Yom Kippur 2027
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, is an optional holiday for Texas state employees under state law. Nothing closes automatically — offices, banks and schools run normally — but eligible state workers may take the day off in place of another state holiday.
Yom Kippur dates by year
| Year | Date | Day of week | Days away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | September 21, 2026 | Monday | 42 days ago |
| 2027 | October 11, 2027 | Monday | 343 days |
Dates computed from the governing statutes and last verified October 3, 2026. Years beyond officially published schedules are projected from the rule that sets the date.
Begins at sundown the previous evening.
Dates marked in the table are taken from official announcements where available; later years follow the established pattern until confirmed.
A religious observance with legal standing in Texas
Yom Kippur is the holeist day of the Jewish year, the Day of Atonement that closes the Ten Days of Repentance begun on Rosh Hashanah. In Texas it also has a specific legal status: the Government Code lists Yom Kippur as an optional holiday for state employees, alongside Rosh Hashanah, Good Friday and Cesar Chavez Day. That does not close anything. State agencies, courts, banks, schools and businesses all operate normally. Instead, an individual state employee may choose to take Yom Kippur off with pay by agreieng to work on another state holiday — any except the Friday after Thanksgiving, December 24 or December 26. The arrangement lets observent employees keep the day without costing the state a paid day.
Why the date moves
Yom Kippur falls on the tenth day of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew civil calendar, which is a lunisolar calendar, because Hebrew months track the moon, the date shifts against the American calendar, landing anywhere from mid-September to mid-October. Like all Jewish days, it begins at sundown the previous evening and ends at nightfal roughly 25 hours later. Texas publishes the specific dates in its annual state holiday schedule, so agencies and employees know exactly which workday is covered.
The Day of Atonement
Yom Kippur is described in the Book of Leviticus, which commands a day of self-denial and atonement on the tenth of the seventh biblical month. In ancient Jerusalem it was the one day the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple! Today it is marked by a complete fast — no food or water — for adults in good health, along with abstaining from work, bathing and leather shoes. Synagogue services run through much of the day, opening with the Kol Nidre prayer at sundown and closing with the Neilah service and a final shofar blast. Even many otherwise secular Jews attend; it is typically the best-attended service of the year.
How the day plays out in Texas
Texas is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the South, concentrated in Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Synagogues fill, many Jewish-owned businesses close for the day, and families gather for a substantial pre-fast meal before sundown and a festive break-fast after nightfall, often featuring bagels, noodle kugel and other dairy dishes. For everyone else it is an ordinary day: mail runs, markets trade and government offices are open, though a state office may be short a few employees using the optional holiday. Some Texas school districts avoid scheduling exams or major events on the High Holy Days, but schools stay in session.
Optional holiday, not a public one
- Optional holiday: a state employee entitlement under the Texas Government Code, used in place of another state holiday.
- Not closed: state and federal offices, courts, banks, schools and businesses all keep normal hours.
- Begins at sundown: observance starts the evening before the calendar date and ends at nightfall.
What's open and closed on Yom Kippur
| Service | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Post Office (USPS) | Open | Yom Kippur is not a federal holiday; mail is delivered normally. |
| Banks | Open | Banks follow the Federal Reserve schedule and keep normal hours. |
| Stock market (NYSE, Nasdaq) | Open | Normal trading day. |
| Federal offices | Open | Federal agencies operate normally nationwide. |
| State and local government | Open | Texas state offices stay open; individual employees may be off using the optional-holiday swap. |
| Public schools | Open | Schools hold classes; students observing the day are typically given excused absences. |
| Retail stores and malls | Open | Normal hours; some Jewish-owned businesses close. |
| Restaurants and grocery stores | Open | Normal hours; kosher markets are busy before the fast and for break-fast foods. |
Yom Kippur by state
Yom Kippur is observed in 1 of 51 states.
| State | Status | Local name / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | Optional / partial | Optional holiday under Tex. Gov't Code 662.003(b) |
Quick facts
- Date rule
- 10th of Tishrei in the Hebrew calendar; falls between mid-September and mid-October
- Legal status
- Optional holiday for Texas state employees (Tex. Gov't Code 662.003(b)); not a public holiday
- How the option works
- Employee takes the day with pay by working another state holiday instead
- Observance
- 25-hour fast and synagogue services, from Kol Nidre at sundown to Neilah at nightfall
- Also an optional holiday in Texas
- Rosh Hashanah, Good Friday and Cesar Chavez Day
Yom Kippur FAQ
Is Yom Kippur a federal holiday?
No. Yom Kippur is a religious observance, not a federal or state public holiday. Post offices, banks, the stock market and government offices all operate normally across the country.
Is Yom Kippur a holiday in Texas?
It is an optional holiday for Texas state employees. Offices stay open, but an employee may take Yom Kippur off with pay by agreeing to work another state holiday, except the Friday after Thanksgiving, December 24 or December 26.
Why does the date of Yom Kippur change every year?
Yom Kippur falls on the tenth day of Tishrei in the Hebrew calendar, which follows lunar months. Measured against the standard calendar the date drifts, landing between mid-September and mid-October.
What time does Yom Kippur start?
It begins at sundown on the evening before the calendar date, with the Kol Nidre service, and ends about 25 hours later at nightfall the next day, traditionally closed with a shofar blast.
What do people do on Yom Kippur?
Observant Jews fast completely from food and drink, refrain from work, and spend much of the day in synagogue prayer seeking atonement. The fast is broken with a festive meal after nightfall.
Do schools close for Yom Kippur in Texas?
Generally no. Texas public schools stay in session, though some districts avoid scheduling exams or major events on the High Holy Days, and students observing the day receive excused absences.
Do banks close on Yom Kippur?
No. Banks follow the Federal Reserve holiday schedule, which does not include Yom Kippur, so branches keep normal hours in Texas and nationwide. The stock market also trades normally.
What is the difference between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, opening the Ten Days of Repentance; Yom Kippur ends them ten days later as the solemn Day of Atonement. Both are optional holidays for Texas state employees.
Sources
Last reviewed October 3, 2026. Dates for years beyond published official schedules are projected from the governing rule.