Israeli Students Get Extended Two-Week Break Amid Holidays and Teacher Days

Israeli schoolchildren are set to enjoy an extended two-week break from September 20 to October 3, 2026. This lengthy recess is a result of the convergence of the Jewish autumn holiday period, including Yom Kippur and Sukkot, with additional days off allocated to teachers. The break begins with Yom Kippur on September 20-21. Following this, teachers will have three days off from September 22 to 24, a provision established under former Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Bitton in exchange for teachers working on the holiday of Isru Chag. The Sukkot holiday period then extends the break until October 3, with students returning to school on October 4.

This extended holiday period follows Rosh Hashanah, which falls on a Friday and Saturday, with an additional Sunday, September 13, added to the weekend. The article notes that many students are already off on Fridays. Beyond the autumn holidays, students will receive another unscheduled day off on Tuesday, October 27, due to the Knesset elections, as schools are traditionally used as polling stations.

This election-related day off is expected to reignite discussions about the five-day school week. The new Minister of Education will face the challenge of addressing the potential shift to a five-day schedule. Yaffa Ben-David, the General Secretary of the Teachers' Union, has stated that if a reform occurs, teachers should move to a four-day work week, retaining Friday off along with an additional weekday. Negotiations for a new labor agreement are slated to commence after the elections.