Public holidays in Israel

Note: for exact dates in the Gregorian calendar see Jewish holidays 2000-2050.

Israeli law appoints nine official holidays during the year. Of these, Independence Day is meant to be observed by all citizens, while others are Jewish religious holidays that non-Jewish communities can disregard. The school year has several optional formats approved by the Ministry of Education, one of which is chosen by the school principal in consideration of the local community's religion and tradition.

The following table shows school holidays observed by the majority of schools. 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. Non-Jewish people may choose Friday, Saturday, or Sunday as their main weekly holiday, while Jewish people may not work on Saturday, unless their workplace is open on Saturdays with a special permit.

See also

• Jewish holidays

External links

• National holidays in Israel (2013)
• Public Holidays, Israel, World Travel Guide

References