The Jewish calendar is a built-in content and campaign calendar for organizations and businesses serving the frum community. Each Yom Tov brings natural opportunities for connection, fundraising, and community engagement. But most organizations either miss these windows entirely or send generic holiday greetings that get ignored. Here is a complete strategic guide to the Jewish holiday email calendar.
The Fundamental Principle: Lead, Don’t React
The organizations that win the holiday email game start planning 6-8 weeks before each Yom Tov. By the time a Yom Tov arrives, your campaign should be in mid-execution — not just launching. Every major Jewish organization is competing for inbox attention during the same holiday windows. The organizations that plan ahead send better content, face less competition, and achieve dramatically better results.
Elul / Yamim Noraim (August–October)
The most important fundraising and engagement season of the year. See our complete Rosh Hashana campaign guide for full detail, but in brief:
- Rosh Chodesh Elul: Campaign announcement, goals preview, “save the date”
- Erev Rosh Hashana: Main appeal, schedule, Rav’s message
- Aseres Yemei Teshuva: Midpoint update, matching campaign push
- Erev Yom Kippur: Final appeal, Kol Nidre information
- Post-Yom Kippur: Thank-you email, results, Sukkos transition
Sukkos (October)
Often underutilized, Sukkos has strong potential for community programming emails.
- Pre-Sukkos: Community Sukkah building event invitation, lulav and esrog resources
- Chol Hamoed: Programming announcements, event reminders, family activities
- Hoshana Rabbah/Shemini Atzeres/Simchas Torah: Schedule and celebration reminders
Content angle for businesses: Sukkah-related products, Arba Minim guides, Yom Tov hospitality for hospitality businesses serving the frum community.
Chanukah (November–December)
Chanukah is the most commercially active period for businesses serving the frum community and a key engagement season for organizations.
For Organizations:
- Chanukah campaign: smaller than Yamim Noraim, but effective for year-end giving
- Chanukah party/event invitations
- Chanukah-themed newsletter content (dreidel story, history, Halacha Q&A)
For Businesses:
- Gift guide emails (3-4 weeks before Chanukah)
- Product spotlight series — one per night, or one weekly leading up to Chanukah
- Last-minute gift email (2-3 days before first night)
- “Night 5 sale” type promotions for mid-Chanukah
Timing tip: Start your Chanukah email sequence 3 weeks before the first night. The week before Chanukah, frum families are shopping heavily — that’s when promotional emails perform best.
Asara B’Teves / Taanis Esther (December–March)
These fast days receive less commercial attention but offer content opportunities:
- Educational content about the significance of the fast
- Tzedaka campaign emails tied to the theme of mourning/reflection
- For Taanis Esther specifically: a natural Purim campaign teaser
Purim (February–March)
Purim is the most fun email season — and it’s extremely high-value for engagement and fundraising. The entire month of Adar is appropriate for Purim-themed content.
Campaign Timeline:
- Rosh Chodesh Adar: “Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’Simcha” — launch a joyful campaign, announce Purim events
- Two weeks before Purim: Mishloach Manos ordering reminders, costume announcements, Megillah reading schedule
- One week before Purim: Matanos L’Evyonim donation push — very effective, tied directly to the mitzvah
- Erev Purim: Final schedule, Megillah times, Purim shpiel announcement
- Purim day: A fun, lighter email works here — if your audience reads email on Purim
- After Purim: Shushan Purim content, photos from events, transition to Pesach preview
Matanos L’Evyonim Campaign:
This is the Purim fundraising opportunity most organizations miss. A specific appeal for Matanos L’Evyonim — tzedaka distributed on Purim day — tied directly to the mitzvah is compelling for frum donors in a way that generic appeals are not. Launch it the week before Purim.
Pesach (March–April)
The second-largest campaign season after Yamim Noraim for most organizations. Also the single busiest product season for kosher food businesses, cleaning services, and Pesach program operators.
For Organizations — Maos Chitim (Kimcha d’Pischa):
- Launch your Maos Chitim campaign 4 weeks before Pesach
- Frame it around the specific mitzvah — ensuring every family has what they need for the Seder
- Use specific, tangible impact numbers: “Your donation of $180 provides a family with their Seder needs”
- Final push: Erev Pesach morning (the last opportunity before Yom Tov)
For Businesses:
- 6 weeks before: Pesach cleaning products, early Pesach preparation content
- 4 weeks before: Pesach food ordering, kashering guides
- 2 weeks before: Bedikas chametz supplies, Pesach program availability
- 1 week before: Last-chance Pesach orders
- Post-Pesach: Chametz sale resumption, post-Pesach sale email
Shavuos (May–June)
Often overlooked for campaigns, Shavuos has unique opportunities:
- All-night learning shiur announcements
- Cheesecake and dairy product promotions (for food businesses)
- Tikkun Leil Shavuos schedule and learning program announcements
- For mosdos: end-of-year campaign or graduation announcement
Summer / Bein Hazmanim (July–August)
Summer is actually an underutilized email window. Competition is lower, open rates often improve, and there are clear content opportunities:
- Camp season — registration, communications, updates
- Tisha B’Av educational content and programming
- Back-to-yeshiva / back-to-school preparation content
- Elul preview — “Get ready for the new year” content starting mid-August
Building Your Annual Email Calendar
Download this framework and adapt it to your organization or business:
- Mark every Yom Tov on a calendar for the next 12 months
- Work backward 6 weeks from each major Yom Tov — that’s your campaign launch date
- Assign a primary goal to each campaign (fundraising, event promotion, education)
- Block content creation time 8 weeks before each major campaign
- Build your email templates in advance using KosherEmail’s holiday template library
Ready to build your annual Jewish holiday email program? KosherEmail’s team can help you design your campaign calendar and execute each campaign.