Does the week start on Sunday in Israel?

Yes. The ordinary Israeli calendar runs from יום ראשון, Sunday, to שבת, Saturday. Sunday to Thursday is a typical office week, but Friday trading and shift work exist.

What does motzash mean?

מוצ״ש (motzash) is short for מוצאי שבת, the period after Shabbat ends on Saturday night. Shabbat ends at a published time after nightfall that varies by city and date.

Is erev chag a day off in Israel?

Not automatically. ערב חג (erev chag) is the day before a festival and is often a shortened work or service day. The exact hours depend on the workplace, agreement or service.

How do you write the date in Israel?

Israel writes dates day first: 05/06/2026 or 5.6.2026 both mean 5 June 2026. Official Hebrew documents often add the Hebrew date as well.

When does Israel change to summer time?

Israel moves to שעון קיץ (UTC+3) on the Friday before the last Sunday in March and returns to שעון חורף (UTC+2) on the last Sunday in October. In 2026 the changes were 27 March and 25 October.

Israeli Week, Dates and Time Guide

The Israeli Week

On the label or sign

א׳: Sunday, short form
ראשון: Sunday

יום ראשון / יום א׳Sunday

yom rishon / yom alef

US English

Sunday

UK English

Sunday

What it is

יום ראשון literally means first day. יום ראשון is a normal work and school day and the first day shown on an Israeli calendar.

The difference

In English, Sunday often belongs to the weekend. In Israel, יום ראשון starts the week, and Israeli calendar grids place יום א׳ at the start.

Common mistake

Do not assume an office is closed on יום ראשון; plan Sunday as an ordinary working day.

On the label or sign

יום ב׳: Monday
יום ה׳: Thursday

שני / שלישי / רביעי / חמישיMonday to Thursday

sheni / shlishi / revi'i / chamishi

US English

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

UK English

Same as US

What it is

Hebrew numbers the days: שני is Monday, the second day, through חמישי, Thursday, the fifth day. Short forms use letters: ב׳, ג׳, ד׳ and ה׳.

The difference

Because the Israeli count starts on Sunday, שני, second day, is Monday, not Tuesday. חמישי is commonly the last day of a Sunday to Thursday office week.

Common mistake

Do not count Monday as day one; שני means Monday and ה׳ means Thursday.

On the label or sign

ו׳: Friday, short form
שישי: Friday

יום שישי / יום ו׳Friday

yom shishi / yom vav

US English

Friday

UK English

Friday

What it is

יום שישי literally means sixth day. יום שישי may be a non-office day, a short work or trading day, or a regular shift day.

The difference

Many businesses close during Friday afternoon before Shabbat, but יום שישי is not a full closure everywhere. Separate Friday hours are often printed after the Sunday to Thursday hours.

Common mistake

Do not assume every business is closed all of יום שישי; read the separate ו׳ line on the hours sign.

On the label or sign

ש׳: Shabbat, short form
בשבתות ובחגים: on Shabbat and holidays

שבת / יום שבתShabbat (Saturday)

Shabbat / yom Shabbat

US English

Saturday; Sabbath

UK English

Same as US

What it is

שבת is the seventh day and the Jewish weekly day of rest. In religious time, שבת runs from Friday toward sunset until nightfall on Saturday.

The difference

שבת does not match the civil Saturday from midnight to midnight. Saturday activity is not closed everywhere: Tel Aviv, for example, has some open restaurants, venues, minimarkets and weekend transport.

Common mistake

Do not equate שבת exactly with civil Saturday, and do not assume everything is closed nationwide on שבת.

On the label or sign

א׳-ה׳ 08:00-18:00: Sunday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

א׳-ה׳ / א׳-ו׳Sun to Thu, Sun to Fri

alef ad heh / alef ad vav

US English

Sun to Thu; Sun to Fri

UK English

Same as US

What it is

א׳-ה׳ is a compact day range meaning Sunday through Thursday, the standard five-day office or service pattern. א׳-ו׳ means Sunday through Friday.

The difference

English speakers expect a weekday range to mean Monday to Friday. Even under א׳-ו׳, Friday hours may still be shorter.

