Festival
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
שמיני עצרת ושמחת תורה
The close of the autumn festivals. On the second day the annual Torah cycle is finished and immediately restarted, with dancing around the scrolls.
Until it begins
In 357 days
- Begins on the evening of
- Ends
- Length
- 2 days
- Festival
- In the Hebrew calendar
- 22 Tishri
- 5788
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 2027 times: candle lighting and end by city
| City | Candle lighting | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| New York | ||
| London | ||
| Los Angeles | ||
| Chicago | ||
| Miami | ||
| Toronto | ||
| Melbourne | ||
| Johannesburg | ||
| Jerusalem | ||
| Tel Aviv |
Candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset (40 in Jerusalem, 30 in Haifa); the holiday ends at nightfall, when the sun is 8.5° below the horizon. Every time is local to its city. In Israel, Pesach, Shavuot and Shemini Atzeret are one day shorter. Local custom can differ by a few minutes. Check with your community.
About the holiday
An extra day tacked onto the end of Sukkot, and in the diaspora a second one behind it: Simchat Torah. The prayer for rain is said for the first time in the year, the last verses of Deuteronomy are read and the opening of Genesis follows immediately, so the cycle never has a gap. The scrolls are carried around the synagogue seven times, and the dancing lasts as long as there are people to dance.
Dates for the coming years
The exact candle-lighting time depends on sunset where you are. Check with your local community.