Last reviewed: August 26, 2026 · Holiday data: May 19, 2026
Israel observes 9 public holidays in 2026. 5 fall on a weekday and 4 land on a weekend, leaving 256 working days across the year on the national-only count.
2026 public holidays calendar
Date
Day
Holiday
Notes
Apr 2
Thursday
Passover (day 1)
Passover (day 1) on Thursday April 2 is a strong bridge-day candidate; many employers grant the Friday as discretionary leave to produce a four-day weekend.
Apr 8
Wednesday
Passover (day 7)
Passover (day 7) on Wednesday April 8 breaks the working week without an obvious adjacent-weekend bridge opportunity.
Apr 22
Wednesday
Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day)
Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day) on Wednesday April 22 breaks the working week without an obvious adjacent-weekend bridge opportunity.
May 22
Friday (weekend)
Shavuot
Shavuot lands on a Friday (May 22) and is absorbed into the weekend.
Sep 12
Saturday (weekend)
Rosh Hashanah (day 1)
Rosh Hashanah (day 1) lands on a Saturday (September 12) and is absorbed into the weekend.
Sep 13
Sunday
Rosh Hashanah (day 2)
Rosh Hashanah (day 2) on Sunday September 13 breaks the working week without an obvious adjacent-weekend bridge opportunity.
Sep 21
Monday
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur on Monday September 21 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately preceding Saturday and Sunday.
Sep 26
Saturday (weekend)
Sukkot (day 1)
Sukkot (day 1) lands on a Saturday (September 26) and is absorbed into the weekend.
Oct 3
Saturday (weekend)
Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah
Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah lands on a Saturday (October 3) and is absorbed into the weekend.
2026 year summary
Total days
365
Weekend days
104
Public holidays on weekdays
5
Working days
256
The 4 weekend-falling public holidays in 2026 are absorbed into the regular Saturday and Sunday count, so the working-day reduction comes only from the 5 weekday-falling entries. Israel observes the Jewish high holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, Shavuot) as national days under the Hours of Work and Rest Law plus Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day) under the Yom Ha'atzmaut Law. The workweek is Sunday-Thursday with Friday-Saturday (Shabbat) as the weekend.
Holidays not included
Tisha B'Av (fast day commemorating the destruction of the Temples) is a half-day bank closure but not a gazetted public holiday and is excluded. Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) are observed by a moment of silence and partial business closure but are not full bank holidays. Hanukkah (8 days) and Purim are not full public holidays; banks operate normal hours. Religious workplaces and Hasidic neighbourhoods observe additional days that are excluded from this national-secular set.
How many public holidays does Israel have in 2026?
Israel observes 9 public holidays in 2026. Of those, 5 fall on a weekday and 4 land on a weekend. The complete list with dates and weekday placements is in the calendar table above.
How many working days does Israel have in 2026?
Israel has 256 working days in 2026 on the national-only count, after subtracting 104 weekend days and 5 weekday-falling public holidays. Regional or industry-specific holidays may further reduce the count for narrower contract definitions.
Which 2026 public holiday dates fall on a weekday?
5 of Israel's 9 public holidays in 2026 fall on a weekday and reduce the working days count: Passover (day 1) (Thursday, April 2); Passover (day 7) (Wednesday, April 8); Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day) (Wednesday, April 22); Rosh Hashanah (day 2) (Sunday, September 13); Yom Kippur (Monday, September 21).
Which 2026 holidays fall on a weekend and how are they handled?
4 public holidays in 2026 fall on a weekend: Shavuot on Friday, May 22; Rosh Hashanah (day 1) on Saturday, September 12; Sukkot (day 1) on Saturday, September 26; Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah on Saturday, October 3. The country may shift the observance to an adjacent weekday by proclamation or industry custom; check the official gazette for the year in question.