Sigd 2026: Ethiopian Jews Gather in Jerusalem on November 9
On Monday, November 9, 2026 (29 Cheshvan 5787), thousands of Ethiopian Israelis will gather in Jerusalem to celebrate Sigd, the Beta Israel community's great holiday. Observed fifty days after Yom Kippur, Sigd begins at sundown on Sunday, November 8.
The name comes from the Ge’ez word for “prostration.” For centuries in Ethiopia, communities fasted, dressed in white, and climbed a mountain to pray facing Jerusalem. This ascent recalls the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and the great assembly described in the Book of Nehemiah, when the people renewed their covenant with God. Passed down largely through oral tradition, Sigd kept the memory of Jerusalem alive through generations of hardship and separation.
Nowadays, the main celebration takes place on the Armon Hanatziv (Sherover) Promenade, overlooking the Old City, and at the Western Wall. The Kessim, the community’s spiritual leaders, read from the Orit, the Ethiopian Torah written in Ge’ez. Worshippers recite prayers and requests for forgiveness, then break the fast in the afternoon with a festive meal, music, and dance.
In 2008, the Knesset recognized Sigd as an official state holiday. A tradition once kept by a single community has become part of Israel’s shared cultural heritage.
Sigd traditions bring together several domains of the UNESCO 2003 Convention:
oral traditions and the Ge’ez language
rituals and festive events
the transmission of religious knowledge by the Kessim
Discover more on our pages about Israel’s communities.