Common mistake

Do not read א׳-ה׳ as Monday to Friday; read the letters as Sunday through Thursday and check for a separate ו׳ line.

סוף שבוע / סופ״שWeekend

sof shavua / sofash

US English

Weekend

UK English

Weekend

What it is

סוף שבוע, short form סופ״ש, is the standard Hebrew word for weekend. Locale data treats the Israeli weekend as Friday and Saturday.

The difference

סופ״ש means Friday and Saturday, not Saturday and Sunday. Real openings and a worker's legal rest vary, so סופ״ש is not a precise legal term.

Common mistake

Do not treat סופ״ש as Saturday and Sunday; plan around Friday and Saturday and check actual hours.

יום חול / ימי חולWeekdays

yom chol / yemei chol

US English

Weekday(s)

UK English

Weekday(s)

What it is

ימי חול means ordinary days as opposed to Shabbat or a festival. Some transport and service documents use ימי חול for Sunday to Thursday and list Friday separately.

The difference

The meaning of ימי חול depends on context. Religious usage can include Friday, so ימי חול does not always map to Monday to Friday weekdays.

Common mistake

Do not translate ימי חול in isolation; read the explicit day range printed next to the phrase.

מנוחה שבועיתWeekly rest period

menucha shvu'it

US English

Weekly rest period

UK English

Weekly rest period

What it is

מנוחה שבועית is an employment-law concept, usually 36 continuous hours, including Shabbat for a Jewish worker. A non-Jewish worker may choose Friday, Saturday or Sunday under the applicable rules.

The difference

מנוחה שבועית is not a synonym for the weekend on an opening-hours sign. Some sectors have exceptions, and work after Shabbat may still count as work during weekly rest if the required continuous rest was not given.

Common mistake

Do not assume Friday and Saturday is every worker's legal מנוחה שבועית; check the employment notice or HR policy.

Shabbat Times

ערב שבתFriday before Shabbat

erev Shabbat

US English

Friday before Shabbat; Shabbat eve

UK English

Same as US

What it is

ערב שבת usually means Friday daytime or late afternoon leading up to Shabbat. Here ערב marks the period before Shabbat, not necessarily the dark evening.

The difference

ערב שבת is not Friday night. After Shabbat begins, ליל שבת is the clearer term.

Common mistake

Do not translate ערב שבת as Friday night; read ערב שבת as the Friday hours before כניסת שבת.

On the label or sign

כניסת שבת: Shabbat begins
הדלקת נרות: candle-lighting

כניסת שבת / הדלקת נרותShabbat start time

knisat Shabbat / hadlakat nerot

US English

Shabbat begins; candle-lighting

UK English

Same as US

What it is

כניסת שבת is the published local start time of Shabbat, with the candle-lighting time before sunset. The Ministry of Religious Services publishes different times for the four largest cities.

The difference

כניסת שבת is not a fixed Friday hour. The time changes with the date and the place.

Common mistake

Do not hard-code Friday 6 p.m. all year or use one city's כניסת שבת for every city; check the weekly table for your city.

On the label or sign

קידוש ליל שבת: Friday-night kiddush

ליל שבתFriday night

leil Shabbat

US English

Friday night

UK English

Friday night

What it is

ליל שבת is the night part of Shabbat, starting on Friday evening after Shabbat begins. The Friday-night meal is a ליל שבת meal, separate from Saturday daytime meals.

The difference

ליל שבת belongs to the Jewish day called Shabbat, but ליל שבת falls on Friday night in civil terms.

Common mistake

Do not call ליל שבת Saturday night; ליל שבת is Friday night.

On the label or sign

צאת השבת: end of Shabbat
מוצ״ש: after Shabbat on Saturday night

מוצאי שבת / מוצ״שSaturday night after Shabbat

motza'ei Shabbat / motzash

US English

Saturday night after Shabbat

UK English

Saturday night after Shabbat

What it is

מוצ״ש is the period after Shabbat has ended. Shabbat ends at the published צאת השבת time, after nightfall on Saturday, and the time varies by date, place and custom.

The difference

מוצ״ש is not every Saturday evening hour, and civil sunset is too early. A Rabbinate restaurant procedure keeps restaurants closed until half an hour after the published exit time.

