About Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)
Sukkot 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, September 25, and the seven-day festival continues through Friday, October 2, when it flows straight into Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot is a joyful Jewish festival of thanksgiving that follows close on the heels of Yom Kippur — a release into celebration after the solemn High Holy Days. The live countdown above shows exactly how much time is left until it begins.
The defining custom is the sukkah, a temporary hut roofed with branches and open to the sky, in which families eat, host guests and sometimes sleep across the week. It recalls the huts the Israelites lived in during forty years in the desert after the Exodus, and doubles as an ancient harvest festival marking the gathering of the autumn crops — the Torah calls it "the season of our rejoicing". The other great symbol is the "four species" — the lulav (a bound palm, myrtle and willow) and the etrog (a citron) — held together and waved in all directions during festive blessings.
Sukkot always begins on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, five days after Yom Kippur, so its Gregorian date shifts every year but reliably lands in late September or early October. Like all Jewish holidays it begins at sundown the evening before. Whether you are building your own sukkah or simply marking the festival, add Sukkot to your own page and the counter above shows exactly how long until it begins.
Upcoming dates
| 2027 | Friday, October 15, 2027next |
| 2028 | Wednesday, October 4, 2028 |
| 2029 | Sunday, September 23, 2029 |
FAQ
When does Sukkot 2026 start and end?
Sukkot 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, September 25, and the seven-day festival runs through Friday, October 2, 2026, when Shemini Atzeret begins. The countdown above shows the exact time remaining.
Is Sukkot the same as the Feast of Tabernacles?
Yes — Sukkot is the Hebrew name; "Feast of Tabernacles" (sometimes "Feast of Booths") is the traditional English translation, referring to the temporary huts, or sukkahs, built for the week.
Why is Sukkot celebrated?
It recalls the temporary shelters the Israelites lived in during forty years in the desert after the Exodus, and it celebrates the autumn harvest. The Torah names it the season of rejoicing.
How is Sukkot celebrated?
Families build a sukkah — a hut roofed with branches — and eat and gather in it for a week, wave the lulav and etrog during blessings, and host guests in a spirit of joy and hospitality.
What are the four species of Sukkot?
They are the lulav (palm, bound with myrtle and willow) and the etrog (a citron). Held together and waved during festive prayers, they are a central ritual of the holiday.