Public Holidays in Israel for 2019
Israel today is industrialized, and most of it is manufacturing which includes a lot of traditional fields that are based on sophisticated research and development of hi-tech tools, processes, and machinery. That is because the country has rapid growth.
Israel has 55 holidays, and the Jewish holidays are officially and nationally celebrated. The vacation days are set according to them. Judaism follows its calendar, which is the Jewish calendar. In this calendar, it has a total of 12 lunar months that is following the moon cycle. The start of the Hebrew month is when the new moon appears. The 15th of that month is when there is a full moon and the month will end when the moon is no longer visible before it reappears again.
If you want to know more about the Israel public holidays, read on.
What Employers Must Know About Israel Public Holidays
Eight Jewish holidays and one for Israeli Independence Day are established paid rest days. Also, the law applicable to this provides that those non-working employees may choose among the Jewish holidays for their rest days or other days based on their religion.
Under the Jewish holidays and the Israeli Independence Day, it is provided by the law that employees who receive monthly payments are not entitled to additional holiday pay. Instead, their salary remains the same even during the months when there are holidays. Aside from that, these holidays must not be deducted from the entitlement or annual leave of employees. The employees that receive pay hourly or daily are entitled to separate reimbursement for these public holidays.
Employees must have one rest day a week, and only 36 hours of work.
Dates of the Israel Public Holiday 2019
| Date | Day/s | Holiday | Type |
| 21 January | Monday | Asarah B’Tevet (Tenth of Tevet) | Observance |
| 20 March | Wednesday | March Equinox | National |
| 20 March | Wednesday | Fast of Esther | Observance |
| 20 March | Wednesday | Purim Eve | Observance |
| 9 April | Tuesday | Election Day | Local |
| 15 April | Monday | Aaliyah Day | Official |
| 19 April | Friday | Passover Eve | Observance |
| 20 – 26 April | Saturday – Friday | Passover (Day 1 – 7) | National |
| 2 May | Thursday | Yom HaShoah | Observance |
| 8 May | Wednesday | Yom HaZikaron | Observance |
| 9 May | Thursday | Yom HaAtzmaut | National |
| 23 May | Thursday | Lag BaOmer | Observance |
| 2 June | Sunday | Jerusalem Day | Observance |
| 8 June | Saturday | Shavuot Eve | Observance |
| 9 June | Friday | Shavuot | National |
| 21 June | Friday | June Solstice | Season |
| 21 July | Sunday | 17th of Tammuz | Observance |
| 10 August | Saturday | Tisha B’Av Eve | Observance |
| 11 August | Sunday | Tisha B’Av | Observance |
| 17 September | Tuesday | Election Day | National |
| 23 September | Monday | September Equinox | Observance |
| 29 September | Sunday | Rosh Hashana Eve | National |
| 30 September | Sunday | Rosh Hashana | National |
| 1 October | Tuesday | Rosh Hashana Day 2 | |
| 2 October | Wednesday | Gedaliah Fast | Observance |
| 8 October | Tuesday | Yom Kippur Eve | Observance |
| 9 October | Wednesday | Yom Kippur | National |
| 13 October | Sunday | Sukkot Eve | Observance |
| 14 October | Monday | Sukkot (Day 1) | National |
| 15 – 19 October | Tuesday – Saturday | Sukkot (Day 2 – 6) | Observance |
| 20 October | Sunday | Sukkot (Day 7) / Hoshanah Rabah | Observance |
| 21 October | Monday | Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah | National |
| 5 November | Tuesday | Aliyah Day School Observance | Observance |
| 22 December | Sunday | December Solstice | Season |
| 23 – 27 December | Monday – Friday | Hannukah (Day 1 – 5) | Observance |
| 28 December | Friday | Hanukkah (Day 6) / Rosh Chodesh Tevet | Observance |
| 29 December | Sunday | Hanukkah (Day 7) | Observance |
| 30 December | Monday | Hanukkah (Day 8) | Observance |
Employee Benefits in Israel
When an employee has worked for three months, he or she is entitled to receive payment for the nine holidays a year based on their religion. In case the holiday is on a regular working day, the employee must be given a holiday payment rate which is their average salary. In case the employee must work on a holiday, the payment rate must be 150% of their daily wage, and this is aside from the holiday pay, which is a total of 250%.
Doing Business in Israel
If you are thinking of why set up a business in Israel, you must know that it offers diversity. They have a casual culture, which means you will feel at ease, but you must be flexible and patient.
Doing business in Israel has a lot of advantages to investors, and it has a healthy economy that keeps growing.