Common mistake

Do not arrive at sunset for something set for מוצ״ש; check the צאת השבת time for your city and any stated buffer after it.

Holidays And Days Off

On the label or sign

כניסת החג: holiday begins

ערב חגDay before a holiday

erev chag

US English

Day before a Jewish holiday; holiday eve

UK English

Day before a Jewish festival; festival eve

What it is

ערב חג usually names the civil day leading into a Jewish festival. ערב חג is often a shortened work or service day; the festival itself, כניסת החג, begins later near sunset.

The difference

ערב חג is not just the evening and not automatically a public holiday. The 2026 Civil Service calendar, for example, lists ערב פסח with work ending at noon.

Common mistake

Do not schedule until midnight on the ערב חג date or assume a full day off; check the hours your workplace or service publishes.

צאת החג / מוצאי חגEnd of a holiday

tzet hachag / motza'ei chag

US English

End of holiday; evening after the holiday

UK English

End of festival; evening after the festival

What it is

צאת החג is the end of a festival after nightfall, and מוצאי חג is the period after it. The pair works like צאת השבת and מוצאי שבת.

The difference

מוצאי חג comes after the festival, not before it. Reopening and transport notices often use מוצאי חג.

Common mistake

Do not translate מוצאי חג as the night before the holiday; מוצאי חג is the evening after the holiday ends.

On the label or sign

יו״ט: festival day, short form
אין עובדים: no work

חג / יום טובHoliday or festival day

chag / yom tov

US English

Holiday; Jewish festival day

UK English

Public holiday or festival; Jewish holy day

What it is

חג is a broad word for a holiday, while יום טוב is the religious category for Torah festivals with work restrictions. Israeli employment sources list nine Jewish festival days for holiday-pay purposes.

The difference

Not every חג is a statutory day off. Other observances are listed separately as choice days.

Common mistake

Do not assume Purim, Hanukkah, a fast and a Torah festival all close things the same way; check the specific calendar, not the word חג.

On the label or sign

שביעי של פסח: seventh day of Passover

חג ראשון / חג שניFirst or last festival day

chag rishon / chag sheni

US English

First or last festival rest day

UK English

Same as US

What it is

In Israeli Passover workplace language, חג שני can mean the final festival day, the seventh day of Passover. Chol HaMoed days come between חג ראשון and חג שני.

The difference

חג שני is not the second calendar day of the festival. חג שני is also not the extra diaspora festival day, יום טוב שני של גלויות.

Common mistake

Do not read חג שני as day two of Passover; שביעי של פסח is the unambiguous name for the final festival day.

On the label or sign

חוה״מ: intermediate festival days

חול המועד / חוה״מIntermediate festival days

chol hamoed

US English

Intermediate festival days

UK English

Intermediate festival days

What it is

חול המועד is the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot. חול המועד days are not full festival rest days.

The difference

During חול המועד many workplaces shorten hours or set collective leave, while schools and attractions may be on holiday or unusually busy.

Common mistake

Do not assume normal service or total closure during חול המועד; look for the special חוה״מ line in the hours.

אסרו חגDay after a festival

Isru Chag

US English

Day after a pilgrimage festival

UK English

Same as US

What it is

אסרו חג is the day after Passover, Shavuot or Sukkot. אסרו חג has a religious or cultural name but is generally not a festival rest day.

The difference

The word חג inside אסרו חג does not make the day a public holiday. School treatment can differ by age and year.

Common mistake

Do not assume אסרו חג is another day off; check the school or workplace calendar.

גשר / יום גשרBridge day

gesher / yom gesher

US English

Bridge day; employer closure day

UK English

Bridge day

What it is

A יום גשר is a non-holiday day joined to nearby leave by an employer or institution. A יום גשר is an organizational decision, not a religious time boundary.

The difference

Each employer or school chooses its own יום גשר. A יום גשר at one workplace does not close another.

Common mistake

Do not assume all workplaces and schools take the same יום גשר; read the HR, school or office notice.

יום בחירהElective leave day

yom bechira

US English

Elective leave day

UK English

Optional leave day

What it is

A יום בחירה is a listed day on which an employee may take leave under the applicable rules, generally charged to annual leave.

