Major Jewish, Muslim and Christian Holidays
Seasons for Travel in Israel
January 2014-February, 2015
Low Season |
Regular Season |
High Season |
|
November 23 - December 20, 2014 |
March 1 – April 12, 2014 |
April 13-22, 2014 |
|
January 4 – February 28, 2015 |
April 23 – October 7, 2014 |
October 8-16, 2014 |
|
|
October 17 – November 22, 2014 |
December 21, 2014 – January 3, 2015 |
Major holidays in the Middle East
2014
Holiday |
Day |
Faith |
Description |
|
January 1 |
All |
Called ‘Sylvester’ in Hebrew. |
|
|
January 16 |
Jewish |
New Year of the Trees |
|
|
March 16 |
Jewish |
Celebrates the Jewish Deliverance from the Persian Empire |
|
|
April 15-21 |
Jewish |
Jewish Passover |
|
|
April 18 |
Christian |
Jesus’ Crucifixion |
|
|
April 20 |
Christian |
Jesus’ Resurrection |
|
|
April 27 |
Jewish |
Remembers the Holocaust |
|
|
Yom HaZikaron (IDF Memorial Day) |
May 4 |
Jewish |
Remembers the fallen solders of Israel’s Wars |
|
Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) |
May 5 |
Jewish |
Celebrates Israel’s Declaration of Statehood on May 4, 1948. Follows the Jewish Calendar of 5th of Iyar. |
|
May 18 |
Jewish |
The 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer between Passover and Pentecost. |
|
|
June 4 |
Jewish |
‘Festival of Weeks’ or ‘Pentecost’. Begins on the 6th day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. |
|
|
June 28 |
Muslim |
The 9th month of Muslim calendar. A period of fasting (no food or water from sun-up to sunset). |
|
|
July 28 |
Muslim |
‘Feast of the Breaking of the Fast.’ Marks the end of Ramadan for Muslims. |
|
|
August 5 |
Jewish |
A solemn day of fasting for Jews which commemorates the destructions of the Jewish Temple |
|
|
September 25-26 |
Jewish |
The Jewish New Year |
|
|
October 4 |
Jewish |
The Day of Atonement |
|
|
October 4 |
Muslim/Druze |
Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael |
|
|
October 9-15 |
Jewish |
The Feast of Tabernacles. |
|
|
October 16 |
Jewish |
The 8th day of Sukkot. A separate holiday |
|
|
October 17 |
Jewish |
Marks the end of the Jewish public readings of the Torah. On this day the scroll is rolled back to Genesis. |
|
|
December 17-24 |
Jewish |
‘Festival of Lights.’ Recalls the Rededication of the Jewish Temple during the Maccabean Revolt. The 25th day of Kislev. During this 8-day period, Jews light a candelabrum known as a ‘hanukiah.’ |
|
|
December 25 |
Christian |
The birth of Jesus. |
2015
Holiday |
Day |
Faith |
Description |
|
January 1 |
All |
Called ‘Sylvester’ in Hebrew. |
|
|
February 4 |
Jewish |
New Year of the Trees |
|
|
March 5 |
Jewish |
Celebrates the Jewish Deliverance from the Persian Empire |
|
|
April 4-10 |
Jewish |
Jewish Passover |
|
|
April 3 |
Christian |
Jesus’ Crucifixion |
|
|
April 5 |
Christian |
Jesus’ Resurrection |
|
|
April 16 |
Jewish |
Remembers the Holocaust |
|
|
Yom HaZikaron (IDF Memorial Day) |
April 22 |
Jewish |
Remembers the fallen solders of Israel’s Wars |
|
Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) |
April 23 |
Jewish |
Celebrates Israel’s Declaration of Statehood on May 4, 1948. Follows the Jewish Calendar of 5th of Iyar. |
|
May 7 |
Jewish |
The 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer between Passover and Pentecost. |
|
|
May 24 |
Jewish |
‘Festival of Weeks’ or ‘Pentecost’. Begins on the 6th day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. |
|
|
June 18 |
Muslim |
The 9th month of Muslim calendar. A period of fasting (no food or water from sun-up to sunset). |
|
|
July 17 |
Muslim |
‘Feast of the Breaking of the Fast.’ Marks the end of Ramadan for Muslims. |
|
|
July 26 |
Jewish |
A solemn day of fasting for Jews which commemorates the destructions of the Jewish Temple |
|
|
September 14-15 |
Jewish |
The Jewish New Year |
|
|
September 23 |
Jewish |
The Day of Atonement |
|
|
September 23 |
Muslim/Druze |
Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael |
|
|
September 28 - October 4 |
Jewish |
The Feast of Tabernacles. |
|
|
October 5 |
Jewish |
The 8th day of Sukkot. A separate holiday |
|
|
October 6 |
Jewish |
Marks the end of the Jewish public readings of the Torah. On this day the scroll is rolled back to Genesis. |
|
|
December 7-14 |
Jewish |
‘Festival of Lights.’ Recalls the Rededication of the Jewish Temple during the Maccabean Revolt. The 25th day of Kislev. During this 8-day period, Jews light a candelabrum known as a ‘hanukiah.’ |
|
|
December 25 |
Christian |
The birth of Jesus. |