2007-2008
Below is a list of the major Jewish, Islamic, Christian, Hindu, and Orthodox Christian holidays for the 2007-2008 academic year. The dates have been determined by checking the sources listed below. In the cases where variant dates were listed in these sources, we have listed the most frequently listed date.
2007-2008 Major Religious Holidays
(July 2007 - June 2008)
First Semester
| Janmashtami | Hindu | Aug. 26 | Tuesday |
| Rosh Hashanah [New Year] |
Jewish |
Sept. 12–14* |
Wed.–Fri. |
|
Autumn Equinox (EST) |
Sept. 23 |
Sunday |
|
|
Beginning of Ramadan |
Islamic |
Sept. 12–13*# |
Wed.-Thurs. |
|
Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement] |
Jewish |
Sept. 21–22* |
Fri.–Sat. |
|
Sukkot [Feast of Tabernacles] |
Jewish |
Sept. 26– Oct. 4* |
Wed.–Thurs. |
| Navaratri/Dassera | Hindu | Oct 3-12 | Wed.-Fri. |
|
Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah |
Jewish |
Oct. 4–5* |
Thurs.–Fri. |
|
Bahá'i |
Oct. 19–20* |
Fri.-Sat. |
|
|
Eid al-Fitr (Eid-ul-Fitr), (first day of Shawwal) |
Islamic |
Oct. 12–14*# |
Fri.–Sun. |
| Diwali | Hindu | Nov. 1 | Thursday |
|
Bahá'i |
Nov. 11–12* |
Sun.-Mon. |
|
|
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) |
Buddhist |
Dec. 8 |
Saturday |
|
Hanukkah (Chanukah) [8-day Feast] |
Jewish |
Dec. 4–12* |
Tue.–Wed. |
|
Eid al-Adha |
Islamic |
Dec. 19–20* |
Wed.–Thurs. |
|
Winter Solstice (EST) |
Dec. 22 |
Saturday |
|
|
Christmas |
Western Christian |
Dec. 25 |
Tuesday |
|
Kwanzaa |
Interfaith / African-American |
Dec. 26–Jan. 1 |
Wed.–Thurs. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.
2nd Semester
|
Gantan-sai (New Years) |
Shinto |
Jan. 1 |
Tuesday |
|
Al-Hijra (Muharram) [New Year] |
Islamic |
Jan. 9–10* |
Wed.–Thurs. |
|
Ashura (10th day of Muharram) |
Islamic |
Jan. 17–18* |
Thurs.–Fri. |
|
Asian Lunar New Year [Year of the Rat] |
Chinese |
Feb. 7 |
Thursday |
| Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | Feb 26 | Tuesday |
| Holi | Hindu | Mar. 13-14 | Thurs.-Fri. |
|
Palm Sunday |
Western Christian & Eastern Orthodox |
Mar. 16 |
Sunday |
|
Purim |
Jewish |
Mar. 20–21* |
Thurs.–Fri. |
|
Vernal Equinox (EST) |
Mar. 20 |
Thursday |
|
|
Naw-Ruz / Iranian New Year |
Bahá'i |
Mar. 20–21* |
Thurs.-Fri. |
|
Mawlid-al-Nabi [Muhammed's birthday] |
Islamic |
Mar. 20-21* |
Sun.-Mon. |
|
Good Friday / Holy Friday |
Western Christian & Eastern Orthodox |
Mar. 21 |
Friday |
|
Easter |
Western Christian |
Mar. 23 |
Sunday |
| Ramanavami | Hindu | Apr. 6 | Sunday |
| Varsakhi | Hindu | Apr. 14 | Monday |
|
Passover(Pesach), 1st two days |
Jewish |
Apr. 19–21* |
Sun.–Tue. |
|
Passover(Pesach), concluding days |
Jewish |
Apr. 27–29* |
Sun.–Tue. |
|
Ridvan Festival, 1st of 12 days |
Baha'i |
Apr. 20–21* |
Sun.–Mon. |
|
9thDay of Ridvan |
Bahá'i |
Apr. 28–29* |
Mon.–Tue. |
|
12th Day of Ridvan |
Bahá'i |
May 1–2* |
Thurs.–Fri. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.
2008
Summer Sessions
|
Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) |
Jewish |
June 8-10* |
Sun.-Tue. |
|
Declaration of the Báb |
Bahá'i |
May 22–23* |
Thurs.–Fri. |
|
Ascension of Baha'u'llah |
Bahá'i |
May 28–29* |
Wed.–Thurs. |
|
Summer Solstice (EST) |
June 21 |
Saturday |
|
|
Martyrdom of the Báb |
Bahá'i |
July 8–9* |
Tue.–Wed. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.