BridgeDays
Best days to take off in Israel in 2026
With 20 days of annual leave, booking the right days gives 43 days off across 5 breaks. Below are all 9 public holidays in Israel in 2026, the long weekends you get for free, and the bridge days worth booking.
Plan your own dates for Israel
Public holidays in Israel in 2026
| Date | Holiday | Falls on |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 2 Apr | Passover (Pesach) פסח | Day off |
| Wed 8 Apr | Mimouna, Seventh day of Passover מימונה, שביעי של פסח | Day off |
| Wed 22 Apr | Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut) יום העצמאות | Day off |
| Fri 22 May | Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) שבועות | Day off |
| Sat 12 Sep | Rosh Hashanah (Yom Teruah) ראש השנה | Weekend |
| Sun 13 Sep | Rosh Hashanah (Day 2) ראש השנה יום 2 | Weekend |
| Mon 21 Sep | Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) יום כיפור | Day off |
| Sat 26 Sep | Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) סוכות | Weekend |
| Sat 3 Oct | Simchat Torah/ Shmini Atzeret שמחת תורה/שמיני עצרת | Weekend |
4 of these fall on a weekend in 2026.
Long weekends in Israel in 2026
- Fri 22 May to Sun 24 May, 3 days: Shavuot (Feast of Weeks)
- Sat 19 Sep to Mon 21 Sep, 3 days: Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
Best bridge days to book in 2026
A bridge day is a working day between a public holiday and a weekend. Booking it joins them into one long break.
- Book Fri 3 Apr (1 day) for 4 days off, Thu 2 Apr to Sun 5 Apr, around Passover (Pesach).
- Book Thu 9 Apr and Fri 10 Apr (2 days) for 5 days off, Wed 8 Apr to Sun 12 Apr, around Mimouna, Seventh day of Passover.
- Book Mon 20 Apr and Tue 21 Apr (2 days) for 5 days off, Sat 18 Apr to Wed 22 Apr, around Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut).
- Book Thu 21 May (1 day) for 4 days off, Thu 21 May to Sun 24 May, around Shavuot (Feast of Weeks).
- Book Fri 18 Sep (1 day) for 4 days off, Fri 18 Sep to Mon 21 Sep, around Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
How many days off can you get in 2026?
| Leave booked | Days off | Per day booked |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days | 18 days | 3.6x |
| 10 days | 33 days | 3.3x |
| 15 days | 48 days | 3.2x |
| 20 days | 63 days | 3.1x |
| 25 days | 78 days | 3.1x |
A plan for 20 days of leave in 2026
20 days of leave become 43 days off, in 5 breaks of at least five days.
- Sat 28 Mar to Sun 5 Apr: 9 days off for 4 booked (Mon 30 Mar, Tue 31 Mar, Wed 1 Apr, Fri 3 Apr)
- Wed 8 Apr to Sun 12 Apr: 5 days off for 2 booked (Thu 9 Apr, Fri 10 Apr)
- Sat 18 Apr to Sun 26 Apr: 9 days off for 4 booked (Mon 20 Apr, Tue 21 Apr, Thu 23 Apr, Fri 24 Apr)
- Sat 16 May to Sun 24 May: 9 days off for 4 booked (Mon 18 May, Tue 19 May, Wed 20 May, Thu 21 May)
- Fri 11 Sep to Mon 21 Sep: 11 days off for 6 booked (Fri 11 Sep, Mon 14 Sep, Tue 15 Sep, Wed 16 Sep, Thu 17 Sep, Fri 18 Sep)
Questions about 2026 in Israel
How many public holidays does Israel have in 2026?
Israel has 9 public holidays in 2026, and 4 of them fall on a weekend.
When are the long weekends in Israel in 2026?
Without booking any leave: Fri 22 May to Sun 24 May (Shavuot (Feast of Weeks)) and Sat 19 Sep to Mon 21 Sep (Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)).
What are the best days to take off in Israel in 2026?
Book Fri 3 Apr to get 4 days off, from Thu 2 Apr to Sun 5 Apr. With 20 days of leave, the best plan gives 43 days off across 5 breaks.
About these dates
These dates come from the date-holidays library and have not been checked by hand against Israel's official calendar. Check before you book.
Some days here follow a calendar other than the Gregorian one, such as Passover (Pesach), Mimouna, Seventh day of Passover, Shavuot (Feast of Weeks). Those dates are calculated rather than announced, so the real day can fall a day either side of what is shown. Check them against an official calendar before you book around one.
These dates come straight from the holiday library and have not been checked against this country’s official calendar by hand. Treat them as a starting point.