Naming the Moons: The Jewish Wheel of the Year

Tishrei (תִּשְׁרִי)

Moon of Gathering (September/October)
It is the month where we gather our families, tribe, ancestors, and final harvest before winter.

Close up of honey comb — Tishrei / תִּשְׁרִי

Photo person in green pants carefully walking on cement spheres — Finding Spiritual Balance in Tishrei

A shofar with two pomegranates on a table. One pomegranate is whole and one is open and pouring out seeds — Shofar: Symbol of Tishrei

Double Blessing Pomegranate Embroidery by Ketzirah HaMa'agelet (c) all rights reserved — Ephraim: Tribe of Tishrei

Achrayut | Responsibility | Soul-trait for Tishrei — Achrayut (אחריות) Responsibility

Cheshvan (חֶשְׁוַן)

Moon of Stillness (October/November)
The month that invites introspection to allow us to see what we may have forgotten along the way.

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash — Cheshvan / חֶשְׁוַן

Photo (c) D Sharon Pruit. Used via Creative Commons Copyright — Cheshvan: Still Waters Run Deep

Digitally altered photo of a pomegranate — 11 Cheshvan: Yarzheit of Rachel Imeinu

Forget me Not – by Dawnzy58, used via Creative Commons Attribution permissions — Menasheh: Tribe of Cheshvan

Red String by xinem used by CC-A permission — Red String: Symbol of Cheshvan

Kavod: Honor - Soul-trait of Cheshvan words over image of autumn trees with bright sunlight — Cheshvan: Kavod (כבוד) Honor

Kislev

Moon of Dreaming (November/December)
As the nights grow longer, we read many Torah portions about dreams and dreaming. In these long nights, take the time to dream and re-ignite your creativity.

Yirah: Awestruck - Soul-trait of Kislev || words over image of aurora borealis - northern lights - reflected on water — Kislev: Yirah (יראה) Awestruck

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash — Kislev | כִּסְלֵו

Small white candles light up a dark cavernous space — Kislev: Rituals and Activities

Close up of a Hanukkiah, all candles recently lit. The candles are made from striped blue and white wax — Hanukkiah: Symbol of Kislev

Double rainbow on the skyline, a few tree tops are at the bottom of the image — Benjamin: Tribe of Kislev

Tevet

Moon of Clarity (December/January)
Tevet is a month to seek clarity on our path; even though the days are still short and the nights are long and dark.

Photo by Benigno Hoyuela on Unsplash — Tevet | טֵבֵת

Roaring bonfire, with fading light on the horizon — Tevet: Rituals and Activities

Icy, wintery landscape, it might be just after dawn or just before dusk as there are pink cloud in the distance — Dan: Tribe of Tevet

Many lit tea lights in spread across a surface in a dark room — Candles: Symbol of Tevet

Tarot Card: Smith Waite Tarot Devil Card — Tevet: Tarot Card: Devil

Shevat

Moon of Centering (January/February)
Shevat is our cosmic opportunity to center ourselves and determine our priorities for the busy growing seasons of late spring, summer, and fall.

Photo of a chickadee on a hand eating bird seed. — Shabbat Shirah

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash — Tu B’Shevat

Wintery Landscape, an aerial view of evergreen trees with mist and snow — Shevat | שְׁבָט

A hand drawn image of Asher written in Hebrew in the center of the branches of a tree — Asher: Tribe of Shevat

7 ornate red and clear glass goblets and one matching decanter with an orange background — Cups: Symbol of Shevat

Adar

Moon of Revealing (February/March)
Be perceptive to the things that may be hidden from plain sight and reveal things in their right time.

