Sukkot in Jerusalem: Dates, Events, Birkat Kohanim and What's Open

Short answer for 2026: Sukkot begins on Friday evening, 25 September, and the first day falls on Shabbat, 26 September. Chol hamoed runs from Sunday 27 September to Friday 2 October (Hoshana Rabba). Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, which in Israel are a single day, fall on Shabbat again, 3 October, with hakafot shniyot across the city on Saturday night. The Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall is on Monday 28 September and Thursday 1 October, and the Jerusalem March is on Monday 28 September.

Sukkot 2026 at a glance

• Friday 25 September — Erev Sukkot. Shops close early, transport stops for Shabbat and Yom Tov. Candle-lighting times are on our Shabbat page.
• Shabbat 26 September — first day of Sukkot. Shabbat and Yom Tov together.
• Sunday 27 September to Thursday 1 October — chol hamoed. Schools are off, museums and parks put on programmes, and the city fills with visitors.
• Monday 28 September. Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel, and the Jerusalem March.
• Thursday 1 October. The second Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel.
• Friday 2 October — Hoshana Rabba. A short Friday; everything winds down early for Shabbat and the chag.
• Shabbat 3 October — Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Hakafot in every shul.
• Saturday night 3 October — hakafot shniyot. Outdoor dancing with live music in neighbourhoods across the city, and at the Kotel from about 22:00.

Birkat Kohanim at the Western Wall

Twice during chol hamoed, hundreds of kohanim bless tens of thousands of people at the Kotel. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation lists Shacharit at 8:45, the blessing at about 9:30, Musaf at about 10:15 and the second blessing at about 10:30. It is one of the largest gatherings of the year.

• Come early, or come on foot. Roads around the Old City close and the light rail and buses are packed; people walk in from the centre through Jaffa Gate or from the City of David side.
• Expect security checks at the entrances to the plaza and long queues. Bring water and a hat, and keep children close.
• If you only want the atmosphere, the ceremony is broadcast live, and the plaza is calmer in the afternoon.

The Jerusalem March

On Monday 28 September, thousands of Israelis and visitors walk routes of 5, 9 and 12 kilometres through the city and its green edges, starting from 07:00 and ending with a festival in Sacher Park. It is free; the municipality's site has the routes and registration. It is a good family morning if you start early and bring water.

Chol hamoed: what's on

Everything below is running this Sukkot, with the organisers' own dates and times. Programmes change during the week, so check the link before you set out. For community events added day by day, see What's on.

Day by day

• Sunday 27 September. The Mayor's Sukkah in Safra Square is open 08:00–20:00, and the holiday celebration at the Farm in the Valley runs 11:00–18:00.
• Monday 28 September. The day with the most going on: Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel from 8:45, and the Jerusalem March from 07:00, ending with a festival in Sacher Park. In the evening, Ehud Banai plays Amphi on the Hill at Ammunition Hill.
• Tuesday 29 September. Ivri Lider at Ammunition Hill in the evening.
• Wednesday 30 September. Hadag Nahash at Ammunition Hill in the evening.
• Thursday 1 October. The second Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel, with the same crowds and road closures as Monday.
• Friday 2 October, Hoshana Rabba. Plan a morning outing only; everything closes early for Shabbat and Simchat Torah.

With children

• Bloomfield Science Museum: holiday workshops and science shows for all ages. Tickets must be booked in advance.
• The Biblical Zoo: guided feedings, a petting corner and a story hour about the zoo's baby elephant, with different activities each day. Buy tickets online.
• Animals in Cubes at Cinema City: more than 50 giant animals built from toy bricks. Paid entry and paid parking.
• The National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Givat Ram: family tours where children get a researcher's notebook, solve riddles and make a copy of an ancient mosaic. Book ahead.
• Hava Farm in the Ben Hinnom Valley, run with the City of David: pita on the saj, lulav weaving, making a seal in ancient script, and olive-press, forging and pottery demonstrations.
• The Temple Mount Sifting Project at Mitzpe HaMasuot: sift real earth from the Temple Mount for finds, then paint a stone to take home. There is a sukkah on site.
• The Tower of David: holiday activities in the citadel, and the view from Phasael Tower over the sukkahs on the Old City's roofs. The night show is a separate ticket.
• The Israel Museum is open all week; its Ruth Youth Wing has exhibitions and art studios made for children. The Time Elevator in Mamilla takes children from age 5.

