASSOVER (Celebration of Freedom from Slavery in Egypt) begins at sunset
on Friday, April 15, 2022; continues through nightfall on Saturday, April 23. THE FIRST TWO DAYS (through Sunday evening, April
17, 2022) require refraining from work. LOTS of cooking and preparation before
this holy day.
---------------
Category
II. Many observant Jews refrain from work. I count myself as
observant.
SUKKOT (Festival of Booths, or
Tabernacles) begins at sunset Monday, September 20, 2021 and lasts through
Monday, September 27. THE FIRST TWO DAYS (through Wednesday, September
22, 2021) traditionally require abstaining from work.
SHMINI ATZERET (Eighth Day Assembly, ending Sukkot) begins at sunset on Monday,
September 27, 2021 and lasts through Tuesday, September 28.
SIMCHAT TORAH (Rejoicing with
the Torah) begins at sunset on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 and lasts
through Wednesday, September 29.
The LAST TWO DAYS of PASSOVER begin at sunset Thursday, April 21, 2022
and last through Saturday, April 23.
SHAVUOT (Festival of Weeks, or Pentecost to our Christian friends) begins
at sunset on Saturday, June 4, 2022 and continues through Monday, June 6
TISHA B’AV (fast day marking the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem) begins at sunset on Saturday night, August 6, 2022 and continues through Sunday, August 7.
-----------------
Category III.
Observance doesn't require refraining from work.
HANUKKAH (Festival of Lights) begins at sunset on Sunday, November 28,
2021 and
continues through nightfall Monday, December 6. Every night, candles on
the
Hanukkiah (eight-armed candelabra, sometimes called "menorah") are
lit.
PURIM - Begins at sunset on Wednesday, March 16, 2022; continues through
Thursday, March 17.
And a few other seasonal and historical holy days that I won't mention, because
enough already! If you want to know more
about the meaning of these holidays, you might consult www.jewfaq.org or the book Seasons of Our Joy, by Arthur Waskow.
[Dennis] A final note which I thought worth adding from my own experience: Even
if someone (who might be Jewish) tells you "It's no big deal" to
schedule meetings and
conferences on these days, doesn't mean that that's true for all
Jews. People maintain different
levels of observance, and a more secular Jew may work on a day when I would
not.
When in doubt,
please ask! I can't speak for other Jewish consultants, staff, board
members, and interns, but I know I always prefer to be asked.
Thank you!