Zehirut_ | Illuminated Awareness | Adar — Adar: Zehirut (זהירות) Illuminated Awareness

Orange Moon and clouds in a darkening sky — Naphtali: Tribe of Adar II

Many triangle shaped cookies in a pile. — Adar / אֲדָר‎

a red moon high in the sky, a comet and stars with slightly saturated colors is also in the late night sky — Dinah: Tribe of Adar I

Hamantaschen in various stages of preparation on a baking sheet before going in the oven — Hamantaschen: Symbol of Adar

Many just lit, short, white candles — Adar: Rituals and Activities

Nisan

Moon of Speaking (March/April)
New Year of Kings
In Nisan we are challenged to speak the truth so we may find freedom and take responsibility for our lives.

Simcha | Joy | Nisan | Naarah — Nisan: Simcha (שמחה) Joy

Outdoor place settings, with blue candle sticks, goblets, napkins, greenery and pears — Nisan | נִיסָן

the corner of a brick and ivy covered doorway opening onto a green landscape — Judah: Tribe of Nisan

Close up on the corner of a stack of books of different colors — Haggadah: Symbol of Nisan

Close up of the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck, the cards are spread out across a surface — Nisan: Tarot Card/ Emperor

Counting the Omer

Blue Sky and Barley nearly ready for harvest — Guide to Counting the Omer

Iyyar

Moon of Healing (April/May)
Iyyar is an acronym for “I am YHVH your Healer” (Ex 15:26). It is a month to explore healing practices for ourselves, our communities, and our world.

Patience | Savlanut — Iyyar: Savlanut (סבלנות) Patience

Close up of a Torah scroll rolled up — Issachar: Tribe of Iyyar

close up of sunlit barley field — Barley: Symbol of Iyyar

three small red wax candles in the center right of the frame. They are lit and casting a red toned light. There is a what might be a pumpkin in the background — Iyyar: Rituals and Activities

Sivan

Moon of Receiving (May/June)
Sivan is the month of receiving both communal and personal revelations at Sinai on Shavuot.

Emet | Truth | Sivan — Sivan: Emet (אמת) Truth

A blooming pink cherry blossom tree — Sivan | סִיוָן

a very starry sky, gradients from top to bottom of dark to lighter blue — Zevulon: Tribe of Sivan

a blue sky behind the top of a lush and green tree bearing orange fruits — Sivan: Rituals and Activities

a white tea cup with pink floral design filled with milk that is splashing around on a blue background — Milk: Symbol of Sivan

Tammuz

Moon of Fullness (June/July)
Tammuz is the month of claiming personal sovereignty and risking success, failure, and change.

A close up of a tree trunk with a red ribbon tied around it. Green leaves are growing on the trunk. — Tammuz: Rituals and Activities

Many hanging evil eyes of different sizes and styles — Eyes: Symbol of Tammuz

Tammuz | B’lev Shalem (בלב שלם) Wholehearted

Av

Moon of Endings & Beginnings (July/August)
Av is a month for us to tear down our walls, both physical and emotional, challenge what we believe we need to thrive, and get ready to do the work of beginning again.

a big ripple in blue waters, something orange is just below the surface — Shimon: Tribe of Av

A close up of a single red lit candle — Av: Rituals and Activities

Ometz Lev: Courage — Av | Ometz Lev (אמץ לב) Courage

Elul

Moon of Making Space (August/September)
In Elul … “we become hollow to see what we will create in the space we make. We do tzimtzum, self-contraction, in memory of the first moment of making.”
~Rav Kohenet, Rabbi Jill Hammer via Telshemesh.org

dawn lights up the horizon above trees, the sun is coming up, lighting up a few branches — Gad: Tribe of Elul

Wait Smith Tarot: Hermit Card — Elul: Tarot Card: Hermit

a ram eating from a field dotted with flowers, another ram is in the distance — Cattle: Symbol of Elul

Image of circle of tall trees with the words Hineni (הנני) Presence surrounded by three of the affirmations found in the post copy. — Elul: Hineni (הנני) Presence

Note: Many people use the Native American naming of the moons, without even thinking about it — or naming which tribe’s moons they are using. Working with the Jewish wheel of the year, and inspired by Worts + Cunning and Kohenet Ryn Silverstein, I created my own naming of the moons of the Jewish year.