Public holidays in Israel

For exact dates in the Gregorian calendar see Jewish and Israeli holidays 2000–2050.

Public holidays in Israel are national holidays officially recognized by the Knesset, Israel's parliament. The State of Israel has adopted most traditional religious Jewish holidays as part of its national calendar, while also having established new modern holiday observances since its founding in 1948. Additionally, Christians,[1] Muslims,[2] and Druze[3] have the right to Holiday leave on the holidays of their own religions. Of the religious and modern holidays below, some are bank holidays / national holidays requiring all schools, government institutions, financial sector, and most retailers in Jewish Israeli society to be closed, while other holidays are marked as days of note or memorial remembrances with no breaks in public or private sector activities.

As is the case with all religious Jewish holidays, most public holidays in Israel generally begin and end at sundown, and follow the Hebrew calendar. Because of this, most holidays in Israel fall on a different Gregorian calendar date each year, which syncs every 19 years with the Hebrew calendar.

Shabbat, the weekly Sabbath day of rest, in Israel begins every Friday evening just before sundown, ending Saturday evening just after sundown. Most of the Israeli workforce, including schools, banks, public transportation, government offices, and retailers within Jewish Israeli society are shut down during these approximately 25 hours, with some non-Jewish retailers and most non-kosher restaurants still open.

Table

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Jewish, Christian, Druze, and Secular holidays

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Jewish holidays are defined by the Hebrew calendar. Christian holidays are defined by the Gregorian calendar for Catholics and the Julian calendar for Orthodox. Druze holidays are also defined by the Gregorian calendar, with the sole exception of Eid al-Adha which is also celebrated by Muslims (and therefore defined by the Lunar Hijri calendar). Secular observances which are common to all religions are defined by the Hebrew calendar if they are of a uniquely national nature (such as Yom Ha-Atzmaut), and by the Gregorian calendar if they are of a global or international nature (such as Victory in Europe Day).

Because the Hebrew calendar no longer relies on observation but is now governed by precise mathematical rules, it is possible to provide the Gregorian calendar date on which a Hebrew calendar date will fall, and vice-versa.

