Sukkot 2026

When Is Sukkot in 2026?

In 2026, Sukkot falls on September 25. The observance lasts 7–8 days (followed by Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah). Because Sukkot follows a 15–21 Tishrei (8 days in Diaspora, 7 in Israel), Hebrew lunisolar calendar, the exact Gregorian date shifts each year. Begins at sundown on 14 Tishrei. In Israel, Sukkot is 7 days with Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah combined on the 8th day; in the Diaspora, they are split over 2 days (8th and 9th). The Hebrew leap-year cycle shifts the date ~1 month in leap years. Since Sukkot's date changes from year to year, here are the dates for the next five years so you can plan ahead: Year Date 2026 September 25 2027 October 15 2028 October 4 2029 September 23 2030 October 12

What Time Does Sukkot Start in Your Time Zone?

Sukkot begins at sunset on the 15th of Tishrei and lasts seven days (eight in the diaspora, with Shemini Atzeret added as a separate festival day). In 2026, Sukkot begins at sunset on Wednesday, September 30 and ends at sunset on Wednesday, October 7. Shemini Atzeret begins at sunset on October 7 and ends at nightfall on October 9 (in the diaspora, with Simchat Torah on October 9). As with all Jewish holidays, each day begins at sunset, so the festival spans two Gregorian dates each day. The requirement to dwell in the sukkah means the festival is weather-dependent — heavy rain or cold can excuse the obligation, but mild weather is ideal. In 2026, Sukkot falls in early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, which is generally mild in most Jewish population centers. In the Southern Hemisphere, Sukkot falls in spring, with pleasant weather. The sunset-to-sunset structure means that a Jewish family in Jerusalem begins Sukkot several hours before a family in New York — the same Wednesday sunset arrives in the Middle East long before it arrives on the East Coast of the United States. The table below shows the observance date for Sukkot in major time zones around the world: Location Observance Date Time Zone New York, USA September 25 EST/EDT (UTC-5/-4) London, UK September 25 GMT/BST (UTC+0/+1) New Delhi, India September 25 IST (UTC+5:30) Sydney, Australia September 25 AEST/AEDT (UTC+10/+11) Dubai, UAE September 25 GST (UTC+4)

The Story Behind Sukkot

Sukkot — the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles — is a week-long Jewish festival that commemorates the 40 years the Israelites spent wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt, living in temporary shelters. The festival falls on the 15th of Tishrei (September-October), five days after Yom Kippur, and is one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Shalosh Regalim) in the Jewish calendar, when Israelites historically traveled to the Temple in Jerusalem. The name "Sukkot" means "booths" or "huts" in Hebrew, referring to the temporary structures the Israelites lived in during their desert wanderings. The central commandment of the festival is to dwell in a sukkah — a temporary structure with at least three walls and a roof made of plant material (sechach), through which the stars can be seen. Observant Jews build a sukkah in their yard, on their balcony, or in a communal space, and eat their meals in it for the seven days of the festival. Some sleep in the sukkah as well, weather permitting. Sukkot is also a harvest festival — the festival's other name, Chag Ha'Asif ("Festival of the Ingathering"), reflects its agricultural significance as the time when the summer's crops were harvested and stored for the winter. The sukkah may have originally been the temporary shelters farmers lived in during the harvest, before the festival's historical meaning was overlaid. The combination of historical and agricultural themes is characteristic of Jewish festivals, which often weave together the natural and the historical.

How Sukkot Is Celebrated

The central ritual of Sukkot is the building and dwelling in the sukkah. Observant Jews build a sukkah in their yard, on their balcony, or in a communal space, decorating it with fruits, vegetables, flowers, and children's artwork. The sukkah must have at least three walls and a roof made of plant material (sechach) — typically branches, bamboo, or palm fronds — through which the stars can be seen. Meals are eaten in the sukkah, and some sleep in it as well. The sukkah is meant to be temporary and slightly fragile, reminding its inhabitants of the Israelites' vulnerability in the desert and of the impermanence of material security. The other major ritual of Sukkot is the taking of the Four Species (arba minim): a lulav (palm branch), hadass (myrtle branch), aravah (willow branch), and etrog (citron). These are held together and shaken in six directions (east, west, north, south, up, down) during the morning prayers, symbolizing God's presence everywhere. The Four Species are also interpreted symbolically: the palm (which has taste but no smell) represents the Jew who studies but does not perform good deeds; the myrtle (smell but no taste) represents the Jew who performs good deeds but does not study; the willow (neither taste nor smell) represents the Jew who does neither; and the etrog (both taste and smell) represents the Jew who does both. The binding of the four together symbolizes the unity of the Jewish people. The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabbah ("Great Hoshana"), and is observed with special prayers and the beating of willow branches on the ground. The eighth day — technically a separate festival called Shemini Atzeret — is observed as a final day of assembly, with prayers for rain (Tefillat Geshem) to ensure a good harvest the following year. In the diaspora, Shemini Atzeret is followed by a ninth day, Simchat Torah ("Rejoicing of the Torah"), on which the annual cycle of Torah readings is completed and begun again — a joyous celebration marked by dancing with the Torah scrolls in synagogue. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are combined into a single day. Why Does Sukkot Move Every Year? Sukkot is fixed on the 15th of Tishrei in the Hebrew lunisolar calendar, five days after Yom Kippur. The Hebrew calendar's leap-month system (adding Adar II seven times in 19 years) keeps Sukkot anchored in September or October. The 15th of Tishrei is the night of the full moon, which gives the festival a bright, autumnal character. The earliest Sukkot can fall is mid-September; the latest is mid-October.

Calendar Calculation

15–21 Tishrei (8 days in Diaspora, 7 in Israel), Hebrew lunisolar calendar

Traveling for Sukkot? Where to Go

Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals, when Jews historically traveled to the Temple in Jerusalem. Today, travel patterns center on family gatherings and on visiting sukkot at significant synagogues. In Israel, the entire week of Sukkot is a major vacation period, with families traveling to the Galilee, the Negev, and Eilat. Many diaspora Jews travel to Israel for Sukkot, when hotels and restaurants offer sukkot for guests and the country's rhythm shifts to the holiday. Top destinations for this holiday: Jerusalem: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Tel Aviv: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. New York City: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Tzfat: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. If you're planning to travel for sukkot, compare hotel rates and book early — accommodations in Jerusalem fill up weeks before the festival. [Search hotels for Sukkot travel →]

Did You Know? Sukkot Facts & Trivia

Sukkot — the Festival of Booths — commemorates the 40 years the Israelites spent wandering in the desert after the Exodus, living in temporary shelters. The central commandment of the festival is to dwell in a sukkah — a temporary structure with at least three walls and a roof made of plant material (sechach) through which the stars can be seen. The sukkah must be temporary and slightly fragile, reminding its inhabitants of the Israelites' vulnerability in the desert and of the impermanence of material security. Observant Jews build a sukkah in their yard, on their balcony, or in a communal space, decorating it with fruits, vegetables, flowers, and children's artwork. The Four Species (arba minim) — a lulav (palm branch), hadass (myrtle branch), aravah (willow branch), and etrog (citron) — are held together and shaken in six directions (east, west, north, south, up, down) during the morning prayers, symbolizing God's presence everywhere. Sukkot is also a harvest festival — the festival's other name, Chag Ha'Asif ("Festival of the Ingathering"), reflects its agricultural significance as the time when the summer's crops were harvested and stored for the winter. The combination of historical and agricultural themes is characteristic of Jewish festivals.