Israel Rosh Hashanah Credit Card Spending Jumps to 1.46 Billion Shekels

Credit card spending in Israel surged ahead of Rosh Hashanah 2026, driven by the holiday falling on a Friday and a condensed shopping window. According to data released on Tuesday by Shva (Automated Banking Services), which manages the national payment system, total credit card spending on Friday, September 11, 2026, reached 1.462 billion shekels. This represents a 10.3% increase—or roughly 137 million shekels—compared to Rosh Hashanah Eve last year (September 22, 2025), which fell on a Monday.

Record-Breaking Spending Pace

Shva reported an extraordinary surge in purchasing momentum, particularly during midday on the holiday eve. Between 12:00 and 13:00, the Israeli public spent a cumulative total of 197.131 million shekels, reflecting what the company termed an exceptionally high and unusual rate of consumption.

"This is an exceptionally high and unusual spending pace," noted representatives from Shva, highlighting the intense consumer activity right before the holiday onset.

Sector Breakdown and Travel Boom

Comparing the week leading up to Rosh Hashanah (September 5–11, 2026) with the equivalent period in 2025 (September 16–22), total spending across major sectors—including aviation, food, electronics, and pharma—rose by 5.06%, climbing from 5.6 billion shekels to 5.9 billion shekels.

The most dramatic jump occurred in travel agencies, which saw a 27.81% surge in credit card expenditures, jumping from 218.612 million shekels to 279.397 million shekels. Domestic hotels and guesthouses also experienced a 5.25% increase, rising from 274.863 million shekels to 289.287 million shekels. Conversely, spending on Israeli airlines dropped by 3.55% to 80.262 million shekels, likely due to the return of international carriers to Israeli airspace.

Supermarkets and Retail Growth

Food remains the largest expense category. Supermarket chains recorded a modest 2.34% increase in credit card spending during the holiday week, moving from 1.834 billion shekels to 1.877 billion shekels. However, a broader two-week analysis requested by ynet showed a 3.3% increase in supermarket spending, indicating that cumulative price increases over the past year contributed to higher overall outlays.

Additional retail sectors also saw notable growth: