Israel Prepares for Sukkot 2026: Traditions, Dates, and Observances

Sukkot, a week-long Jewish holiday, will begin in 2026 on Friday evening, September 25, with its first day falling on Saturday, September 26. The holiday commemorates the Israelites' 40-year wandering in the Sinai desert after their exodus from Egypt. The first and last days of Sukkot, September 26 and October 3 respectively, are full holidays, both falling on Saturdays in 2026. The intermediate days, known as Chol HaMoed, are semi-holidays where work is permitted but generally discouraged, with many businesses and government offices offering collective leave or reduced hours. Private transport operates normally, while public transport follows a reduced schedule. During Chol HaMoed, Israelis traditionally spend time outdoors, visiting nature reserves and parks, and many build and decorate temporary huts called "sukkot" for dining and sleeping, symbolizing the temporary dwellings of the ancient Israelites. The holiday culminates on October 3 with Hoshanah Rabbah, the seventh day, marked by specific prayers and rituals involving willow branches and circling the Torah scroll, signifying the final sealing of divine judgment for the year. Immediately following Sukkot are Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah on October 22, which conclude the annual Torah reading cycle with celebrations including processions of Torah scrolls. A central observance involves the "Four Species": the lulav (palm branch), etrog (citron), hadas (myrtle), and aravah (willow), which are held together and waved during prayers, symbolizing the unity of different types of Jews. If the first day of Sukkot falls on a Saturday, as it does in 2026, the ritual with the Four Species is postponed to the following day.