Pesach in Jerusalem: Dates, Selling and Burning Chametz, Birkat Kohanim and What's Open

15 Oct 2026 · 4 min

One seder, seven days, and a city that spends chol hamoed outdoors. Here are the 2027 dates and everything from selling chametz to the Mimouna picnics.

Short answer for 2027: the seder is on Wednesday night, 21 April. The first day of Pesach is Thursday 22 April, chol hamoed runs from Friday 23 to Tuesday 27 April, and the seventh day, Shvi'i shel Pesach, is Wednesday 28 April. In Israel there is one seder and Pesach is seven days. Chametz goes back on sale on Wednesday night, 28 April, and the Mimouna picnics fill Sacher Park the next day.

Pesach 2027 at a glance

Tuesday 20 April, evening — bedikat chametz. The search for chametz, by candle or torch.
Wednesday 21 April — Erev Pesach. Stop eating chametz in the morning, burn it before the deadline, and finish shopping early. Transport stops in the afternoon. The seder is that night.
Thursday 22 April — first day of Pesach. A full yom tov: no public transport, shops closed.
Friday 23 to Tuesday 27 April — chol hamoed. Schools are off, attractions are open and busy, and Birkat Kohanim is held at the Kotel on one of these days.
Wednesday 28 April — Shvi'i shel Pesach. The seventh day, a full yom tov. Pesach ends that night.
Thursday 29 April — Mimouna. The day after Pesach, the North African celebration that has become a city-wide picnic.

Candle-lighting and havdalah times for each yom tov are on our Shabbat page.

Selling and burning chametz

Selling. You can authorise the sale of your chametz through the Chief Rabbinate's free online form or Chabad's online sale, or in person with your own rabbi, which many prefer. The sale takes effect on Erev Pesach morning.
Burning. The municipality puts out hundreds of dedicated burning bins around the city in the days before Pesach and empties them after the deadline; in 2025 there were about 250. Burn before the time for biur chametz on Erev Pesach morning (about 11:25 in 2026; this year's time will be on our Shabbat page). Neighbourhood WhatsApp groups say where the nearest bin is.
Kashering. Hagalat kelim stations open in shuls and yeshivot across the city in the week before Pesach, especially in Haredi neighbourhoods. Ask your shul.

Shopping for Pesach

Supermarkets switch to kosher-for-Pesach stock about two weeks ahead and cover the chametz shelves from Erev Pesach. By law, businesses may not display chametz for sale until the night Pesach ends. The week before is the busiest of the year: shop early in the morning, and order online with delivery slots booked well ahead. The kashrut guide explains the certificates, including the Pesach ones.

Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel

During chol hamoed, hundreds of kohanim bless tens of thousands of people at the Western Wall, as they do on Sukkot. In 2025 there were two ceremonies, with the first blessing at about 9:15 after Shacharit and the second at about 10:30 during Musaf. The 2027 date is announced by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation in March. Come on foot or by light rail: roads around the Old City close, and on chol hamoed the trains to the Old City have run all night. The Old City guide covers getting there.

Chol hamoed: what's on

Chol hamoed is when Jerusalem goes out. In a normal year the Biblical Zoo runs workshops and longer hours, the Tower of David runs family tours in English, the Israel Museum, Bloomfield Science Museum and Ein Yael hold holiday programmes, and the parks and springs around the city are full. Book tickets ahead, go early, and see What's on for the week's events and the hikes guide for quieter places.

Schools and kaytanot

The Pesach school holiday is expected to run from about Tuesday 13 to Wednesday 28 April 2027, with classes back on Thursday 29 April; check your school's calendar. Municipal and private holiday kaytanot cover the days before chag; the kaytanot guide explains how they work.

Transport

Buses and the light rail stop on Erev Pesach afternoon and don't run on the first or seventh day.
On chol hamoed they run with extra trips, and night lines have run to the Old City for Birkat Kohanim.
After each yom tov, service restarts in the evening on a Saturday-night timetable.

Mimouna

On the night after Pesach and the following day, families of North African heritage open their homes with mufleta and sweets, and the city's biggest celebration is a huge picnic in Sacher Park on Thursday 29 April, with tens of thousands of people. Bakeries reopen that night, and the queues for the first bread go round the block.

Visiting or renting for Pesach

Holiday apartments and hotels book up months ahead. The holiday rentals checklist covers what to ask about a kosher-for-Pesach kitchen. Late April weather is warm by day (about 22–24°C) and cool at night; see weather by month.

Common questions

When is Pesach 2027?

The seder is on Wednesday night 21 April 2027. The first day is Thursday 22 April, chol hamoed runs from 23 to 27 April, and the seventh day is Wednesday 28 April. Pesach ends that night.

Where can I burn chametz in Jerusalem?

The municipality puts out hundreds of dedicated burning bins around the city in the days before Pesach. Burn before the biur chametz deadline on Erev Pesach morning.