Sigd is a Beta Israel religious holiday observed on 29 Cheshvan, marked by fasting, prayer, and renewal of the community’s covenant with God. In Ethiopia, the community gathered for prayer, often on a mountain; in Israel, the day includes communal ceremonies in Jerusalem. The Knesset gave the holiday legal recognition in 2008.
Fasting, prayer, and renewal
Sigd’s prayers express devotion to the Torah and a longing for Jerusalem. The holiday draws on the biblical account in Nehemiah of public Torah reading and communal worship. Kesim lead prayers and readings, carrying the Orit, the Beta Israel scriptural tradition, in procession. The Knesset’s explanation of Sigd describes the fast, prayers, and contemporary observance.
The date is 29 Cheshvan. It is associated with a period of repentance after Yom Kippur; calendar phrasing should not imply a fixed number of elapsed days in every Hebrew year. The holiday’s name refers to prostration or worship. It has served as a yearly gathering and renewal of communal ties as well as a religious observance.
Sigd in Israel
After the migration of most Beta Israel to Israel, the holiday’s public setting changed. Ethiopian Israelis gather in Jerusalem, including at the Armon Hanatziv promenade and the Western Wall area, while kesim lead prayers and readings. Many participants continue the fast until afternoon. Israel’s report to the United Nations describes the Knesset’s 2008 Sigd National Holiday Law and the Jerusalem ceremony.
The law recognizes Sigd as a state holiday and directs educational institutions to mark it; it does not create a general nationwide day off. The holiday remains grounded in Beta Israel practice and is now also a public opportunity for Israelis to learn about Ethiopian Jewish history. The Ministry of Education’s Sigd guide explains the covenant theme and school observance. Related pages describe Beta Israel religious life and the community in Israel today.