Free, no AI17 holidays · general patterns
What is open on Israeli holidays
Typical opening hours in Israel for every major Jewish holiday: shops, buses and the airport, phrased as general patterns, since practice varies by city, sector and business.
| Holiday | Typical dates (5787 / תשפ״ז) | Closed | Israel vs. Diaspora |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosh Hashanah | Sep 11, 2026 – Sep 13, 2026 | In Israel, Rosh Hashanah is a national public holiday. Government offices, schools, banks, and most businesses are closed, and regular public transportation does not run. | Rosh Hashanah is two days in both Israel and the Diaspora. |
| Yom Kippur | Sep 20, 2026 – Sep 21, 2026 | Yom Kippur is the most complete public shutdown in Israel. Ben Gurion Airport closes, regular broadcasts traditionally go off the air, and driving is almost entirely absent by custom and municipal rule. Only emergency and a few essential services operate. | Yom Kippur is one day in both Israel and the Diaspora. |
| Sukkot | Sep 25, 2026 – Oct 2, 2026 | The first day is a public holiday in Israel: offices, schools, banks, and most shops close, and buses do not run. On Chol HaMoed, schools are on break and many businesses keep reduced hours while tourist sites are busy. | Sukkot lasts seven days in both. In Israel only the first day is Yom Tov; in the Diaspora the first two days are. Hoshana Rabbah is the seventh day in both. |
| Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah | Oct 3, 2026 | In Israel this combined day is a public holiday. Government offices, schools, banks, and most businesses are closed, and regular public transportation does not run. | In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are the same day. In the Diaspora, Simchat Torah is the following day, so the festival is two days. |
| Hanukkah | Dec 4, 2026 – Dec 12, 2026 | Hanukkah is not a public work holiday in Israel. Businesses and buses run as usual; many schools have a vacation, and public khanukiyot are lit in town squares. | Hanukkah is eight days in both Israel and the Diaspora. Candle lighting follows the same count; public displays are more common in Israel. |
| Tu BiShvat | Jan 23, 2027 | Tu BiShvat is not a public holiday in Israel. Workplaces and buses operate; schools often hold plantings and special programs. | The date is the same in Israel and the Diaspora. Tree-planting as a public custom is especially associated with Israel. |
| Purim | Feb 21, 2027 – Feb 22, 2027 | Purim is not a full public holiday in Israel, but many schools close or run a short day and some offices do the same. Evening streets fill with costumes; buses generally run. | Open cities observe Purim on the 14th of Adar. Jerusalem and other traditionally walled cities observe Shushan Purim on the 15th. The same calendar rule applies in Israel and the Diaspora. |
| Passover | Apr 21, 2027 – Apr 28, 2027 | The first and last days are public holidays in Israel: offices, schools, banks, and most shops close, and buses do not run. Chol HaMoed is a school vacation; many businesses keep reduced hours. Most Jewish grocery stores do not sell khametz. | Passover is seven days in Israel and eight in the Diaspora. There is one seder night in Israel and two in the Diaspora. Kitniyot are widely eaten by Israeli Ashkenazim today, though some still avoid them. |
| Yom HaShoah | May 4, 2027 | Places of entertainment (theaters, cinemas, clubs, and many restaurants and cafes) are closed from the evening before. Schools and many workplaces hold ceremonies and otherwise remain open. A two-minute siren sounds in the morning. | This is an Israeli national day. Diaspora communities may mark it; some instead mark the 10th of Tevet or Tisha B’Av as a day of Holocaust memory. |
| Yom HaZikaron | May 11, 2027 | Places of entertainment are closed. Schools and many workplaces hold ceremonies. Military cemeteries are open for visits. Sirens sound at the start of the evening and again in the morning. | This is an Israeli national day, scheduled so that it leads directly into Yom HaAtzmaut. Some Diaspora communities hold ceremonies the same week. |
| Yom HaAtzmaut | May 12, 2027 | Yom HaAtzmaut is a public holiday. Schools and most government offices are closed. Parks, picnic sites, and public events are busy; many shops and restaurants stay open. | This is an Israeli national day. Diaspora communities often hold celebrations, but it is not a work-stoppage holiday outside Israel. |
| Lag BaOmer | May 25, 2027 | Lag BaOmer is not a public work holiday. Many schools hold special programs or trips; workplaces generally stay open. Evening bonfires are lit in lots, fields, and empty lots across the country. | The date is the same in Israel and the Diaspora. The Meron pilgrimage and nationwide bonfires are Israeli public customs; Diaspora communities may light a smaller fire or hold a picnic. |
| Yom Yerushalayim | Jun 4, 2027 | Yom Yerushalayim is an official national holiday; government offices typically close. Many businesses remain open. Jerusalem itself is especially busy with ceremonies and marches. | This is an Israeli national day. Some Diaspora communities hold services or celebrations; it is not a public holiday outside Israel. |
| Shavuot | Jun 10, 2027 – Jun 11, 2027 | Shavuot is a public holiday in Israel. Government offices, schools, banks, and most businesses are closed, and regular public transportation does not run. | Shavuot is one day in Israel and two days in the Diaspora. |
| Tisha B’Av | Aug 11, 2027 – Aug 12, 2027 | Tisha B’Av is not a public work holiday. Restaurants and places of entertainment often close; many cafes shut. Transit runs. Some workplaces allow leave for observers. | The fast is one day in both Israel and the Diaspora. If the 9th of Av falls on Shabbat, the fast is postponed to Sunday in both. |
| Rosh Chodesh | Monthly | Rosh Chodesh is an ordinary workday in Israel. Government offices, shops, and buses operate. Some religious schools mark it, and some women keep a lighter work custom. | The Hebrew calendar is shared. A month may have one or two days of Rosh Chodesh in both Israel and the Diaspora. The new month is announced in synagogue on the Shabbat before, except before Tishrei. |
| Shabbat | Every week | From Friday afternoon or evening through Saturday night, regular public transportation does not run (Haifa has limited Friday service; some mixed and Arab cities differ). Most shops and government offices are closed. Eilat and some tourist areas are more open. After nightfall on Saturday, buses and shops resume. | The halakhic day is the same worldwide. The difference is public: Israeli transit, government, and much of the Jewish street shut down in a way most Diaspora cities do not. |
General rules
Shabbat: most shops close Friday afternoon and stay closed until Saturday night, and public transport mostly stops in Jewish towns and cities (Haifa runs limited Friday service; mixed and Arab towns often differ). Restaurants and public transport typically resume shortly after nightfall on Saturday.
Yom Kippur: the most complete shutdown of the year. Ben Gurion Airport closes, broadcasts traditionally go off the air, and driving is almost entirely absent by custom and municipal rule, well beyond what other holidays see.
Memorial days (Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron): entertainment venues (cinemas, theaters, clubs, and many restaurants and cafes) typically close from the evening before, while most shops, transport, and workplaces continue as usual.
Civic dates like election day are not religious holidays and do not carry these closures on their own, though some become a scheduled day off by separate arrangement.