The Months of the Hebrew Calendar

How Many Months Are in the Hebrew Calendar?

The Hebrew calendar has twelve months in a regular year and thirteen in a leap year. Each month begins with the new moon and lasts either 29 or 30 days, because the cycle of the moon is roughly 29 and a half days. The table above lists all the months in order for the current year and marks which month it is right now.

A regular Jewish year has 12 months. Seven times in every nineteen-year cycle, a thirteenth month is added to keep the calendar aligned with the seasons, since twelve lunar months fall about eleven days short of a solar year. In those leap years, the month of Adar is doubled into Adar I and Adar II.

The First Month: Tishrei or Nisan?

One of the most common questions about the Hebrew calendar is which month comes first, and the answer is that it has two starting points. The Torah counts the months from Nisan, the month of Passover in the spring, which makes Nisan the first month and Tishrei the seventh. At the same time, the years are counted from Tishrei in the autumn, where Rosh Hashanah marks the start of a new year number. So Tishrei is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the religious year — both are correct, depending on what you are counting. The table above lists the months starting from Tishrei, the way they appear on a calendar year.

The Months in Order

Counting from Tishrei, the months of the Hebrew calendar are Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul. In a leap year, Adar I and Adar II take the place of the single month of Adar.

Tishrei is the month of the autumn holidays — Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. Cheshvan, sometimes called Marcheshvan, is the only month with no holidays at all. Kislev brings Chanukah, which continues into Tevet. Shevat holds Tu BiShvat, the new year for trees. Adar is the month of Purim, the most joyful month of the year. Nisan is the month of Passover and the Exodus from Egypt. Iyar carries the modern Israeli observances — Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom Ha’atzmaut — along with Lag BaOmer. Sivan brings Shavuot, the giving of the Torah. The summer months of Tammuz and Av include the fast days leading to Tisha B’Av, and Elul is the month of preparation and reflection that leads back to Tishrei and the new year.

Why the Months Have Different Lengths

Two months, Cheshvan and Kislev, can each have either 29 or 30 days. The Hebrew year needs to come out to a whole number of days and to begin on certain days of the week, so these two months act as the calendar’s adjustment, lengthening or shortening as needed. This is why a Jewish year can run anywhere from 353 to 355 days in a regular year, or 383 to 385 days in a leap year. The lengths shown in the table above are the actual lengths for the current year, not generic figures.

To see exactly how the Hebrew months line up with the regular calendar — and which Gregorian dates each month covers this year — generate a calendar by Hebrew months with the Jewish calendar maker. You can also see today’s Hebrew date or convert any date between the two calendars.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many months are in the Hebrew calendar?

There are twelve months in a regular Jewish year and thirteen in a leap year. A leap year occurs seven times in every nineteen-year cycle, and in those years the month of Adar is split into Adar I and Adar II.

What is the first month of the Hebrew calendar?

It depends on how you count. The Torah counts from Nisan in the spring, making it the first month, while the year number changes in Tishrei in the autumn, making Tishrei the first month of the civil year. Tishrei is therefore both the first month of the year and the seventh month counting from Nisan.

What are the months of the Hebrew calendar in order?

Counting from Tishrei, the months are Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul. In a leap year, Adar becomes Adar I and Adar II.

What month is it in the Hebrew calendar right now?

The current Hebrew month is highlighted in the table at the top of this page, shown in both English and Hebrew. The Hebrew month changes with each new moon.

Which Hebrew month has no holidays?

Cheshvan, the month after Tishrei, has no holidays or fast days. It is sometimes called Marcheshvan, and a traditional explanation is that it is “bitter” (mar) because it has no festivals of its own.