Simchat Torah 2016

October 2016 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Columbus Day Monday October 10 -8 years -20 days or -2942 days 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Simchat Torah Tuesday October 25 -8 years -5 days or -2927 days 26 27 28 29 30 31 Halloween Day Monday October 31 -7 years, -11 months, -30 days or -2921 days

Simchat Torah for the year 2016 is celebrated/ observed on sundown of Monday, October 24th ending at sundown on Tuesday, October 25th.

Simchat Torah which means rejoicing with the Torah on the Hebrew calendar falls on 22 Tishrei (Israel) and 23 Tishrei (outside Israel). In Israel many will celebrate both Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah on the same day which happens to follow directly after the seven day holiday of Sukkot. Outside Israel many Jews will celebrate Simchat Torah the day after Shemini Atzeret is celebrated thus celebrated on 23 Tishrei.

Why do Jewish holidays start at nighttime?

According to the Torah, the story of creation in Genesis says “And it was evening, and it was morning day one”, “And it was evening, and it was morning; the second day”, thus night comes before day. So for the Jewish calendar all days begin at nightfall and end the next day at nightfall including holidays.

Days to the start of Simchat Torah 2016

Tuesday, October 25th is day number 299 of the 2016 calendar year with -8 years, -5 days until Simchat Torah 2016.