Tishrei, the first month of the Jewish calendar, is a season filled with profound meaning, celebration, and spiritual renewal. It begins with the High Holidays, encompassing Rosh Hashanah, the Ten Days of Repentance, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah.

Think of Tishrei as the head of the year: the vital reservoir from which we draw our strength, focus, and inspiration for the months ahead. If the year is a train, the High Holidays are its engine, blending joy and solemnity, feasting and fasting, prayer and deep reflection into a spiritually charged awakening.

Preparing for the Season

The journey begins during the preceding month of Elul, when the shofar is sounded every weekday morning as a clarion call to return to our core, preparing our hearts for the sacred days ahead.

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, September 11, and concludes after nightfall on Sunday, September 13.

As the head of the Jewish year, Rosh Hashanah is the time when we crown the Almighty as King of the universe through prayer, festive meals, and celebration. The central observance of the holiday is hearing the blast of the shofar (ram's horn), awakening our spirits for the year to come.

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur 2026 begins before sundown on Sunday, September 20, and ends after nightfall on Monday, September 21.

A week following Rosh Hashanah, the High Holiday season reaches its emotional and spiritual crescendo with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Dressed in white like angels, we abstain from food and drink for 25 hours, gathering in the synagogue as one united people to pray, reflect, and realign with our true selves.

Continuing the Joy: Sukkot and Simchat Torah

The transcendent inspiration of the High Holidays doesn't end on Yom Kippur; it is immediately channeled into the joyful, festive celebrations of Sukkot and Simchat Torah, bringing our fall holiday season to a triumphant and joyous conclusion.