Public holidays in Israel
Note: for exact dates in the Gregorian calendar see Jewish holidays 2000-2050.
Public holidays in Israel refers to national holidays officially recognized by the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Independence Day is observed by all citizens while others are Jewish religious festivals.
The following list includes national holidays, Jewish holidays, fast days and memorial days. Many businesses and government offices allow workers to choose an additional one or two days of leave from the list of non-official holidays. Collective leave is also a common habit in many businesses and government offices during Chol HaMoed. All holidays start at sunset, and workplaces typically close down on the afternoon of the holiday's eve. Some services resume their work the following evening, while most workers continue the holiday until the next morning.
Weekends in Israel are Friday to Saturday. The law designates 36 hours of weekly holiday from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning, but most businesses and offices are closed all day on Fridays.
| Date in Hebrew calendar | English name | Hebrew name | Range of dates in Gregorian calendar | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tishrei 1-2 | New Year | ראש השנה Rosh Hashanah |
between Sept 5 & Oct 5 | Official holiday (2 days) |
| Tishrei 3 | Fast of Gedaliah | צום גדליה Fast of Gedalia |
Business as usual | |
| Tishrei 10 | Day of Atonement | יום כיפור Yom Kippur |
between Sept 14 & Oct 14 | Official holiday, businesses close around noon on the holiday's eve. Absolutely all businesses nationwide are closed. Virtually no traffic on the streets with the exception of emergency vehicles. Non-emergency services that normally operate on holidays, e.g. airports, border crossings, broadcasting stations etc. suspend their work for about 28–30 hours. |
| Tishrei 15 | Feast of Tabernacles | סוכות Sukkot |
between Sept 19 & Oct 19 | Official holiday |
| Tishrei 16-21 | Feast of Tabernacles | חול המועד סוכות Chol HaMoed |
between Sept 19 & Oct 19 | School holiday, collective paid leave in many businesses and government offices |
| Tishrei 22 | Simchat Torah/Shmini Atzeret | שמחת תורה/שמיני עצרת Simchat Torah/Shemini Atzeret |
between Sept 26 & Oct 26 | Official holiday |
| Heshvan 12 | Memorial day for Yitzhak Rabin | יום הזיכרון ליצחק רבין Yom Hazikaron leYitzhak Rabin]] |
National remembrance day, business as usual | |
| Heshvan 29 | Sigd | סיגד Sigd |
Festival of the Ethiopian Jews, optional paid leave, business as usual | |
| Kislev 25-Tevet 2/3 | Hanukkah | חנוכה Hanukkah |
between Nov 27 & Dec 27 | School holiday for the duration of the 8 day festival, business as usual |
| Tevet 10 | Tenth of Tevet | צום עשרה בטבת Tsom Asarah b-Tevet |
Business as usual | |
| Shvat 15 | Tu Bishvat (Arbor Day) | ט"ו בשבט Tu Bishvat |
Business as usual | |
| Adar 13 | Fast of Esther | תענית אסתר Ta`anit Ester |
School holiday, Business as usual | |
| Adar 14 (Adar 15 in some places) | Purim | פורים Purim |
between February 24 & March 26 | School holiday, optional paid leave |
| Nisan 10 | Aliyah Day[1] | יום העליה Yom HaAliyah |
between March & April | School holiday, Business as usual |
| Nisan 15 | Passover | פסח Pesach |
between March 26 & April 25 | Official holiday |
| Nisan 16-20 | Passover (intermediate days) | חול המועד פסח Chol HaMoed Pesach |
between March 26 & April 25 | School holiday, collective paid leave in many businesses and government offices |
| Nisan 21 | Seventh day of Passover | שביעי של פסח Shvi'i shel Pesach |
between April 1 & May 1 | Official holiday |
| Nisan 22 | Mimouna | מימונה Mimouna |
between April 1 & May 1 | Unpaid leave upon request[2] |
| Nisan 27 | Holocaust Remembrance Day | יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה Yom HaZikaron LaShoah VeLaGevurah |
between April 7 & May 7 | National remembrance day, business as usual except places of public entertainment |
| May 9 | Victory Day over Nazi Germany | יום הניצחון על גרמניה הנאצית Victory Day (May 9) | National remembrance day, business as usual | |
| Iyar 4 | Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day | יום הזיכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל ונפגעי פעולות האיבה Yom Hazikaron |
between April 14 & May 14 | National remembrance day, business as usual except places of public entertainment |
| Iyar 5 | Independence Day | יום העצמאות Yom Ha-Atzmaut |
between April 15 & May 15 | Official holiday |
| Iyar 18 | Lag BaOmer | ל"ג בעומר Lag Ba'omer |
School holiday | |
| Iyar 28 | Jerusalem Day | יום ירושלים Yom Yerushalayim |
Optional paid leave | |
| Sivan 6 | Shavuot | שבועות Shavuot |
between May 15 & June 14 | Official holiday |
| Tammuz 17 | Seventeenth of Tammuz, fast | שבעה עשר בתמוז Tsom Shiva` Asar b-Tammuz |
Business as usual | |
| Av 9 | Tisha B'Av, fast | תשעה באב Tisha B'Av |
Optional paid leave, business as usual except places of public entertainment | |
| Av 15 | Tu B'Av (Fifteen of Av, Festival of Love) | ט"ו באב Tu B'Av |
Business as usual | |
See also
References
- ↑ [http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.726833?v=25889A989187F43C1E25FBBF142DC48C Rank and file: Aliyah Day becomes official holiday, Haaretz
- ↑ Jeffay, Nathan (12 April 2012). "Mimouna Revelries Mark End of Passover". The Jewish Daily Forward. Retrieved 22 July 2013.