Passover (Pesach)
Season or date: Spring, Nisan 15 for 7 days
Major festival commemorating Exodus, eating unleavened Matzo bread
Festivals in Israel
Discover traditional festivals and celebrations of this country
Festivals
Purim
Season or date: Adar 14
Celebrating rescue from Haman with costumes and candy gifts
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
Season or date: Tishrei 10
Day of fasting and atonement; airports and broadcasts cease nationwide
Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)
Season or date: Autumn, 7 days
Building temporary huts to relive harvest and wilderness journey
Hanukkah
Season or date: Winter, Kislev 25 for 8 days
Festival of Lights commemorating temple rededication with oil dishes and dreidel games
Independence Day (Yom Ha'atzmaut)
Season or date: Iyar 5 (April-May)
Celebrating 1948 founding, preceded by memorial service for fallen soldiers
Tel Aviv International LGBT Pride
Season or date: June
Middle East's largest pride parade
Dead Sea Marathon
Season or date: February
Marathon held at world's lowest elevation point
Public holidays
- Passover
- Independence Day
- Yom Kippur
- Hanukkah
- Sukkot
- Purim
- Rosh Hashanah (New Year)