An Israeli Halloween

It's that time of year again, the stores are full of Halloween decorations and candy while houses sport spooky decorations and jack-o-lanterns...well, not really.

In Israel, you won't find children going house to house yelling, "trick or treat!". No candy corn, no corn mazes, and no jack-o-lanterns.

Halloween in Israel is mostly celebrated on the secular level, by which we mean...partying. What you will see are bars and clubs advertising Halloween costume parties to celebrate this spooky night.

How do Christians in Israel celebrate Halloween?

Aside from all these parties, there are Christians in Israel who celebrate Halloween as a religious holiday. For them, the 31st of October is the beginning of the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, a time dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints, martyrs, and the departed. With a number of churches in Israel offering special Mass during these three holy days.

All Saints' Day which is the day after Halloween, is the festival day celebrating and honoring all the saints. While on All Souls' Day, which is on November 2, Christians commemorate the faithful departed, that is, their deceased relatives, friends, and the souls of all Christians.