Related reading: The Month of Elul: Calendar, Selichot, Shofar, Torah Portions, and Meaning and The Month of Cheshvan: Calendar, Dates, Torah Portions, and Meaning.

Iyar is a month of movement. It begins right after Passover, sits entirely within the Counting of the Omer, and carries us from the holiday of freedom toward Shavuot and the giving of the Torah. Someone searching for an Iyar calendar usually wants to know when Rosh Chodesh falls, which special days appear in the month, when Lag BaOmer is, which Torah portions are read, and how to explain the meaning of this in-between month to children.

This page brings together the dates, customs, Torah portions, and educational ideas connected with Iyar. It is designed for reading, printing, lesson preparation, Shabbat-table learning, and opening a Month of Iyar quiz for a family or classroom.

In Short: What Happens in Iyar?

Iyar is the second month in the biblical counting of the months, following Nisan, and it usually falls in April-May on the Gregorian calendar. Iyar has 29 days. Rosh Chodesh Iyar usually lasts two days, beginning on the 30th of Nisan and continuing on the 1st of Iyar.

The main themes of the month are:

Iyar Calendar: Key Dates

An Iyar calendar should show the Hebrew and Gregorian date for each day, the Omer count, the weekly Torah portion, and the month’s main milestones. Gregorian dates change from year to year, so a live site should load them from a reliable, regularly updated calendar source.

Hebrew DateMilestoneWhat to Know
30 Nisan-1 IyarRosh Chodesh IyarThe month begins; the Omer continues from Passover toward Shavuot
4-5 IyarMemorial and Independence Days in IsraelObserved dates may shift according to the Israeli calendar rules that avoid Shabbat desecration
14 IyarPesach SheniA day that teaches that someone who missed the first opportunity can still return and reconnect
18 IyarLag BaOmerThe 33rd day of the Omer; a day of joy, bonfire customs, learning, and the story of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
28 IyarYom YerushalayimA day of gratitude and remembrance connected to Jerusalem and the Western Wall
Entire monthCounting of the OmerA daily process of counting, preparation, and inner work between Passover and Shavuot
Shabbatot of the monthIyar Torah portionsVary by year, often including Achrei Mot-Kedoshim, Emor, Behar-Bechukotai, and Bamidbar

For example, in Hebrew year 5786, Rosh Chodesh Iyar falls on Friday-Shabbat, April 17-18, 2026. In that year Pesach Sheni falls on Friday, May 1, 2026; Lag BaOmer begins on Monday evening, May 4, and continues on Tuesday, May 5; and Yom Yerushalayim falls on Friday, May 15, 2026. In other years, dates should be checked against the selected year.

The Meaning of Iyar

Iyar stands between two great peaks in the Jewish calendar: Passover on one side and Shavuot on the other. On Passover we tell the story of leaving Egypt; on Shavuot we stand before the giving of the Torah. Iyar is the month in the middle: not the moment of liberation itself, and not the moment of receiving Torah, but the road between them.

That is precisely its educational meaning. Iyar teaches that children, families, and communities are not built only in dramatic moments. They are built day by day, through counting, habit, small questions, steady practice, and the ability to begin again. That makes Iyar especially suited for conversations about responsibility, repair, patience, hope, and growth.

The month can be presented around four axes:

Counting the Omer: The Heart of Iyar

The entire month of Iyar falls within the Counting of the Omer. The counting begins after Passover and continues until Shavuot, turning the time between the Exodus and the giving of the Torah into a daily journey. Educationally, this is one of the Jewish calendar’s strongest ideas: we do not leap from freedom to Torah; we walk there one day at a time.

To make the Omer count feel alive, add a short daily question:

On a monthly page, it is useful to include a "Today in Iyar" component: Hebrew date, Gregorian date, Omer count, upcoming Torah portion, and a short quiz question.

Pesach Sheni: A Lesson in Second Chances

Pesach Sheni falls on 14 Iyar. In its original context, it was given to those who could not bring the Passover offering at its proper time and asked for another opportunity. For an educational page, this is one of the month’s most beautiful messages: a person does not simply give up, but asks, seeks a way back, and receives a path to repair.

For children, Pesach Sheni can be explained simply: sometimes we miss something. Sometimes we are not ready in time. The question is what we do next. Do we give up, or do we ask for a way to reconnect?

Family conversation ideas:

Lag BaOmer: Light Within the Omer

Lag BaOmer falls on 18 Iyar, the 33rd day of the Omer. In Jewish tradition it is treated as a day of joy within a period observed by many communities with customs of restraint or mourning. The day is also associated with Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the study of the inner dimensions of Torah, bonfires, singing, and communal gatherings.

On an Iyar page, Lag BaOmer should be presented as both experiential and educational. Children may know bonfires and bows and arrows, but behind the customs are deeper questions: What is light? How do we learn Torah with joy? How can a community celebrate while remembering safety, responsibility, and care for the environment?

