Israeli Schools Reopen After Holidays With Varied Start Dates

Most Israeli schoolchildren will return to classes on Sunday, October 4, following the Tishrei holiday break. However, students in the 10th to 12th grades will have an extended holiday, returning to school on Monday, October 5. This difference in schedule is not due to individual school decisions but stems from labor agreements with pedagogical organizations that stipulate different weekend schedules for teachers. Kindergartens, elementary schools, and middle schools will resume classes on Sunday, with teachers in these institutions considering it a regular workday. In contrast, Sunday remains a day off for high school teachers according to the current vacation calendar for senior grades, hence their delayed return to school. These variations are attributed to agreements with the Teachers Union and the Organization of Secondary School Teachers, which separately regulate working and non-working days for different categories of educators. The calendar was also influenced by arrangements for the "bridge" between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, where working days were redistributed throughout the academic year. Changes have affected dates related to the Fast of Esther, Passover, and Shavuot, while some other days remain days off for senior high school teachers. Parents are advised to note their child's age when planning for Sunday, as younger students return on October 4, while high school seniors will stay home an extra day. The current agreement with the Teachers Union was made in 2022, and future negotiations for a new agreement may involve revisiting the distribution of days off.