The Jewish calendar, based on the lunar cycle, is used today for Jewish religious observance. It determines the dates for Jewish holidays and the appropriate public reading of Torah portions, yahrzeits (dates to commemorate the death of a relative), and daily Psalm readings, among many other ceremonial uses.
The Jewish or Hebrew calendar does not directly coincide with the solar Gregorian calendar. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year, the first day in the month of Tishrei, typically falling in September or early October. We are currently in the year 5785 “since the creation of the world,” spanning 2024 and 2025.