Key Dates in the Month of Kislev

Rachel Adlerstone's "Key Dates in the Month of Kislev" provides a chronological guide to the observances, historical events, and communal traditions associated with the Hebrew month of Kislev. This companion explores how various dates are commemorated, identifying their origins in ancient texts, later communal memory, or specific movements. The author's approach distinguishes between universally recognized events and those significant within particular Jewish communities or family histories. The book clarifies the complexities of Hebrew date conversion, the variable duration of Kislev, and the annual shifts in civil calendar equivalents.

Readers will find detailed discussions on significant dates, including an extensive section on Hanukkah that differentiates between Maccabean historical accounts of revolt and Temple rededication, the oil tradition in the Babylonian Talmud, and the liturgical text of Al HaNissim. The fast and remembrance traditions of the ninth and tenth of Kislev are examined with appropriate historical context. The nineteenth of Kislev is presented as a major date within Chabad Hasidism, linked to the release of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, without being characterized as a universal Jewish festival. The book also addresses personal yahrzeits, local commemorations, and provides guidance on verifying calendar claims. Each entry specifies the source type, community scope, and suggestions for further research, with an appendix for verifying sundown boundaries and local observance.