
Public holidays in Israel
The population of Israel is predominantly Jewish and one of the two national languages is Hebrew. Even though Judaism does not have the status of an official state religion, the vast majority of holidays are Jewish. Holidays of other religions are hardly found in the calendar and all occasions are based on the Hebrew calendar system. This is based on lunar cycles and therefore differs significantly from the Gregorian calendar. Thus, the dates of Jewish holidays also vary each year compared to the standard international calendar.
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List of holidays in Israel
Non-statutory holidays are written in gray.Holiday | Local name | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New year festival of trees and bushes | Tu biSchevat | Feb. 6th | Jan. 25th | Feb. 13th | Feb. 2nd | Jan. 23rd |
Fast of Esther | Ta'anit Esther | March 6th | Feb. 22nd | March 13th | March 2nd | Feb. 20th |
Salvation from Persia | Purim | March 7th | Feb. 23rd | March 14th | March 3rd | Feb. 21st |
Exodus from Egypt | Pessach | April 6th | April 23rd | April 13th | April 2nd | April 22nd |
Exodus from Egypt (day 2) | Pessach (2) | April 7th | April 24th | April 14th | April 3rd | April 23rd |
Exodus from Egypt (day 3) | Pessach (3) | April 8th | April 25th | April 15th | April 4th | April 24th |
Exodus from Egypt (day 4) | Pessach (4) | April 9th | April 26th | April 16th | April 5th | April 25th |
Exodus from Egypt (day 5) | Pessach (5) | April 10th | April 27th | April 17th | April 6th | April 26th |
Exodus from Egypt (day 6) | Pessach (6) | April 11th | April 28th | April 18th | April 7th | April 27th |
Exodus from Egypt (day 7) | Pessach (7) | April 12th | April 29th | April 19th | April 8th | April 28th |
Holocaust Memorial Day | Jom haScho'a | April 17th | May 4th | April 24th | April 13th | May 3rd |
Memorial Day of Israeli soldiers | Jom haZikaron | April 23rd | May 10th | April 30th | April 19th | May 9th |
Independence Day | Jom haAtzma'ut | April 24th | May 11th | May 1st | April 20th | May 10th |
Bar Kochba uprising | Lag baOmer | May 9th | May 26th | May 16th | May 5th | May 25th |
Thanksgiving | Schawuot | May 26th | June 12th | June 2nd | May 22nd | June 11th |
Thanksgiving (day 2) | Schawuot (2) | May 27th | June 13th | June 3rd | May 23rd | June 12th |
Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem | Tischa beAv | July 27th | Aug. 13th | Aug. 3rd | July 23rd | Aug. 12th |
Victory of the Pharisees over the Sadducees | Tu B’Av | Aug. 2nd | Aug. 19th | Aug. 9th | July 29th | Aug. 18th |
Jewish New Year | Rosch ha-Schana | Sept. 16th | Oct. 3rd | Sept. 23rd | Sept. 12th | Oct. 2nd |
2nd New Year's Day | Rosch ha-Schana (2) | Sept. 17th | Oct. 4th | Sept. 24th | Sept. 13th | Oct. 3rd |
Day of Atonement | Jom Kippur | Sept. 25th | Oct. 12th | Oct. 2nd | Sept. 21st | Oct. 11th |
Feast of Tabernacles | Sukkot | Sept. 30th | Oct. 17th | Oct. 7th | Sept. 26th | Oct. 16th |
Feast of Tabernacles (day 2) | Sukkot (2) | Oct. 1st | Oct. 18th | Oct. 8th | Sept. 27th | Oct. 17th |
Feast of Tabernacles (day 3) | Sukkot (3) | Oct. 2nd | Oct. 19th | Oct. 9th | Sept. 28th | Oct. 18th |
Feast of Tabernacles (day 4) | Sukkot (4) | Oct. 3rd | Oct. 20th | Oct. 10th | Sept. 29th | Oct. 19th |
Feast of Tabernacles (day 5) | Sukkot (5) | Oct. 4th | Oct. 21st | Oct. 11th | Sept. 30th | Oct. 20th |
