Last reviewed: August 26, 2026 · Holiday data: May 19, 2026
Israel observes 9 public holidays in 2028. 7 fall on a weekday and 2 land on a weekend, leaving 254 working days across the year on the national-only count.
2028 public holidays calendar
Date
Day
Holiday
Notes
Apr 11
Tuesday
Passover (day 1)
Passover (day 1) on Tuesday April 11 is a bridge-day candidate; the Monday is sometimes granted as discretionary leave to produce a four-day weekend.
Apr 17
Monday
Passover (day 7)
Passover (day 7) on Monday April 17 produces a three-day weekend with the immediately preceding Saturday and Sunday.
May 2
Tuesday
Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day)
Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day) on Tuesday May 2 is a bridge-day candidate; the Monday is sometimes granted as discretionary leave to produce a four-day weekend.
Jun 1
Thursday
Shavuot
Shavuot on Thursday June 1 is a strong bridge-day candidate; many employers grant the Friday as discretionary leave to produce a four-day weekend.
Sep 21
Thursday
Rosh Hashanah (day 1)
Rosh Hashanah (day 1) on Thursday September 21 is a strong bridge-day candidate; many employers grant the Friday as discretionary leave to produce a four-day weekend.
Sep 22
Friday (weekend)
Rosh Hashanah (day 2)
Rosh Hashanah (day 2) lands on a Friday (September 22) and is absorbed into the weekend.
Sep 30
Saturday (weekend)
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur lands on a Saturday (September 30) and is absorbed into the weekend.
Oct 5
Thursday
Sukkot (day 1)
Sukkot (day 1) on Thursday October 5 is a strong bridge-day candidate; many employers grant the Friday as discretionary leave to produce a four-day weekend.
Oct 12
Thursday
Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah
Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah on Thursday October 12 is a strong bridge-day candidate; many employers grant the Friday as discretionary leave to produce a four-day weekend.
2028 year summary
Total days
366
Weekend days
105
Public holidays on weekdays
7
Working days
254
The 2 weekend-falling public holidays in 2028 are absorbed into the regular Saturday and Sunday count, so the working-day reduction comes only from the 7 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 2028?
Israel observes 9 public holidays in 2028. Of those, 7 fall on a weekday and 2 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 2028?
Israel has 254 working days in 2028 on the national-only count, after subtracting 105 weekend days and 7 weekday-falling public holidays. Regional or industry-specific holidays may further reduce the count for narrower contract definitions.
Which 2028 public holiday dates fall on a weekday?
7 of Israel's 9 public holidays in 2028 fall on a weekday and reduce the working days count: Passover (day 1) (Tuesday, April 11); Passover (day 7) (Monday, April 17); Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day) (Tuesday, May 2); Shavuot (Thursday, June 1); Rosh Hashanah (day 1) (Thursday, September 21); Sukkot (day 1) (Thursday, October 5); Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah (Thursday, October 12).
Which 2028 holidays fall on a weekend and how are they handled?
2 public holidays in 2028 fall on a weekend: Rosh Hashanah (day 2) on Friday, September 22; Yom Kippur on Saturday, September 30. The country may shift the observance to an adjacent weekday by proclamation or industry custom; check the official gazette for the year in question.