Shabbat in Israel: The Unique Socio-Religious Israeli Weekend

Shabbat
The Israeli Saturday

Shabbat (Saturday) is The official day of rest which is also the peak of the Israeli weekend.

Shabbat.

A unique 24-hour period with a socio-religious significance that is unparalleled in any other country in the world.

In almost every country in the world, with the exception of Nepal, the official day of rest is set on Sunday or Friday. Only in Israel is it set between Friday and Sunday, and accordingly, the entire week is structured around it – starting on Sunday and ending on Saturday (Shabbat). And in line with this, the weekend is timed – "Sofash" in everyday spoken language.

The Israeli "Sofash," also called "Shishabbat" (a blend of Friday and Shabbat), already begins on Friday – a short day for shopping and errands, for cooking and cleaning, until the mid-afternoon. Then, a sense of calm settles over the entire country. All the activity and adrenaline of the work week (Sunday through Friday) gradually dissipates.

In the late afternoon hours of Friday, when the last rays of sun are still visible, Israeli citizens receive a traditional reminder of the end of the week: across the country, the national memorial siren sounds, announcing the official arrival of Shabbat.

The siren, which lasts for about half a minute, is a custom that began after the establishment of the state and is carried out in honor of the religious sectors. It is mainly activated in cities with a high concentration of religious people, but its echoes are also heard in the surrounding communities.

As evening falls, also called "Erev Shabbat" (Shabbat eve) or "Leil Shabbat" (Shabbat night) – many Israeli families, both religious and not, gather for a festive or family meal at home, in a restaurant, or at a hotel.

The exact time of the entry and exit of Shabbat, including hours and minutes, is published every Friday on media channels, printed in the Hebrew calendar, and in public announcements.

This too – only in Israel.

Shabbat in its religious and traditional format lasts for 24 hours plus about another hour, until the next sunset. Then – Shabbat officially ends, leading into an evening of almost normal routine: "Motza'ei Shabbat" (which Israelis also call: "Motzash" – a blend word of the Hebrew "Motza'ei" (exit of) and "Shabbat").

Publication of Shabbat entry times one in September, one of the 52 Shabbatot in the calendar.

The Israeli Shabbat has a religious flavor that shapes its character and influences the daily routine of Israelis.

For example, public transportation is completely shut down, from the moment Shabbat begins until it ends on Motzash. The national airline, El Al, also does not fly passengers during the 24-hour period of Shabbat. In hospitals, a "Shabbat elevator" is operated (a special elevator that runs automatically), and so it is in large hotels. The IDF does not conduct routine activities, except for essential security, most shopping malls are closed, and so are many restaurants and public institutions.

The activities during the Shabbat period differ among the various sectors of the Jewish community in Israel.

For about a third of the country's citizens, who belong to the religious sectors, Shabbat is a holy day with clear rules of what is permitted and what is forbidden. Especially what is forbidden – not to cook, not to travel in a car, not to watch television, not to talk on the phone, not to turn on electricity, and many other basic activities that people are used to doing on regular weekdays. They fulfill the religious duty to rest and refrain from these activities, and in spoken Hebrew: they "shomer Shabbat" (keep the Shabbat).

A religious Shabbat is dedicated to special prayers in synagogues, studying Jewish holy books, family meals, and if there is free time – a walk in the immediate vicinity, within the framework of the Eruv (a type of ritual halakhic enclosure).

The secular, who are the majority of Israeli citizens, do not "Shomer Shabbat" and use the day for rest, entertainment, leisure, hobbies, meetings, and cultural activities. Just like in any other country, just like any other people. They, the secular, are somewhat limited in their entertainment options, especially when they are close to a religious environment, but they usually submit to tradition – respecting those who keep Shabbat and trying not to disturb their rest and religious devotion.

In the end, even the secular person understands that Israel is a Jewish state, and can afford something unique that only it has and no other country in the world has.

A collection of photos from a Shabbat day in Israel: an empty parking lot, a classroom without students, a closed stall, a deserted mall

On Motzaei Shabbat, after evening has fallen and three stars have appeared in the sky, it's time to summarize the Shishabbat. The Israeli weekend.

In this 24-hour period, unique national and religious components are included, and all of them are woven into one another and careful not to clash with each other:

A secular day touches a holy day, tunes of prayer with club music, a mikvah with the sea or a swimming pool, a synagogue with the national park, Challah with pita, Gefilte fish (for Ashkenazi families) with Chraime (for Mizrahi families), radio and television programs with Shabbat liturgical poems.

Between these and those, a huge package of weekend newspapers, with their special supplement and exclusive interviews, waits on the side, to pass the time wherever an Israeli is during "Shishabbat" (Weekend).

More on Shabbat – at the link here on Wikipedia

More on the hallmarks of Shabbat in the following links: 1-The story of the Eruv, 2-The story of the Shabbat elevator.

And a few more bits of knowledge about Israeli Shabbat:

Common greeting: "Shabbat Shalom."
Traditional Shabbat items and accessories: Shabbat candles, Challah, a cup of wine for Kiddush.
A Religious Insight: "He who keeps Shabbat – Shabbat keeps him."
A Common Religious Term for one who does not keep Shabbat: a Shabbat desecrator.
The honorific for Shabbat in Jewish literature: The expression "Shabbat HaMalka" (Shabbat the Queen).
The Sight of a Religious Community on Shabbat: No vehicle traffic. The residents walk in the road.
Shabbat in Israel's Coastal Cities: Heavy workload for lifeguards on the beaches.
An Announcement you can hear already on Shabbat morning: "The Nature and Parks Authority announces full occupancy in the parking lots of nature sites across the country." After the secular revelers have filled the nature sites.
Recurring protests throughout the years of Israel's existence: Haredi religious people protest against the desecration of Shabbat and shout "Sha'bbes."
A military life lesson: "Lechol Shabbat Yesh Motzaei Shabbat" (every Shabbat has a Motzaei Shabbat – meaning: The rest is over, now it's back to the grind).

A collection of photos of an Israeli Shabbat in the Jewish-democratic State of Israel

This is part of "The Israeli Story 1948-2025" project

What is The Israeli Story ?

A curated selection of Israeli snapshots, those that were and still are with us. Each one deserves an updated definition with a few words of explanation along with a tiny bit of history. Just a little – and all of them together go into the virtual Israeli Story that will remain online for future generations. You can see what's included in it by clicking on the icon below.