Last Updated on December 13, 2021

Religious Holidays in Israel

Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Druze & Bahai Festivals

Jewish Holidays & Festivals 2016

Please note that Jewish holidays and festivals commence in the evening and continue through the following day (eve/day)

In the Diaspora the festivals of Passover, Shavuot & Sukkot have one extra day added at the end.  So if you are in Israel, the holiday will end one day earlier than that listed here.

• Tu B’shvat:   25 January
• Purim:  23/24 March
• Passover:  22-30 April
• Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah): –  4/5 May
• Israel Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron): – 10/11 May
• Israel Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut): – 11/12 May
• Lag B’Omer: 25/26 May
• Shavuot: –  11/13 May
• Tisha B’Av: – 13/14 August
• Rosh HaShanah: 2/3 & 4  October
• Yom Kippur:  11/12 October
• Sukkot:  16/23 October
• Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah:  23-25 October
• Hanukkah: 24 December  2016 – 1 January 2017

Christian Holidays & Festivals 2016

• Ash Wednesday – 10 February
• Palm Sunday – 20 March
• Holy Thursday – 24 March
• Good Friday- 25 March
• Easter Sunday – 27 March
• Easter Monday: 28 March
• Ascension Day – 5 May
• Pentecost – 15 May
• Trinity Sunday – 22 May
• Advent – 27 November
• Christmas- 25 December

Muslim Holidays and Festivals 2016

• Ramadan: – 7 June
• Eid-Ul-Fitr: – 7 July
• Eid-Ul-Adha: –  13 September
• Al-Hijira: – 3 October
• Ashura: 12 October
• Milad un Nabi: – 12 December

Druze Holidays &  Festivals 2016

Druze celebrate Eid El Fitr, and Eid El-Adha (see Muslim festivals)

Bahai Holidays & Festivals 2016

• Naw-Ruz (Baha’i New Year) — 20 March
• Festival of Ridvan — 20 April
• Declaration of the Bab — 23 May
• Ascension of the Baha’u’llah — 28 May
• Martyrdom of the Bab– 9 July
• Birth of the Bab– 1 November
• Birth of Baha’u’llah– 2 November
• Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Baha – 28 May
• 19 days of fasting: 2 -20 March

• An in-depth look at the Jewish festivals
• Holiday of Holidays Festival in Haifa
• Free Hebrew – English word sheets with transliterations – by topic
• Fun facts & Israel info

Learn New Hebrew Words & Phrases

Hebrew, English & Transliterations