As a stonkingly hot August almost reaches its end, it’s time to think (and hope!) for a cooler September. But – just a word of warning here for anybody coming over to visit the Holy Land – September is going to be a bit of a nightmare, and it’s got nothing to do with the heat. Sure, it’s still going to be hot, but coupled with the non-stop holiday season throughout September and the official breaks that bring Israel to a grinding halt, you’re going to have to plan things a little carefully…
Oh yes, September 2010 is choc-a-block with holidays. You’ve got your Jewish New Year coming up on September 8th, Yom Kippur bringing everything to a complete stop on September 17th, and Sukkot between September 24-30th. Which is great for those of us living and working in Israel, but for those of you visiting, it might be a bit more problematic.
Basically everything is closed for these holidays, and there’ll be no public transportation (don’t forget, Yom Kippur means no transportation whatsoever!). Sukkot is a little more relaxed, but if you’re planning a visit to the visa office, don’t.
You should be able to find private taxis and mini-buses (sheroot in Hebrew) throughout most of the holiday period, but they’ll be charging you an arm and a leg, be warned. The Nesher “sheroots” to and from the airport, as well as the “sheroots” you can find in most cities, will continue working as usual, except for Yom Kippur of course.
Here’s the list of official holiday dates for September:
- From sunset Wednesday, September 8th until the evening of Saturday, September 11th (it’s the Jewish New Year (known as Rosh Hashana in Hebrew)
- The following Sabbath, Friday 17th/Saturday 18th is the second bit of the Jewish New Year holiday, although as it falls on the weekend, it probably won’t impact as much.
- From late afternoon on Friday, September 17th until an hour after sundown on Saturday, September 18th, it’s Yom Kippur.
- From sunset Wednesday, September 22nd until just after sunset on Thursday, September 23rd it’s Sukkot.
- From sunset Wednesday, September 29th until just after sunset on Thursday, September 30th it’s Simchat Torah.
Between Friday, September 24th and Wednesday, September 29th (Sukkot), all government offices are closed while most businesses work only half the day (mornings). You should be able to get around on public transport, though just check before you travel.
Happy Holidays!