A Guide to Religious Observances
Have you ever wondered about the significance of Sukkot? The importance of Easter? The customs of Ramadan?
Brandeis is home to rich and diverse cultural and religious traditions. We invite you to explore the significance of just some of the celebrations you might encounter here on campus.
View Brandeis' Academic Coursework and Religious Observance Policy.
*Note that Muslim and Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the first day listed. The exact date of Muslim holidays is often determined by the sighting of the moon, so may vary by a day.
Summer Break
- Pentecost (Christianity) - May 19, 2024
- Vesak or Saga Dawa Düchen (Buddhism) - May 23, 2024
- Shavuot (Judaism) - June 11-13, 2024*
- Arafah (Islam) - June 14-15, 2024*
- Eid al Adha (Islam) - June 15-16, 2024*
- Ashura (Islam) - July 16-17, 2024*
- Tisha B'Av (Judaism) August 12 - 13, 2024*
Fall Semester
- Janmashtami (Hinduism) - August 26, 2024
- Ganesh Chaturthi (Hinduism) - September 6, 2024
- Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam) - September 14-15, 2024*
- Chuseok (Korean traditional holiday) - September 16 - 18, 2024
- High Holy Days (Judaism) - October 2 - 4, October 11-12, 2024*
- Rosh Hashanah (Judaism) - October 2 - 4, 2024*
- Navaratri (Hinduism) - October 3-12, 2024
- Durga Puja (Hinduism) - October 8-12, 2024
- Yom Kippur (Judaism) - October 11 - 12, 2024*
- Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami (Hinduism) October 12, 2024
- Sukkot (Judaism) - October 16-23, 2024*
- Shemini Atzeret (Judaism) - October 23-24, 2024*
- Simchat Torah (Judaism) - October 24-25, 2024*
- Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism) - October 31, 2024
- All Saints Day and All Souls Day (Christianity) - November 1-2, 2024
- Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh (Baha'i) - November 2 and 3, 2024
- Advent (Christianity) - December 1 - December 24, 2024
- Bodhi Day (Buddhism) - December 8, 2024
- Gita Jayanti (Hinduism) - December 11, 2024
Winter Break
- Christmas (Christianity) - December 25, 2024
- Hanukkah (Judaism) - December 25, 2024 - January 2, 2025*
- Kwanzaa (African-American) - December 26, 2024 - January 1, 2025
- Makar Sankranti (Hinduism) - January 14, 2025
Spring Semester
- Lunar New Year (Buddhism) - January 29, 2025
- Tu b'Shvat (Judaism) - February 12 - 13, 2025*
- Shivaratri (Hinduism) - February 26, 2025
- Losar (Buddhism) - February 28-March 2, 2025
- Ramadan (Islam) - February 28 - March 30, 2025*
- Ash Wednesday (Christianity) - March 5, 2025
- Palm Sunday (Christianity) - March 13, 2025
- Purim (Judaism) - March 13-14, 2025*
- Holy Week (Christianity) - March 13-19, 2025
- Holi (Hinduism) - March 14, 2025
- Easter (Christianity) - March 20, 2025
- Eid al-Fitr (Islam) - March 29 - 30, 2025*
- Ram Navami (Hinduism) - April 6, 2025
- Mahavir Jayanti (Jain) - April 10, 2025
- Passover (Judaism) - April 12-20, 2025*
- Songkran (Buddhism) - April 13-15, 2025
- Ridván (Baháʼí) - April 20 - May 1, 2025