The Heshvan Calendar: Dates, Prayers, and Practice

Rachel Adlerstone's "The Heshvan Calendar: Dates, Prayers, and Practice" offers a guide for constructing an accurate plan for the Jewish month of Heshvan, which varies in civil dates and even in its Hebrew length each year. Instead of relying on a fixed list, this resource instructs users on how to develop a personalized Heshvan schedule. It details the mechanics of twenty-nine and thirty-day forms, the observance of Rosh Chodesh, and the patterns of weekdays and Shabbat. The book also addresses probable Torah portions, seasonal prayer adjustments, and the transition into Kislev. It provides tables that distinguish between annually changing elements and those that remain constant.

The guide covers significant observances such as the traditional yahrzeit of Rachel our Matriarch on 11 Heshvan, approaching this historical and devotional topic without engaging in archaeological or political discourse. It also acknowledges Sigd on 29 Heshvan as a specific observance of Beta Israel and Ethiopian Jewry, rather than a generalized custom. The chronology of Noah is presented as a narrative from the Torah, distinct from scientific history. Fillable planning pages are included to support educational settings, families, and congregational staff, allowing space for local customs and information. Prayer specifics are presented with caution, advising confirmation through one's siddur and rabbinic authority due to variations in wording and timing across communities.