1 Nisan 5786*
*18-19 March 2026
Chodesh Tov! Shana L'Chagim Tova!
Today marks the renewing of the moon and the start of a new cycle of Jewish holidays, centered around the Shalosh Regalim, the three biblical pilgrimage festivals.
Nisan 5786 at a glance
1 Nisan 5786: Rosh Chodesh
Rosh Chodesh Nisan sets off a cycle of Pesach prep. It's also the traditional Yahrzeit of the Torah patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov/Yisroel, and the date of the dedication of the mishkan in the willderness.
3 Nisan 5786: Shabbat Vayikra
We kick off Nisan this year by starting the third book of the Torah, Vayikra (And G-d Called) which focuses on the rituals of the newly constructed ritual sanctuary, the mishkan, and the priestly order that was established alongside it.
10 Nisan 5786: Shabbat Tzav, Yahrzeit of Miryam haNeviah
13 Nisan 5786: Traditional anniversary of Avraham Avinu's brit milah
14 Nisan 5786: Erev Pesach, which is the day of Taanit Bekhorot (Fast of the Firstborn) and Bedikat, Bitul, and Biur Chametz (Search for, Nullification, and Destruction of Leavened Bread)
15 Nisan 5786: First Night of Pesach, Yom Tov and traditional first Seder
16 Nisan 5786: Second day of Yom Tov Pesach diasporically, often celebrated with a second Seder, and also the beginning of the Omer count of the seven weeks to the barley harvest and Shavuot
17: Shabbat Chol haMoed Pesach, a shabbat with special readings for the Chag
18-20 Nisan 5786: Weekday Chol ha Moed (the middle days) of Pesach
21-22 Pesach: the second round of Yom Tov to end the festival
23 Nisan 5786: Mimouna, a Maghrebi Jewish holiday celebrating the end of Pesach and the first leavened foods eaten after 8 days of matzo
24 Nisan 5786: Shabbat Mevarchim Iyyar, the last shabbat before the New Moon, a day for offering a blessing for the coming month
22-28 Nisan 5786: Traditional anniversary of the weeklong circumambulation of the walls of Jericho and Rahab's deal with the Israelites
30 Nisan 5786: Rosh Chodesh Iyyar and welcoming of the New Moon
