Chanukah in Jerusalem: Dates, Menorah Walks, Sufganiyot and What to Do

Short answer for 2026: the first candle is lit on Friday 4 December, before Shabbat, and the eighth on Friday 11 December, again before Shabbat. The last day of Chanukah is Shabbat, 12 December. Chanukah is not a day off: shops, offices, buses and the light rail run as normal. Schools and ganim are closed from Sunday 6 to Friday 11 December and go back on Sunday 13 December.

All of this year's holiday dates, school breaks and what closes on each kind of day are in Jewish holidays in Israel 2026–27.

Chanukah 2026 night by night

Times are for Jerusalem, from Hebcal. Jerusalem lights Shabbat candles 40 minutes before sunset, which is why the two Fridays are so early. Our Shabbat page has the week's times.

• Friday 4 December — 1st candle. Light the Chanukah candles first, then the Shabbat candles at 15:54.
• Saturday 5 December — 2nd candle. After havdalah, from 17:14.
• Sunday 6 to Wednesday 9 December — 3rd to 6th candles. At nightfall, around 16:55. The school break starts on Sunday.
• Thursday 10 December — 7th candle. Rosh Chodesh Tevet starts on Thursday and runs into Friday.
• Friday 11 December — 8th candle. Chanukah candles first, then Shabbat candles at 15:55.
• Shabbat 12 December — the last day of Chanukah. Shabbat ends at 17:16. Schools reopen the next morning.

On the two Friday afternoons, use candles or oil that will burn until at least half an hour after dark. The small coloured Chanukah candles go out too soon.

Where to see the menorahs

Glass boxes along the alleys

Jerusalem's Chanukah sight costs nothing. Many families light in a glass box beside the front door or the gate, or in a window facing the street, so after dark the old neighbourhoods fill with small flames. The Jewish Quarter, Nachlaot, Mea She'arim and Geula are the best-known walks, and most neighbourhoods have a few glass boxes on every street. Go about half an hour after the candles are lit and dress for a cold evening. Mea She'arim and Geula are very traditional: dress modestly, keep your voice down and don't photograph people up close. Several guides run paid menorah walks in the Jewish Quarter and Nachlaot; iTravelJerusalem's Chanukah page lists this year's operators as they announce dates.

The Western Wall

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation lights a bronze menorah more than two metres tall on the plaza every night of Chanukah, and the public is welcome. In 2024 the lighting was at about 16:30 most evenings, earlier on Friday and at about 20:00 on Saturday night. The 2026 times are published on the Kotel's Chanukah page shortly before the holiday. Dress as you would for the Wall at any time; the Old City guide covers getting there. Combine it with the Hurva Synagogue lookout or a walk through the Jewish Quarter afterwards.

The First Station

In 2024 and 2025 Chabad of Baka held a free communal lighting at the First Station every night at 18:00, with a concert on one of the nights. The First Station is also one of the easiest evenings out with children: car-free, with food and space to run.

Events and things to do

Most venues announce their Chanukah programme in November. The list below is what ran last year and is listed again for 2026; check the link before you go, and see What's on for events added through the week.

• Winter Dreams at the Botanical Garden. A light festival in the Jerusalem Botanical Garden in Givat Ram, listed for 17 November 2026 to 31 January 2027, 17:00–22:00 and closed on Fridays. It is paid; tickets have been cheaper bought in advance. Details.
• The Tower of David. A family lantern tour along the walls with a candle lighting and doughnuts (book ahead; under-5s free), plus the Night Spectacular projected on the citadel walls. Both are paid. The museum is open as usual.
• The Israel Museum. In past years children and teenagers got in free throughout Chanukah, with workshops and shows extra. The Ruth Youth Wing runs art studios for children.
• The Biblical Zoo. The zoo puts on holiday activities that are included in the ticket. Buy tickets online for the school-break days.
• Plays and concerts. Children's theatre and concerts fill the city's halls over the holiday, mostly in Hebrew.
• More for the school break. Bloomfield Science Museum, the Time Elevator and the Hebrew Music Museum are good indoor options on a rainy day. Jerusalem with kids has more, by age.
• The Maccabees' torch. Every year Maccabi Tzair lights a torch at the traditional Tomb of the Maccabees near Modiin, off Route 443, and carries it to ceremonies at the Knesset and the President's Residence. Historians doubt the tomb is really the Maccabees', but the site is a short drive from Jerusalem.

