Countdown
How many days until Rosh Hashanah?
🍎 Saturday, September 12, 2026
41 days until Rosh Hashanah
About Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, marking the beginning of the High Holy Days, a solemn period of reflection and repentance that culminates ten days later in Yom Kippur. It falls on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, and its Gregorian date shifts each year because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, meaning its months follow the moon while an occasional leap month keeps the calendar roughly aligned with the solar year; this combination causes Rosh Hashanah to fall somewhere in the range of early September to early October depending on the year, without ever drifting through every season the way a purely lunar calendar would. The holiday is traditionally marked by the sounding of a ram's horn, known as a shofar, during synagogue services, along with symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey to represent hopes for a sweet new year. Many observant Jews attend extended synagogue services over one or two days, depending on tradition and location, and the holiday is also associated with a period of personal reflection intended to prepare for the more solemn atonement of Yom Kippur that follows. A common point of confusion is assuming Rosh Hashanah is a single-day holiday universally; practice varies, with some communities observing it for one day and others for two, and the exact number of days observed can differ between Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox traditions as well as between Israel and communities elsewhere.
Quick facts
- Rosh Hashanah's date shifts because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, combining lunar months with an occasional leap month to stay roughly aligned with the solar year, keeping the holiday within a set autumn range rather than cycling through all seasons.
- The sounding of a ram's horn, or shofar, during synagogue services is one of the holiday's most distinctive and ancient customs.
- Whether the holiday is observed for one day or two varies by community and tradition, a distinction that differs between different branches of Judaism and between Israel and the diaspora.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does Rosh Hashanah fall on a different date each year?
- It follows the lunisolar Hebrew calendar, which combines lunar months with an occasional leap month, causing its Gregorian date to shift within an early autumn range each year.
- Is Rosh Hashanah one day or two?
- It varies by community and tradition; some observe it for one day and others for two.
- How many days until Rosh Hashanah?
- Check the countdown above for the exact number of days remaining until the next Rosh Hashanah.
Upcoming Rosh Hashanah dates
- Sat, Sep 12, 2026 (next)
- Sat, Oct 2, 2027
- Thu, Sep 21, 2028
- Mon, Sep 10, 2029
Dates on this page are checked against public calendar sources. Spot something wrong? Let us know.