Living Promise Calendar — Holy Days and Festivals

The Living Promise order keeps the Jewish calendar, a lunisolar calendar: months follow the moon (each month begins at the new moon), while leap months keep the year aligned with the sun’s seasons. Days begin at sunset — the evening comes first, so every observance that starts “on the 15th” actually begins at sunset as the 14th ends. All holy days below are kept by their Hebrew month-and-day timing rules; Gregorian equivalents move each year, so verify exact Gregorian dates against a current Hebrew calendar.

Daily

Shacharit (morning prayer) — Timing rule: recited in the morning, from the first light when one can distinguish between blue and white (“misheyakir”) until the end of the third halachic hour of the day. The morning Amidah (the standing prayer of eighteen blessings) is its heart; on most mornings it is accompanied by psalms and readings of the Shema.
Mincha (afternoon prayer) — Timing rule: from about six and a half halachic hours into the day (half an hour after midday) until sunset; there is a distinction between the earlier “Mincha Gedola” and the later “Mincha Ketana.” It is a short service — Ashrei, the Amidah, and (on weekdays) the Tachanun petition for forgiveness — often said at the close of the workday.
Maariv / Arvit (evening prayer) — Timing rule: after nightfall, following the sunset that closes the previous day; many recite it ideally before midnight, with the latest time before dawn. It opens with the evening Shema and closes with the Amidah, ending the day’s threefold rhythm of prayer.

Weekly

Shabbat — Timing rule: Friday sunset (candles are lit traditionally 18 minutes before sunset) until Saturday nightfall, when three stars are visible (“tzeit hakochavim”). A full day of rest and sanctity: no work (“melacha”), three festive meals, the Friday-night Kiddush over wine, synagogue services, and the Saturday-night Havdalah that separates the holy day from the week. Kept as a covenant sign and a weekly re-creation.

Monthly

Rosh Chodesh (head of the month) — Timing rule: the first day (or first two days) of every Hebrew month, marking the new moon. When the preceding month had 30 days, Rosh Chodesh runs two days — day 30 of the old month and day 1 of the new. A minor festival: special prayers (Hallel on the first day), additional Torah reading, and traditionally a holiday for women. Kept as a monthly renewal.

Quarterly

No distinct quarterly rhythm exists in Jewish observance. The year is not divided into quarterly holy periods; the festivals fall where the lunisolar calendar places them (see Yearly below), and nothing has been added to fill a “quarterly” slot. This rhythm is intentionally left empty rather than invented.

Yearly

The Pilgrimage Festivals (Shalosh Regalim)

Pesach / Passover — 15 Nisan — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 15 Nisan; kept 7 days in Israel, 8 days outside Israel, with the first (and in the diaspora, second) and final (and in the diaspora, penultimate) days as full festival days. Commemorates the Exodus from Egypt: no leavened bread (chametz) is eaten or kept in the house, matzah is eaten, and the first nights are kept with the Seder — retelling, four cups, bitter herbs, and matzah.
Shavuot — 6 Sivan — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 6 Sivan; 1 day in Israel, 2 days in the diaspora. The festival of the giving of the Torah at Sinai; kept with Torah reading including the Ten Commandments, dairy foods, and the custom of studying through the first night (“Tikkun Leil Shavuot”).
Sukkot — 15 Tishrei — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 15 Tishrei; kept 7 days. The harvest festival kept by dwelling in a sukkah (booth) and taking up the Four Species (lulav, etrog, hadass, aravah). In the diaspora the first two days are full festival days; the remaining days are Chol HaMoed (intermediate festival days).
Shemini Atzeret — 22 Tishrei — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 22 Tishrei, the day after Sukkot ends. A separate festival of assembly and rest — a day of lingering with God after the festival of booths; outside Israel it is paired with Simchat Torah.
Simchat Torah — 23 Tishrei (diaspora) — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 23 Tishrei outside Israel (combined with Shemini Atzeret on 22 Tishrei in Israel). The rejoicing of the Torah: the annual reading cycle is completed and immediately begun again, with dancing, song, and the Torah scrolls carried around the synagogue.

The High Holy Days

Rosh Hashanah — 1–2 Tishrei — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 1 Tishrei; kept two days everywhere, including in Israel. The New Year and Day of Judgment: the shofar is sounded, “Leshana tova” greetings are exchanged, and the days open the Ten Days of Repentance.
Yom Kippur — 10 Tishrei — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 10 Tishrei; a full 25-hour fast. The Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year: no eating, drinking, washing, anointing, or wearing leather; the day is spent in prayer, confession (Vidui), and the closing Neilah service that ends with the shofar blast.

Other Festivals and Fasts

Hanukkah — 25 Kislev — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 25 Kislev; kept 8 days (through 2 or 3 Tevet). The Festival of Lights commemorating the rededication of the Temple: the menorah (hanukkiah) is kindled each night with an increasing number of flames, one additional each night, with the Hallel and Al HaNissim added to prayer.
Purim — 14 Adar — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 14 Adar (in walled cities, 15 Adar as Shushan Purim; in leap years, Adar II). Commemorates deliverance from Haman’s decree as told in the Book of Esther: the Megillah is read by night and day, gifts of food are sent to friends (mishloach manot), charity is given to the poor (matanot la’evyonim), and a festive meal is kept with joy.
Tisha B’Av — 9 Av — Timing rule: begins at sunset entering 9 Av; a full 25-hour fast. The day of mourning for the destruction of both Temples and other calamities in Jewish history: the Book of Lamentations (Eicha) is read, mourning customs are observed, and it is the saddest day of the year.

Uncertainties for owner review

Candle-lighting time: 18 minutes before sunset is the common Ashkenazi custom; some communities light 20, 30, or 40 minutes before sunset. The owner may want a single stated custom for the Living Promise order.
Israel vs. diaspora festival length: Festival lengths above note the diaspora (8-day Pesach, 2-day Shavuot, Simchat Torah on 23 Tishrei) because the community is in Canada. If the owner wants one canonical observance rather than Israel/diaspora variants, this can be simplified.
Minor fasts omitted: Lesser fasts (e.g., Tzom Gedaliah on 3 Tishrei, 10 Tevet, the Fast of Esther on 13 Adar, 17 Tammuz) are genuine observances but were left out to keep the yearly list to major days. Add them if the owner wants the complete cycle.
Daily prayer details: Timing rules above follow standard halachic bounds; actual times vary by season and location. Members should use a local zmanim (prayer-time) chart for their city.
“Quarterly” kept empty intentionally: No quarterly observance was added since none exists in Jewish tradition. If the owner wants seasonal gatherings anyway, they should be named honestly as community events, not holy days.