Does sundown mark the start of many Jewish holidays?
The Jewish day is measured from evening to evening. Jewish holidays begin on the evening of the previous day. So, for example, Chanukah is celebrated for 8 days. The first day of Chanukah this year is Monday, December 22nd. However, the holiday begins at sundown on Sunday, December 21st when the first candle is lit on the Chanukah menorah. The 8th candle is lit on the evening of Sunday, December 28th. The holiday ends at sundown on Monday, December 29th. If you are interested in more on this, I refer you to links below. Sources: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=528&letter=E&search=from%20evening%20to%20evening ; http://www.hebcal.com/holidays/ ; http://www.hebcal.com/help/holidays2.
