In ancient Israel, there was no fixed calendar.<\/p>\n
New months were only declared by the rabbinic court after witnesses came to testify that they had seen the new moon.<\/p>\n
In this way, each month essentially reflected a partnership between the Jewish people who declared the moon and God who mandated that certain days be sacred, dedicated to sacrifices and celebration.<\/p>\n
Using astronomical calculations instead of witnesses, a sage by the name of Hillel the Second boldly established the set Jewish calendar in the 4th century, a few centuries after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
This is the calendar still used by Jews across the world until today!<\/p>\n
Check out the clip below for a glimpse at a 900 year-old Jewish calendar and other rare treasures from the National Library of Israel’s world-leading collection, as well as some insights into how the Jewish year was recorded and remembered across the world over the centuries.<\/p>\n