Free

• The laser show. High LIGHT JLM is projected over the city from the Armon Hanatziv promenade every evening of Sukkot, 20:30–21:30. No registration.
• The Hurva Synagogue. Entry is free during Sukkot while there is space, including the 360-degree view from the dome. Registering ahead is recommended.
• Teddy Park. The fountain below Jaffa Gate runs water shows at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, and a show with lights and music at 20:00.
• Gazelle Valley. The park is free with no booking, with a flat paved path for pushchairs and a free-roaming herd of mountain gazelles.
• Simchat Beit Hashoeva. Celebrations with music and dancing are held at yeshivot, shuls and community centres most nights, usually free.

Tours and evenings out

• A Sukkot tour of the Haredi courtyards with Jerusalem Outside the Box runs 12:00–14:00 on chol hamoed, looking at how Jerusalem's Haredi communities keep the festival. Paid, with tickets online.
• Amphi on the Hill. The three Ammunition Hill concerts above are paid; book ahead.

Out of town

The forests and springs around the city are at their busiest this week. Go early, and see the hikes guide for quieter options, or things to do for prices, booking rules and parking at every attraction.

Eating in a sukkah

Most kosher restaurants in the centre, Emek Refaim and the malls put up a sukkah, and hotels open their sukkahs to diners. Book ahead for dinner during chol hamoed. Many restaurants close for the first day and for Shmini Atzeret, and some close for the whole week, so check before you go. Our eating-out guide covers how to choose.

Transport, schools and shops

• Transport. The light rail and buses run on chol hamoed but not on the first day or on Shmini Atzeret. On Birkat Kohanim days and the march day, expect closures and full trains. Getting around explains the network.
• Schools and ganim. Closed for the whole holiday. Municipal and private holiday kaytanot run on chol hamoed; the kaytanot guide explains how they work.
• Shops and offices. Supermarkets are open on chol hamoed with normal or slightly shorter hours, and Friday hours on the eve of each chag. Many offices, clinics and government services work reduced hours or close for the week.
• Security. The safety guide covers crowded events and the Home Front Command app.

If you are new here

Sukkot is when many families discover how much of Israeli life stops for a week. The Shabbat and chagim guide explains the rhythm of the whole year.

Common questions

When is Sukkot 2026?

Sukkot begins on Friday evening, 25 September 2026. The first day is Shabbat 26 September, chol hamoed runs from 27 September to Hoshana Rabba on 2 October, and Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah fall on Shabbat 3 October.

When is Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel on Sukkot 2026?

On Monday 28 September and Thursday 1 October, with the blessings at about 9:30 after Shacharit and about 10:30 during Musaf.

Is Sukkot a yom tov?

The first day of Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret are yom tov, with the same restrictions as a festival day. The days in between, chol hamoed, are working days with holiday character. In Israel each yom tov is one day.

Does public transport run during Sukkot in Jerusalem?

Yes on chol hamoed, although it is crowded on big event days. There is none on the first day or on Shmini Atzeret.

Hebrew you will meet

• סוכה — sukkah — the booth
• ארבעת המינים — arba'at ha-minim — the four species (lulav, etrog, hadassim, aravot)
• חול המועד — chol ha-moed — the intermediate days
• ברכת כהנים — birkat kohanim — the Priestly Blessing
• הקפות שניות — hakafot shniyot — the second hakafot, on the night after Simchat Torah
• חג שמח — chag sameach — happy holiday

More everyday words are in our Hebrew vocabulary guide.

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