Sufganiyot: where and how much

From the end of Sukkot, every bakery in the city has trays of sufganiyot (jam doughnuts) by the counter, and by Chanukah the fancy ones are piled with cream, caramel and pistachio. In December 2025 a plain jam doughnut cost about ₪5–8, and the premium ones ₪15–20.

• Agripas Street and the shuk. Teller (74 Agripas) for elaborate ones, Marzipan (on Agripas) for the classic jam doughnut, and the small bakeries inside Mahane Yehuda for cheap and fresh.
• City centre. Gagou de Paris on King George, and the Roladin chain, whose premium ranges set the price ceiling every year.
• German Colony. Marzipan's Emek Refaim branch and Neeman Bakery on Emek Refaim.
• Neighbourhood bakeries. Almost every bakery fries its own. The ones near you are in the bakeries directory.

Latkes are called levivot here, and most families make their own. Supermarkets sell ready-made ones and potato-latke mix for the week. The eating-out guide covers kosher certificates if you are buying for others.

Schools, work and transport

• Schools and ganim. Closed from Sunday 6 to Friday 11 December 2026 (Ministry of Education calendar), back on Sunday 13 December. Friday 4 December is a normal school day. The ministry's Nitzanim holiday programme runs Sunday to Thursday, 6–10 December, and private kaytanot fill the rest; the kaytanot guide explains how they work.
• Work and offices. Chanukah is a normal working week. Many workplaces hold a candle-lighting and doughnuts in the afternoon, and some parents take a day off for the school break.
• Shops and transport. Normal hours and timetables, with Friday hours on both Fridays. The light rail and buses into the Old City are busier on evenings out; getting around has the details.

Weather

Early December in Jerusalem is cool and can be wet: average highs around 15°C and lows around 9°C, with rain on about eight days of the month. Evenings on the walls and in the alleys are cold, so bring a warm layer and something waterproof. Weather by month and the winter guide cover the rest.

If you are new here

Chanukah is the first winter holiday in the year's rhythm. The Shabbat and chagim guide explains how the rest of the year runs, and the Sukkot guide covers the autumn holidays.

Common questions

When is Chanukah 2026?

Chanukah 2026 begins on the evening of Friday 4 December, when the first candle is lit before Shabbat, and ends on Shabbat 12 December. The eighth candle is lit on Friday 11 December.

Are schools closed for Chanukah in Israel?

Yes. In 2026 schools and ganim are closed from Sunday 6 to Friday 11 December and go back on Sunday 13 December. Offices, shops and public transport work as normal.

Where can I see the menorah lighting in Jerusalem?

At the Western Wall, where the Western Wall Heritage Foundation lights a large menorah on the plaza every night, and at the First Station, where a free communal lighting has been held at 18:00. The menorahs in glass boxes outside homes in the Jewish Quarter and Nachlaot are the city's best free sight.

How much do sufganiyot cost in Jerusalem?

In December 2025 a plain jam doughnut cost about ₪5 to ₪8, and premium ones from bakeries such as Teller and Roladin ₪15 to ₪20.

Hebrew you will meet

• חנוכייה — chanukiya — the Chanukah menorah
• סופגנייה — sufganiya — jam doughnut (plural sufganiyot)
• לביבות — levivot — latkes
• סביבון — sevivon — dreidel; Israeli ones read nes gadol haya po, "a great miracle happened here"
• דמי חנוכה — dmei chanuka — Chanukah gelt
• נר — ner — candle
• חופשת חנוכה — chufshat chanuka — the Chanukah school holiday
• חג אורים שמח — chag urim sameach — happy festival of lights

More everyday words are in our Hebrew vocabulary guide.

Know of a lighting or an event we should add, or a time that has changed? Tell us and we will fix it.