Public holidays in Israel are nationwide days off recognised by the government, when most banks, schools and government offices close and many businesses adjust their hours. They mark historical, cultural, religious or civic occasions and are a standard reference point for corporate travel planners arranging international trips working with Israel.

The exact number varies year to year — some holidays fall on a fixed date, while Easter-based, Islamic-calendar or other lunar observances shift annually, and some are added by regional decree. See the live calendar above for the current list of upcoming and recently observed dates.

Usually, yes — public holidays in Israel typically mean banks and government offices close for the day, and many private businesses follow suit, though retail and hospitality hours can vary by local custom. Always confirm directly with a specific bank or business before an important transaction.

Some do and some don't. Fixed-date holidays repeat on the same calendar day annually, while others follow the Easter calculation, the Islamic lunar calendar, or an "nth weekday of the month" rule — so their date moves from year to year. See how public holidays work above for the full explanation of why, or check the calendar itself for each year's actual date.

It's embedded directly from Google's official public holiday calendar for Israel — the same source Google Calendar itself uses. We don't copy or store the holiday data ourselves; Google serves it live, so it always reflects their current information.

Yes — the calendar opens on today's date showing what's upcoming. Use the ◀ back arrow in its toolbar to browse earlier dates in the current year, or the date selector to jump to a different year entirely.

The live calendar above shows the day of the week next to each date — that's what you need. A holiday landing on a Monday or Friday already gives Israel a natural three-day weekend; one on a Tuesday or Thursday can often be stretched into four days by taking the single working day in between as leave, sometimes called a "bridge day". Once you've spotted a good date, the Israel travel guide covers the practical details for planning around it.

This calendar is a reliable public reference drawn from Google's holiday calendar service, but it isn't a substitute for an official government gazette. For payroll, legal or compliance purposes, always confirm exact dates against Israel's official government publication.