IMPORTANT! TWO WEEK holiday coming up!
Elnatan Marcus
Dear Technion International Community,
Since this is the Jewish holiday season, some things might seem a bit different and you might want to know why.
Beginning on the Jewish New Year, which we celebrated last week, are 10 days which in the Jewish tradition are days of forgiveness. These special 10 days end on a special holiday Yom Kippur- Day of Atonement.
Yom Kippur- Day of Atonement (Tuesday-Wednesday, September 22-23/2015)
Yom Kippur is a very important Jewish holiday. Unlike a normal holiday, this day is a fast day, and it takes place once a year.
On this day, people do not eat or drink for about 25 hours and do not play music or even drive their cars. Religious people spend most of their holiday in the synagogue in prayer other tend to visit the synagogue area and feel the special spirit of the day.
You might see many people dressed all white walking around the silent streets and since usually no cars are on the road, many children take advantage of the situation to ride their bikes in the streets.
Please keep this in mind and try to respect those around you by not playing loud music and generally trying to keep it down.
This might seem like an ordinary weekend (Shabbat) but it is important to remember that unlike Saturdays, this time, all shops, restaurants, convenient stores, groceries stores, bars and movie theaters WILL NOT be open on that day and will close starting early afternoon of September 22nd.
If fasting is not your thing- you might want to stock up on some food beforehand.
Public transportation:
Public transportation within Haifa will stop on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 22nd (much like Friday afternoons between 14:00-16:00, differing between bus lines) and will resume on Wednesday evening, September 24th a little later than usual (around 20:30).
You could always look up bus schedules on Egged’s website.
Please note the opening hours of Technion Pool & Gym for Yom Kippur:
|
Day |
Date |
Holiday |
Hours |
|
Tue |
22/09/15 |
Yom Kippur Eve |
05:30 - 12:00 |
|
Wed |
23/09/15 |
Yom Kippur |
Closed! |
Technion Offices & Facilities:
Starting Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015 all Technion Offices, libraries and other services will close for TWO WEEKS. Therefore between September 22nd – October 6th, 2015 Technion offices including Technion International offices will NOT be open.
Sukkot (September 27th- October 5th/2015):
Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)
Sukkot falls on the fifteenth day of Tishrei in the Hebrew calendar and lasts for seven days. Historically, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters referred to as “Sukkot” or “booths.” Sukkot is also a harvest festival and is sometimes referred to as the “Festival of Ingathering.”
Special traditions: The building of a Sukkah (singular for Sukkot) and spending time inside it. Most people eat their meals in a Sukkah, others may also choose to sleep in it, weather permitting.
During these days, Technion offices, libraries and services WILL BE CLOSED.
The sport facilities such as the pool will be open, with a few changes in the operation hours:
|
Day |
Date |
Holiday |
Hours |
|
Sun |
27/09/15 |
Sukkot Eve |
05:30 - 18:00 |
|
Mon |
28/09/15 |
Sukkot |
06:00 - 18:00 |
|
Tue |
29/09/15 |
Sukkot Weekday 1 |
05:30 - 23:00 No separation |
|
Wed |
30/09/15 |
Sukkot Weekday 2 |
05:30 - 20:00 |
|
Thu |
01/10/15 |
Sukkot Weekday 3 |
05:30 - 23:00 |
|
Fri |
02/10/15 |
Sukkot Weekday 4 |
05:30 - 18:00 |
|
Sat |
03/10/15 |
Sukkot Weekday 5 |
06:00 - 18:00 |
|
Sun |
04/10/15 |
Sukkot Holiday 2 Eve |
05:30 - 18:00 |
|
Mon |
05/10/15 |
Sukkot Holiday 2 |
06:00 - 18:00 |
Sukkot Eve and 1st holiday (September 28-29/2015):
Sukkot Eve will be on Sunday, September 28, will mark the first day of Sukkot beginning the 8 days of Sukkot when people celebrate the first and last day, which will be held October 5th 2015. These days will seem like a regular weekend (Sabbath).
Weekends during that period (Fridays-Saturdays), will be just as normal weekends and the remaining weekdays, will be pretty normal as well.
Public transportation
Public transportation will run as usual and stores will be open during the weekdays as usual.
Please note:
Public transportation, within Haifa will stop on the afternoon of Sunday, September 27th (much like Friday afternoons between 14:00-16:00, differing between bus lines) and will resume on the evening of September 28th.
The same would be on October 4-5.
Night Buses, such as bus No. 200, run as usual.
Throughout this holiday, places like bars and convenient stores are open throughout the week and except for the specific dates I’ve stated above grocery stores and supermarkets will be open as usual.
Reminder
If you are leaving the country for the break please make sure of two things:
1. First and foremost- let us know about it!
2. Make sure you have a multiple entrance visa as was written in the letter you received from the visa coordinator
3. That you have a valid health insurance. For students insured by Harel – Yedidim, please note that Harel health insurance only covers you while in Israel. If something happens to you even in your home country (where you may have an own insurance) and you start a procedure there, it will not be covered in Israel upon your return. When leaving the country you need to apply for blue white travel insurance.
I wish you all a great new year, G'mar Chatima Tova (a greeting said before Yom Kippur, wishing a fresh new start) Chag Sameach\ חג שמח (Happy Holiday) and will see you soon for the start of a wonderful year!