diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sensor/jewish_calendar.py b/homeassistant/components/sensor/jewish_calendar.py
index e5838fa8543..d78f007f22b 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sensor/jewish_calendar.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sensor/jewish_calendar.py
@@ -116,10 +116,14 @@ class JewishCalSensor(Entity):
                 date.get_reading(self.diaspora), hebrew=self._hebrew)
         elif self.type == 'holiday_name':
             try:
-                self._state = next(
-                    x.description[self._hebrew].long
+                description = next(
+                    x.description[self._hebrew]
                     for x in hdate.htables.HOLIDAYS
                     if x.index == date.get_holyday())
+                if not self._hebrew:
+                    self._state = description
+                else:
+                    self._state = description.long
             except StopIteration:
                 self._state = None
         elif self.type == 'holyness':
diff --git a/tests/components/sensor/test_jewish_calendar.py b/tests/components/sensor/test_jewish_calendar.py
index 990f26d6ea7..e9a28f64cf9 100644
--- a/tests/components/sensor/test_jewish_calendar.py
+++ b/tests/components/sensor/test_jewish_calendar.py
@@ -95,6 +95,18 @@ class TestJewishCalenderSensor(unittest.TestCase):
                 sensor.async_update(), self.hass.loop).result()
             self.assertEqual(sensor.state, "א\' ראש השנה")
 
+    def test_jewish_calendar_sensor_holiday_name_english(self):
+        """Test Jewish calendar sensor date output in hebrew."""
+        test_time = dt(2018, 9, 10)
+        sensor = JewishCalSensor(
+            name='test', language='english', sensor_type='holiday_name',
+            latitude=self.TEST_LATITUDE, longitude=self.TEST_LONGITUDE,
+            diaspora=False)
+        with patch('homeassistant.util.dt.now', return_value=test_time):
+            run_coroutine_threadsafe(
+                sensor.async_update(), self.hass.loop).result()
+            self.assertEqual(sensor.state, "Rosh Hashana I")
+
     def test_jewish_calendar_sensor_holyness(self):
         """Test Jewish calendar sensor date output in hebrew."""
         test_time = dt(2018, 9, 10)