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How many paid public holidays are employees entitled to in Israel?

Employees in Israel are entitled to nine paid festival (chag) days each year, in addition to their annual leave. The entitlement rests on the Hours of Work and Rest Law 5711-1951 and the general extension order that applies across the economy, and it typically begins after three months of employment. The paid days cover the main Jewish holidays, but non-Jewish employees may choose to observe their own religion's holidays instead. An employee required to work on a festival day is entitled to premium pay and a substitute rest day.

Israeli law treats the weekly rest day and the annual festival days as protected time. The nine recognized festival days include the two days of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first and last days of Sukkot and of Passover, Shavuot, and Independence Day. Payment for these days is normally conditioned on the employee having worked the scheduled days immediately before and after the holiday, unless the absence was with the employer's consent. These festival days are separate from, and additional to, the paid annual leave entitlement under the Annual Leave Law 5711-1951, so they should not be deducted from a worker's vacation balance.

For a foreign worker in Israel, two points matter most. First, a non-Jewish employee is entitled to choose their own community's religious holidays in place of the Jewish festivals, and the employer must accommodate that choice. Second, if the employer requires work on a festival day, the employee earns at least 150% of normal pay plus compensating rest, mirroring the rule that applies to the weekly rest day. Our guide to employment law in Israel for foreign companies and expats covers how these rules apply to different pay structures. Monthly-salaried employees are usually paid for holidays automatically, while hourly and daily workers rely on these statutory rules to be paid.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Hours of Work and Rest Law 5711-1951 and the general extension order (tzav harchava klali)
  • Entitlement: nine paid festival days per year, additional to annual leave
  • Qualifying period: generally after three months of employment
  • Non-Jewish workers: may substitute their own religion's holidays for the Jewish festivals
  • Working on a holiday: at least 150% pay plus a substitute rest day
  • Payment condition: usually requires working the days immediately before and after the holiday, absent employer consent

From the full guide: Employment Law in Israel for Foreign Companies and Expats

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