The Hebrew calendar is based on the moon's 29.5 day cycle and the sun's 365.25 day cycle. Since the new, crescent moon is best observed in the evening, the Hebrew day begins at sunset. The first New Moon after the Spring equinox begins the Hebrew year. 12 lunar months have 354 days; therefore approximately every three years, an additional and very special month is needed to keep the lunar and solar years in sync. The 13 months are simply named the 'first month', 'second month', ... up to the 'thirteenth month'. But they can also be named after the tribes of Israel, in the order described by the Prophet Moses:
see Numbers 2
1-Yehuda, 2-Yesaskhar, 3-Zevulun, 4-Reuven, 5-Shimaon, 6-Gad, 7-Efryim 8-Manashah, 9-Benyamin, 10-Dan, 11-Ashair, 12-Naftali, 13-Levi The Bible encourages us to celebrate the New Moons and the New Year with bonfires, music and dance.
see Numbers 10 & 28 The counting of 'Hebrew' years was directly connected to agriculture in the land of Israel. It began when the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River after being slaves in Egypt and wandering for 40 years in the desert of Sinai.
Likewise a new era in spiritual, political and agricultural history began with the re-cultivation of the land in the modern State of Israel. The New Moon in the spring of 1948 began the 1st year in the State of Israel. Therefore the New Moon in the spring of 1997 until the New Moon in the spring of 1998 was the 50th year in the State of Israel, the Jubilee .
The Jubilee is about restoration and freedom; and it has the power to restore harmony. If we observe the Commandments and keep natural time, "the land will yield much fruit, and we shall eat our fill. Then we can live in security."
see Leviticus 25