The difference

A יום בחירה is not an automatic paid festival day and not a nationwide closure.

Common mistake

Do not read יום בחירה as a day when everything closes; check the private-sector rules separately from the Civil Service calendar.

שבתוןStatutory day off

shabbaton

US English

Statutory day off; shutdown day

UK English

Statutory day off; closure day

What it is

A שבתון is a nonworking day declared by law or by a particular calendar, such as an election day.

The difference

A שבתון does not necessarily mean the weekly Sabbath.

Common mistake

Do not translate every שבתון as Sabbath; read the notice for the reason and the date.

Dates And Clock Time

DD/MM/YYYY / D.M.YYYYDay-first numeric date

ta'arich: yom/chodesh/shana

US English

Day/month/year date

UK English

Same as US

What it is

Israeli government forms ask for dates as dd/mm/yyyy, so 05/06/2026 is 5 June 2026. Hebrew locale data and many calendars also write dotted dates such as 5.6.2026, sometimes without leading zeros.

The difference

A US reader expects the month first. In an Israeli date with slashes or dots, the first number is the day.

Common mistake

Do not read 05/06/2026 as May 6, and do not treat dotted dates as a typo.

5 ביוני 2026Written date

chamisha be-Yuni 2026

US English

June 5, 2026

UK English

5 June 2026

What it is

Written Hebrew puts the day before the month: a number, then ב attached to the month, then the year. Government style writes dates without an English ordinal ending, as in 1 באפריל.

The difference

A written Hebrew date reads like UK style, day first. A US translation must move the month to the front.

Common mistake

Do not carry the Hebrew word order into a US month-first numeric date; 5 ביוני 2026 is June 5.

י״ט באלול תשפ״וHebrew calendar date

yud-tet be-Elul, 5786

US English

Hebrew-calendar date

UK English

Same as US

What it is

A Hebrew date uses Hebrew numerals and Hebrew month and year names, such as תשפ״ו. Official guidance gives the Hebrew date first and the Gregorian date in parentheses, as in י״ט באלול תשפ״ו (1 בספטמבר 2026).

The difference

The 1998 law requires public authorities to include the Hebrew date in official Hebrew letters and notices, while also allowing the Gregorian date. The Hebrew date and the civil date change at different moments.

Common mistake

Do not treat the two dates side by side as an issue date and an expiry date; both name the same day.

יום אזרחי לעומת יום עבריCivil day vs. Hebrew day

yom ezrachi vs. yom Ivri

US English

Civil day vs. Hebrew-calendar day

UK English

Same as US

What it is

A civil date changes at midnight. A Hebrew or Jewish day begins in the evening, so Shabbat begins Friday evening and ends at nightfall on Saturday.

The difference

Holiday notices often print the daytime ערב חג date plus separate start and end times. A festival does not start at 00:00 on its printed Gregorian date.

Common mistake

Do not assume a festival starts at midnight; use the published entry time for the evening before.

On the label or sign

בין השעות: between the hours
עד שעה: until

שעון 24 שעות24-hour clock

sha'on esrim ve-arba sha'ot

US English

24-hour time; 8:45 p.m. is 20:45

UK English

24-hour clock

What it is

Public schedules and Hebrew locale formatting prefer 24-hour time with no a.m. or p.m., so 8:45 p.m. is 20:45. Israeli transport data uses 24:00 for the end of a stated date and 00:00 for the start of a date.

The difference

An American reader waits for a PM marker that never appears. The time 24:00 belongs to the end of the stated date, not the next morning.

Common mistake

Do not read 18:30 as 8:30; 18:30 is 6:30 p.m.

On the label or sign

שמונה בבוקר: eight in the morning
שמונה בערב: eight in the evening

בוקר / צהריים / אחר הצהריים / ערב / לילהParts of the day

boker / tzohorayim / achar hatzohorayim / erev / layla

US English

Morning, noon, afternoon, evening, night

UK English

Morning, midday, afternoon, evening, night

What it is

Spoken Hebrew can give a 12-hour number plus a part of the day, such as שמונה בערב, eight in the evening. Education materials teach בוקר, צהריים, ערב and לילה as ordinary parts of the day with no fixed hour bands.

