From Lisa Katz,
Your Guide to Judaism.
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While the American secular calendar is based on the sun, the Hebrew calendar is both solar and lunar. While the secular calendar year begins in January, the Jewish calendar year begins in September or October. While a new day on the secular calendar begins at midnight, a new day on the Jewish calendar begins at sundown.

Despite the differences in the two calendars, it is a good idea to create one American-Jewish calendar. Thus someone in Israel who is busy observing Yom HaAtzmaut will also remember to send their American mother flowers for Mother's Day.

The calendar below lists both American and Jewish special days. Have a wonderful year!

* Please note that all Jewish holidays begin at sundown the evening before the date listed.

2006

January

1 (Sun.) New Year's Day
1 (Sun.) Rosh Chodesh Tevet
1 (Sun.) 7th day of Hanukkah
2 (Mon.) 8th day of Hanukkah
16 (Mon.) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
30 (Mon.) Rosh Chodesh Shevat

February

12 (Sun.) Lincoln's Birthday
13 (Mon.) Tu B'Shvat
14 (Tues.) Valentine's Day
20 (Mon.) President's Day
22 (Wed.) Washington's Birthday

28-29 (Tues.-Wed.) Rosh Chodesh Adar
March

13 (Mon.) Fast of Esther
14 (Tues.) Purim
15 (Wed.) Shushan Purim
17 (Fri.) St. Patrick's Day
30 (Thurs.) Rosh Chodesh Nissan

April

12 (Wed.) Bidikat Chametz (Search for Chametz)
13 (Thurs.) Biur Chametz (Burn Chametz)
13 (Thurs.) Passover Seder
14 (Fri.) Passover, First Day
16 (Sun.) Easter
20 (Thurs.) Passover, Last Day (Yizkor)
25 (Tues.) Yom HaShoah
28 (Fri) Rosh Chodesh Iyar

May

2 (Tues.) Yom HaZikaron
3 (Wed.) Yom HaAtzmaut
14 (Sun.) Mother's Day
16 (Tues.) Lag B'Omer
26 (Fri.) Yom Yerushalayim
28 (Sun.) Rosh Chodesh Sivan
29 (Mon.) Memorial Day

June

2-3 (Fri.-Sat.) Shavuot (Yizkor)
14 (Wed.) Flag Day 18 (Sun.) Father's Day
26-27 (Mon.-Tues.) Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

July

4 (Tues.) U.S. Independence Day
13 (Thurs.) Fast of Tammuz
26 (Wed.) Rosh Chodesh Av

August

3 (Thurs.) Tisha B'Av Fast
9 (Wed.) Tu B'Av Fast
24-25 (Thurs.-Fri.) Rosh Chodesh Elul

September

4 (Mon.) Labor Day
16 (Sat.) Slichot Prayers Begin
23-24 (Sat-Sun.) Rosh HaShana
25 (Mon.) Fast of Gedalia
30 (Sat.) Shabbat Shuva

October

9 (Mon.) Columbus Day
2 (Mon.) Yom Kippur (Yizkor)
7 (Sat.) Sukkot, First Day
13 (Fri.) Hoshanah Rabbah
14 (Sat.) Shemini Atzeret (Yizkor)
15 (Sun.) Simchat Torah
22-23 (Sun.-Mon.) Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan
31 (Tues.) Halloween

November

2 (Thurs.) Memorial Day for Yitzhak Rabin
7 (Tues.) Election Day
11 (Sat.) Veteran's Day
21-22 (Tues.-Wed.) Rosh Chodesh Kislev
23 (Thurs.) Thanksgiving

December

16 (Sat.) Chanukah, First Day
21-22 (Thurs.-Fri.) Rosh Chodesh Tevet
23 (Sat.) Chanukah, Last Day
26 (Mon.) Christmas Day
31 (Sun.) Asara B'Tevet Fast 31 (Sun.) New Year's Eve