Dates
Yom HaAtzmaut 2026
Begins at sundown on April 21, 2026 and ends at nightfall on April 22, 2026.
Starts
April 21, 2026
at sundown
Ends
April 22, 2026
at nightfall
Length
1 day
work permitted
Years on file
7 years
2024 to 2030
Yom HaAtzmaut 2026 ended on April 22, 2026. The dates, times and customs below are kept as a record.
Next: Yom HaAtzmaut 2027, sundown May 11, 2027 →Israel or the diaspora?
A national holiday in Israel; celebrated in diaspora communities with events rather than a day off.
Yom HaAtzmaut is Israel's Independence Day, marking the declaration of the state on 5 Iyar 5708, 14 May 1948.
On the ground
What happens in Israel
Fireworks and street parties the night before, then a national barbecue day, an air force flyover, and the Bible Quiz on television.
Every year on file
Yom HaAtzmaut in other years
The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, so the Gregorian date moves by up to a month from year to year but stays in the same season.
The rest of 2026
Other Jewish holidays in 2026
8 of the 14 other dates on the 2026 calendar, in the order they fall. Each has its own page for 2026.
February 2, 2026
Tu BiShvat 2026
The new year of the trees. Tree planting in Israel and eating the fruits of the land.
March 3, 2026
Purim 2026
Celebrates the rescue of the Jews of Persia as told in the Book of Esther. Megillah readings, costumes, mishloach manot and festive meals.
April 2, 2026
Passover (Pesach) 2026
The festival of freedom, marking the Exodus from Egypt. Seder nights, matzah, and no chametz for eight days (seven in Israel).
April 14, 2026
Yom HaShoah 2026
Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel a two-minute siren brings the country to a standstill.
April 21, 2026
Yom HaZikaron 2026
Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, the day before Independence Day.
May 5, 2026
Lag BaOmer 2026
The 33rd day of the Omer count. Bonfires, weddings and celebrations at Mount Meron.
May 22, 2026
Shavuot 2026
The festival of receiving the Torah at Sinai. All-night learning and dairy foods. Two days in the diaspora, one in Israel.
July 23, 2026
Tisha B'Av 2026
Fast day mourning the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem. If the 9th of Av falls on Shabbat, the fast is observed on Sunday.
Frequently asked questions
When is Yom HaAtzmaut 2026?+
Yom HaAtzmaut 2026 begins at sundown on April 21, 2026 and ends at nightfall on April 22, 2026. Jewish days start in the evening, so the first full day is April 22, 2026.
How long is Yom HaAtzmaut?+
1 day. A national holiday in Israel; celebrated in diaspora communities with events rather than a day off.
Is Yom HaAtzmaut different in Israel?+
A national holiday in Israel; celebrated in diaspora communities with events rather than a day off.
What happens in Israel on Yom HaAtzmaut?+
Fireworks and street parties the night before, then a national barbecue day, an air force flyover, and the Bible Quiz on television.