Rosh Hashanah
The Jewish New Year
We observe two days of Rosh Hashanah
Erev - Monday, September 22
Day 1 - Tuesday, September 23
Day 2 - Wednesday, September 24
Kol Nidre & Yom Kippur
The Day of Atonement
Kol Nidre - Wednesday, October 1
Yom Kippur - Thursday, October 2 with Yizkor
Sukkot
The fall harvest festival
Sukkot service - Tuesday, October 7 10:00 - 12:30pm
Join us to shake the lulav and smell the fragrant etrog, symbols of growth and community. Enjoy the temple Sukkah--help decorate it and share a meal under the leafy roof. Take a moment of gratitude for the blessings of your life.
Simchat Torah
Celebration of the Joys of Torah
We will dance with the Torah scrolls on Tuesday evening, October 14, 5:30 - 7:00pm.
Shmini Atzeret morning service - Wednesday, October 15,10:00am-12:30pm. Everyone in the congregation comes to unfurl the entire scroll around the sanctuary, and receive a blessing from the rabbi based on the verses you are holding. We dance with the scrolls outside and end with a festive auction of the pumpkins on the bimah.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE
First candle, Sunday night, December 14
Tu B'shvat
Monday, February 2, 2026
Tu BiShvat or Tu B'Shevat or Tu B'Shvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בשבט) is a minor Jewish holiday, occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat.
The day that marks the beginning of a “new year” for trees. Commonly known as Tu Bishvat, this day marks the season in which the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.
Purim
Begins sunset of Monday, March 2, 2026
Ends nightfall of Tuesday, March 3, 2026
The holiday of turning everything upside-down, with story, song, masks and costumes, sharing hamantashen (filled pastries) and gifts to the poor.
Purim is fun at HBT. We'll hear the Megillah, the story of Esther, Mordechai, the foolish king Ahasuerus and his henchman Haman, and drown out Haman's name with noisemakers.
Chaverim School Megillah reading
Adult Megillah reading
Plus our annual Purim carnival.Stay tuned for this year's theme!
PESACH/Passover
Begins sunset of Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Ends nightfall of Thursday, April 9, 2026
The Feast of Freedom
Passover (Pesach) celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Our Passover megasite has tools, guides, insights, stories, inspiration—and just about everything you need to celebrate Passover. (But bring your own wine.)
In place of a community seder, we match people up to enjoy seder in members' homes.
Yom Hashoah
Thursday, April 24
Holocaust Remembrance Day falls one week after Passover ends.
Light your candle Sunday night after sunset. To order your candle contact the office: 617-323-0486 or bblock@templehbt.org
We hold a special evening service each year with a speaker or program.
Yom Ha'atzma'ut
Israel Independence Day Thursday, May 1
We celebrate Israel’s independence on Yom Ha’Atzmaut. It commemorates when David Ben-Gurion, who was Israel’s first prime minister, publicly read the Israel’s Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948. According to the Jewish calendar, this was the fifth day of Iyar, the eighth month of the civil year, in the year 5708.
Lag B’Omer
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Lag BaOmer is a festive day on the Jewish calendar, celebrating the anniversary of the passing of the great sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the end of a plague that raged amongst the disciples of the great sage Rabbi Akiva.
Shavuot
Begins sunset of Thursday, May 21, 2026
Ends nightfall of Saturday, May 23, 2026
Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. The Ten Commandments are read in synagogues, just as they were in the desert on Mt. Sinai over 3,300 years ago.
The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot.Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” the Torah.