Quiz questions:

  1. On which Hebrew date does Lag BaOmer fall?
  2. Which number day of the Omer is Lag BaOmer?
  3. Which sage is connected with this day in Jewish tradition?
  4. Which common custom is connected with bonfires?
  5. How can Lag BaOmer be celebrated safely and responsibly?

Yom Yerushalayim in Iyar

Yom Yerushalayim falls on 28 Iyar. It connects the Jewish calendar to Jerusalem, the Western Wall, and the national memory of recent generations. For a site focused on Tanakh, education, and Jerusalem, this is a natural moment to connect verse, place, and story.

A simple activity: choose one verse about Jerusalem, read it together, and ask what Jerusalem symbolizes for each family member or student. In this way, Yom Yerushalayim becomes more than a date on the calendar; it becomes a conversation about belonging, prayer, longing, and responsibility.

Torah Portions in Iyar

The Torah portions read during Iyar vary by year and by the difference between Israel and the Diaspora. Iyar usually falls around the portions in Leviticus and the beginning of Numbers: Tazria-Metzora, Achrei Mot-Kedoshim, Emor, Behar-Bechukotai, and Bamidbar. In some years the schedule changes, and differences between Israel and Diaspora communities may appear.

In 5786, for example, the Shabbatot of Iyar include Tazria-Metzora on 1 Iyar, Achrei Mot-Kedoshim on 8 Iyar, Emor on 15 Iyar, Behar-Bechukotai on 22 Iyar, and Bamidbar on 29 Iyar.

Good learning and quiz themes:

Customs and Family Learning Topics

Iyar is especially suited to short, ongoing learning because almost every day can receive a small marker:

Simple family task: at the beginning of Iyar, choose one word to accompany the month, such as "repair," "light," "journey," or "Jerusalem." Each Shabbat, ask: Where did we see this word during the week?

Questions for Children and an Iyar Quiz

A short quiz can work well for a family, classroom, or Shabbat table:

  1. Which month comes before Iyar?
  2. Which holiday comes after the Omer count?
  3. How many days are in Iyar?
  4. What is special about the fact that all of Iyar is within the Counting of the Omer?
  5. On which Hebrew date does Pesach Sheni fall?
  6. What is the educational message of Pesach Sheni?
  7. On which date does Lag BaOmer fall?
  8. Why is Lag BaOmer called by that name?
  9. Which day is marked on 28 Iyar?
  10. Which Torah portion discusses shemitah and yovel?

Call to action: Start the Month of Iyar quiz and choose a track by age: children, teens, family, or classroom.

Recommended Page Experience

To make the page truly useful rather than only informational, build it as a monthly tool:

FAQ

When does the month of Iyar fall?

Iyar usually falls in April-May on the Gregorian calendar. The exact dates change each year, so the calendar should be checked for the selected year.

How many days are in Iyar?

Iyar has 29 days.

Why does Rosh Chodesh Iyar last two days?

When the previous month, Nisan, has 30 days, the 30th of Nisan joins the 1st of Iyar as Rosh Chodesh. That is why Rosh Chodesh Iyar usually lasts two days.

What is special about Iyar?

Iyar falls entirely within the Counting of the Omer, between Passover and Shavuot. It includes Pesach Sheni, Lag BaOmer, and Yom Yerushalayim, making it a month of journey, repair, light, and connection to Jerusalem.

When is Lag BaOmer?

Lag BaOmer falls on 18 Iyar, the 33rd day of the Omer.

What is Pesach Sheni?

Pesach Sheni falls on 14 Iyar. In Jewish tradition, it expresses an additional opportunity for those who could not participate in the Passover offering at its proper time, making it a powerful educational theme of second chances.

Which Torah portions are read in Iyar?

The Torah portions vary by year. Iyar often includes portions from Leviticus and the beginning of Numbers, such as Achrei Mot-Kedoshim, Emor, Behar-Bechukotai, and Bamidbar.

How can Iyar connect to a Bible Quiz?

Questions can focus on the Omer, Pesach Sheni, Lag BaOmer, the weekly Torah portions, Jerusalem, holiness, shemitah and yovel, and the journey from Passover to Shavuot.

Month of Iyar Quiz Idea

Quiz name: "Iyar: Counting, Lighting, and Reaching Jerusalem"

Suggested structure: 15 questions in three stages - the Omer and Pesach Sheni, Lag BaOmer and the light of Torah, and Yom Yerushalayim with the weekly Torah portions. At the end, users receive a family task: choose one day in Iyar, learn two facts about it, and turn them into a question for the next quiz.

Recommended Schema Markup

Add Article, BreadcrumbList, and FAQ Page schema. If a print or PDF feature is implemented, add a short HowTo schema: choose a year, open the month of Iyar, display the Omer days, mark the key dates, and print the calendar.