Date/Range of dates in the Hebrew calendar Date/Range of dates in Gregorian calendar English name Hebrew name Status
Every Friday evening before sundown to Saturday evening after sundown Sabbath שבת
Shabbat
Official holiday with all schools, government institutions, public transportation and most retailers shut down
Tishrei 1-2 between Sep 5 & Oct 5 New Year ראש השנה
Rosh Hashanah
Official holiday (2 days)
Tishrei 3 Fast of Gedaliah צום גדליה
Fast of Gedalia
Business as usual
Tishrei 10 between Sep 14 & Oct 14 Day of Atonement יום כיפור
Yom Kippur
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. Exceptions in Arab areas. 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 between Sep 19 & Oct 19 Feast of Tabernacles סוכות
Sukkot
Official holiday
Tishrei 16-21 between Sep 20 & Oct 25 Feast of Tabernacles חול המועד סוכות
Chol HaMoed
School holiday, collective paid leave in many businesses and government offices
Tishrei 22 between Sep 26 & Oct 26 Simchat Torah/Shmini Atzeret שמחת תורה/שמיני עצרת
Simchat Torah/Shemini Atzeret
Official holiday
Tishrei 24 October Iron Sword War Memorial Day יום הזיכרון לחללי מלחמת חרבות ברזל Memorial day
Heshvan 12 Rabin Day יום רבין
Rabin Day
National remembrance day, business as usual
Heshvan 29 Sigd סיגד
Sigd
Festival of the Ethiopian Jews, optional paid leave, business as usual
Kislev 6 Ben-Gurion Day יום בן-גוריון
Ben-Gurion Day
Day marked by the Knesset
Kislev 25-Tevet 2/3 between Nov 27 & Dec 27 Hanukkah חנוכה
Hanukkah
School holiday for the duration of the 8 day festival, business as usual
Dec 25-26 (for Catholics)
Jan 7-8 (for Orthodox)
Christmas חג המולד
Chag Hamolad
Recognized Christian holiday (2 days)
Tevet 10 Tenth of Tevet צום עשרה בטבת
Tsom Asarah b-Tevet
Business as usual
Jan 1 Civic New Year's Day ראש השנה האזרחית
Rosh Hashana HaEzrachit
Optional paid leave
Jan 1 (Catholic)
Jan 14 (Orthodox)
Christian New Year's Day ראש השנה הנוצרית
Rosh Hashana HaNotzrit
Recognized Christian holiday
Jan 6 (Catholic)
Jan 19 (Orthodox)
Epiphany חג ההתגלות
Chag HaHitgalut
Recognized Christian holiday
Jan 25 Ziyarat al-Nabi Al-Khadir חג הנביא אל-ח'דר
Chag HaNavi Al-Khadir
Recognized Druze Holiday
Shvat 15 Tu Bishvat (Arborial New Year) ט"ו בשבט
Tu Bishvat
Business as usual
Adar 13 (in Adar II on leap years) Fast of Esther תענית אסתר
Ta`anit Ester
School holiday, business as usual
Adar 14 (in Adar II on leap years) between Feb 24 & Mar 25 Purim פורים
Purim
School holiday, optional paid leave; not observed in localities where Shusan Purim is observed
Adar 15 (in Adar II on leap years) between Feb 25 & Mar 26 Purim שושן פורים
Shushan Purim
School holiday, optional paid leave; observed only in certain cities that were walled in ancient times, such as Jerusalem, Tzfat, Tiberias, Hebron, & Shiloh
Nisan 10 between Mar & Apr Aliyah Day[4] יום העלייה
Yom HaAliyah
Official holiday, business as usual
Mar 8 International Women's Day יום האישה הבין־לאומי
Yom HaIsha HaBeinleumi
Optional paid leave
Between Mar 20 & Apr 23 (Catholic)
Between Apr 2 & May 6 (Orthodox)
Friday before Easter (Good Friday) יום ששי לפני פסחא
Yom Shishi Lifnei Pascha
Recognized Christian holiday
Between Mar 23 & Apr 26 (Catholic)
Between Apr 5 & May 9 (Orthodox)
Easter Monday יום שני לפסחא
Yom Sheni LaPascha
Recognized Christian holiday
Nisan 15 between Mar 26 & Apr 25 Passover פסח
Pesach
Official holiday
Nisan 16-20 between Mar 27 & Apr 30 Passover (intermediate days) חול המועד פסח
Chol HaMoed Pesach
School holiday, collective paid leave in many businesses and government offices
Nisan 21 between Apr 1 & May 1 Seventh day of Passover שביעי של פסח
Shvi'i shel Pesach
Official holiday
Nisan 22 between Apr 2 & May 2 Mimouna מימונה
Mimouna
Unpaid leave upon request[5]
Nisan 27 between Apr 7 & May 7 Holocaust Remembrance Day יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה
Yom HaZikaron LaShoah VeLaGevurah
National remembrance day, business as usual except places of public entertainment
Iyar 4 between Apr 14 & May 14 Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day יום הזיכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל ונפגעי פעולות האיבה
Yom HaZikaron LeChalalei Ma'arachot Israel VeNifga'ei Peulot HaEyva
National remembrance day, business as usual except places of public entertainment
Iyar 5 between Apr 15 & May 15 Independence Day יום העצמאות
Yom Ha-Atzmaut
Official Holiday
Iyar 10 Herzl Day יום הרצל
Yom Herzl
Day marked by the Knesset
Apr 25-28 Ziyara חג הנביא שועייב
Chag HaNavi Shu'ayb
Recognized Druze Holiday (3 days)
May 1 May 1 אחד במאי
Echad BeMay
Optional paid leave
Iyar 18 Lag BaOmer ל"ג בעומר
Lag Ba'omer
School holiday
Iyar 28 Jerusalem Day יום ירושלים
Yom Yerushalayim
Optional paid leave
Between Apr 30 & Jun 3 (Catholic)
Between May 13 & Jun 16 (Orthodox)
Ascension of Jesus עליית ישו השמיימה
Aliyat Yeshu Hashamaima
Recognized Christian holiday
May 9 Victory Day over Nazi Germany (Victory in Europe Day) יום הניצחון על גרמניה הנאצית
Yom HaNitzachon al Germania HaNatzit
National remembrance day, business as usual
Between May 11 & Jun 14 (Catholic)
Between May 24 & Jun 27 (Orthodox)
Pentecost Monday יום שני לשבועות
Yom Sheni LeShavuot
Recognized Christian holiday
Sivan 6 between May 15 & Jun 14 Shavuot שבועות
Shavuot
Official holiday
Tammuz 17 Seventeenth of Tammuz, fast שבעה עשר בתמוז
Tsom Shiva` Asar b-Tammuz
Business as usual
Tammuz 20 Herzl's Death Day יום פטירת הרצל
Yom Ptirat Herzl
Optional paid leave
Tammuz 29 Jabotinsky Day יום ז'בוטינסקי
Yom Jabotinsky
Day marked by the Knesset
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 (Fifteenth of Av) ט"ו באב
Tu B'Av
Business as usual

Islamic holidays

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Date/Range of dates in Lunar Hijri calendar English name Hebrew name Arabic name Status
Muharram 1 Islamic New Year ראש השנה המוסלמית
Rosh HaShanah HaMuslemit
رأس السنة الهجرية Recognized Islamic holiday
Rabi' al-awwal 12 Mawlid חג הולדת הנביא מוחמד
Chag Huledet HaNavi Muhammad
مولد النبي Recognized Islamic holiday
Shawwal 1-3 Eid al-Fitr עיד אל פיטר (חג סיום צום הרמדאן)
Eid al-Fitr (Chag Siyum Tzom HaRamadan)
عيد الفطر Recognized Islamic holiday (3 days)
Dhu al-Hijjah 10-13 Eid al-Adha עיד אל אדחא (חג הקורבן)
Eid al-Adha (Chag HaKorban)
عيد الأضحى Recognized Islamic and Druze holiday (4 days)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "חגים נוצריים". כל-זכות (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  2. ^ "חגים מוסלמיים". כל-זכות (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  3. ^ "חגים דרוזיים". כל-זכות (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  4. ^ Klein, Steven (2016-06-24). "Rank and File: Aliyah Day becomes official holiday". Haaretz. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  5. ^ Jeffay, Nathan (12 April 2012). "Mimouna Revelries Mark End of Passover". The Jewish Daily Forward. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
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