The difference

ערב by itself means evening, but in ערב שבת or ערב חג the word ערב labels the period before the sacred day and can include daytime hours.

Common mistake

Do not give ערב one fixed English translation, and do not drop the part of the day when you repeat a spoken time.

On the label or sign

שעון ישראל: Israel time

שעון חורף / שעון קיץWinter and summer time

sha'on choref / sha'on kayitz

US English

Standard time and daylight time

UK English

Winter time and summer time

What it is

Israel is UTC+2 in שעון חורף and UTC+3 in שעון קיץ. Clocks go forward on the Friday before the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October; in 2026 the changes were 27 March and 25 October.

The difference

The Israeli change dates do not always match the US, UK or EU change dates. Phone calendars usually adjust, but cross-border meetings need a time zone.

Common mistake

Do not assume Israel changes clocks on the same day as your home country; state the time zone in cross-border invites.

שבוע ISO / מספר שבועISO date and week number

shavua ISO / mispar shavua

US English

ISO date; ISO week number

UK English

Same as US

What it is

ISO 8601 writes dates year, month, day, such as 2026-06-05, and is used in technical systems. ISO week numbering starts on Monday.

The difference

An ordinary Israeli calendar starts on Sunday, while an ISO week starts on Monday, so a week number must name its convention. The ISO date is not the ordinary Israeli day-first form.

Common mistake

Do not rewrite an ISO date into day-first order inside a technical field, and do not assume every software week begins on Sunday.

On the label or sign

לשימוש עד: use by
עדיף להשתמש לפני: best before

לשימוש עד / עדיף להשתמש לפניUse by and best before

le-shimush ad / adif le-hishtamesh lifnei

US English

Use by / best before

UK English

Same as US

What it is

On food packs, לשימוש עד is the safety-oriented use-by label for highly perishable food. עדיף להשתמש לפני is the quality-oriented best-before label.

The difference

The date beside לשימוש עד is printed day first, so 03/04 is 3 April. The current labeling rules stay in force during a transition to adopted European rules through 1 January 2028.

Common mistake

Do not read 03/04 as March 4, and do not treat לשימוש עד and עדיף להשתמש לפני as the same instruction.

In English	On an Israeli schedule	Keep in mind
Monday to Friday office hours	א׳-ה׳alef ad heh	Sunday through Thursday.
Weekend	סופ״שsofash	Friday and Saturday.
Friday night	ליל שבתleil Shabbat	The night part of Shabbat.
Saturday night after Shabbat	מוצ״שmotzash	Starts at the published end of Shabbat.
The day before a holiday	ערב חגerev chag	Often a short workday.
June 5, 2026	5 ביוני 2026chamisha be-Yuni 2026	Written 05/06/2026 or 5.6.2026.
8:45 p.m.	20:45esrim arba'im ve-chamesh	24-hour clock, no p.m.
Daylight saving time	שעון קיץsha'on kayitz	UTC+3 in Israel.
Use by	לשימוש עדle-shimush ad	Safety date for perishable food.
Best before	עדיף להשתמש לפניadif le-hishtamesh lifnei	Quality date.

Mix-Ups to Avoid

The Israeli Week

יום ראשון / יום א׳Sunday

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

שני / שלישי / רביעי / חמישיMonday to Thursday

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

יום שישי / יום ו׳Friday

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

שבת / יום שבתShabbat (Saturday)

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

א׳-ה׳ / א׳-ו׳Sun to Thu, Sun to Fri

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

סוף שבוע / סופ״שWeekend

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

יום חול / ימי חולWeekdays

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

מנוחה שבועיתWeekly rest period

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

Shabbat Times

ערב שבתFriday before Shabbat

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

כניסת שבת / הדלקת נרותShabbat start time

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

ליל שבתFriday night

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

מוצאי שבת / מוצ״שSaturday night after Shabbat

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

Holidays And Days Off

ערב חגDay before a holiday

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

צאת החג / מוצאי חגEnd of a holiday

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חג / יום טובHoliday or festival day

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חג ראשון / חג שניFirst or last festival day

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חול המועד / חוה״מIntermediate festival days

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

אסרו חגDay after a festival

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

גשר / יום גשרBridge day

What it is

The difference

Common mistake