Israel Considers Eliminating Student Holiday Break Between Yom Kippur and Sukkot

Israel's Ministry of Education is reportedly considering canceling the popular three-day "bridge" holiday break for students that falls between Yom Kippur and Sukkot. This break, which effectively extends the holiday period into a nearly two-week vacation, was established by a 2022 agreement. The potential change comes as the teachers' union, the Israel Teachers Union, prepares to renegotiate its salary agreement with the Ministry of Finance, which is set to expire at the end of the current school year.

Discussions regarding the future holiday schedule are expected to commence after the upcoming elections, potentially involving new finance and education ministers. Yaffa Ben-David, the secretary-general of the Israel Teachers Union, is reportedly preparing a list of demands for the upcoming negotiations. One significant demand may be an additional day off for teachers if the school week is reduced to five days, allowing them to teach only four days a week.

Under the current arrangement, instead of teaching on the three days following Yom Kippur, teachers work on the "Isru Chag" days, which are the days immediately following the major festivals. The proposed elimination of the bridge holiday would revert the system to a schedule without this extended break.