Year, The

Every seven years, on the holiday of Sukkot, every single Jew would gather in Jerusalem and listen to the king read from the Torah. Why was this so special and how is it relevant today?

In Temple times the king would read from the Torah before the entire nation in the year of Hakhel. Why is this specifically the role of the king? This class explains the unique function of a Jewish king.

A group of actors bring the unity of the Hakhel year to life on the streets of Israel.

The year of Hakhel is marked with gatherings to strengthen our Judaism, our connection to G-d and to each other—similar to the mitzvah in Temple times when the king would read from the Torah to inspire all of Israel. Discover Hakhel’s relevance and empowe...

Watch what people are saying about joining together for Jewish unity in the year of Hakhel, and discover how you can be a part of it.

Today – as in Temple times – men, women, and children unite together at the same place, the same time, and with the same purpose of strengthening our commitment to Torah.

The year following the Shemittah year is marked as Hakhel, where all Jews would gather together at the Holy Temple to hear the king read from the Torah, in essence reliving the Sinai experience. Discover the deeper meaning of Hakhel and its powerful relev...

The Jewish leap year contains 13 months, instead of the regular twelve—i.e., an extra month is added at the end of the year (another Adar). What is the meaning behind this added month?

The year is divided into twelve months. But Torah tells us that there are special years which have an additional month – changing the entire year into a Jewish “Leap Year.”

The lunar year is eleven days shorter than the solar year. Therefore, every two or three years, an additional month is added to the Jewish calendar, to bring the lunar and solar years back into alignment.