Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which month is added during a Jewish leap year?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Jewish religious year
The months and holidays of the Jewish religious year.
In a Jewish leap year, an additional 30-day month called First Adar (or Adar Rishon) is added to the calendar.12
This intercalary month is inserted to ensure that the lunar-based calendar remains synchronized with the solar year, thereby keeping major festivals in their proper seasons. First Adar always precedes the month of Adar, which is referred to as Second Adar (or Adar Sheni) during a leap year. This adjustment occurs seven times during every 19-year Metonic cycle.12