Feast of Tabernacles (day 6) | Sukkot (6) | Oct. 5th | Oct. 22nd | Oct. 12th | Oct. 1st | Oct. 21st |
Feast of Tabernacles + Palm Festival | Sukkot + Hoschana Rabba | Oct. 6th | Oct. 23rd | Oct. 13th | Oct. 2nd | Oct. 22nd |
Eighth day of Assembly | Schmini Azeret | Oct. 7th | Oct. 24th | Oct. 14th | Oct. 3rd | Oct. 23rd |
Rejoicing of the Torah | Simchat Tora | Oct. 8th | Oct. 25th | Oct. 15th | Oct. 4th | Oct. 24th |
Entry into Israel | Yom HaAliyah | Oct. 22nd | Nov. 8th | Oct. 29th | Oct. 18th | Nov. 7th |
Festival of Lights | Chanukka | Dec. 8th | Dec. 26th | Dec. 15th | Dec. 5th | Dec. 25th |
Festival of Lights (day 2) | Chanukka (2) | Dec. 9th | Dec. 27th | Dec. 16th | Dec. 6th | Dec. 26th |
Festival of Lights (day 3) | Chanukka (3) | Dec. 10th | Dec. 28th | Dec. 17th | Dec. 7th | Dec. 27th |
Festival of Lights (day 4) | Chanukka (4) | Dec. 11th | Dec. 29th | Dec. 18th | Dec. 8th | Dec. 28th |
Festival of Lights (day 5) | Chanukka (5) | Dec. 12th | Dec. 30th | Dec. 19th | Dec. 9th | Dec. 29th |
Festival of Lights (day 6) | Chanukka (6) + Rosch Chodesch | Dec. 13th | Dec. 31st | Dec. 20th | Dec. 10th | Dec. 30th |
Festival of Lights (day 7) | Chanukka (7) | Dec. 13th | Jan. 1st | Jan. 1st | Dec. 11th | Dec. 31st |
Festival of Lights (day 8) | Chanukka (8) | Dec. 14th | Jan. 1st | Jan. 2nd | Dec. 12th | Jan. 1st |
One of the most important holidays is Yom haAtzma'ut, Israel's Independence Day. This festive occasion commemorates the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 and is celebrated with lively ceremonies, parades and fireworks.
Other important holidays include Rosh ha-Shanah (Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot, the week-long Feast of Tabernacles. Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated on 8 days, although none of these days is a public holiday. The Exodus from Egypt (Passover) is also celebrated on 8 days, the first day being a national holiday. These holidays are of great religious and cultural significance to the Jewish population and are usually celebrated with special prayers, rituals, family gatherings and festive meals.
In addition to Jewish holidays, Israel also has several national holidays. These include Yom haScho'a (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Yom haZikaron as a day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, and Yom HaAliyah, Aliyah Day, which commemorates Jewish immigration to Israel.
Certain restrictions often apply on religious holidays, such as transportation restrictions and the closing of businesses and government offices. Jewish holidays in particular are celebrated throughout the country.
The Hebrew Calendar

Months are always based on the new moon. However, to align the lunar months with the solar year, which is approximately 365.25 days long, the Hebrew calendar adds an extra month in leap years known as Adar II. This ensures that the calendar remains synchronized with the agricultural seasons.
Naming of the months in the Hebrew calendar:
- Nissan
- Ijar
- Sivan
- Tammuz
- Av
- Elul
- Tishrei
- Cheshvan (or Marcheshvan)
- Kislev
- Zwet
- Shevat
- Adar (or Adar I in leap years) and Adar II (in leap years)
The year count in the Hebrew calendar is based on the traditional calculation since the creation of the world, with the current year being 5783. However, in everyday life, dates according to the international Gregorian calendar system are often used in addition to the Hebrew calendar.