The Jewish week-long Festival of Lights is right around the corner. This year, Hanukkah begins on the night of December 25 and ends on January 2.
If you are looking for ideas on how to entertain your children throughout the holiday, or simply want to enjoy the spirit of the festival in the Holy Land — we have got you covered!
Festigal
Festigal is a musical show for kids and teens held every year during Hanukkah, and this year through February 6, making stops at most Israeli cities.
Each year, the event is built around a particular theme and features Israeli children’s TV show stars as well as popular singers and actors. This year’s show will have performances by Israeli pop royalty Noa Kirel and Anna Zak, among many others.
Ticket prices range from 25 shekels ($7) to 180 shekels ($50), depending on the package, and can be purchased here.
Museums
Most museums around the country stage events for Hanukkah, and this year is no exception. Check the official websites of each museum for the planned itinerary during the holiday week.
Notable activities this year include:
- Technological shows, exhibitions and workshops at The Israel National Museum of Science, Technology, and Space in Haifa, for kids aged five and up. Tickets can be purchased here.
- Exhibitions, tours and competitive sporting events for the whole family at Jewish Sports Museum in Ramat Gan. Tickets can be purchased here.
- Tours that tell “the culinary stories of the Jewish people from Biblical times to the present day” at ANU – Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv. Tickets can be purchased here.
- Tours, performances and exhibitions, including an entire exhibition dedicated to the holiday of Hanukkah, at The Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Tickets can be purchased here.
Coexistence events
Since Christmas Eve this year falls on the same day as the first night of Hanukkah, Israeli municipalities with significant Christian populations decided to stage festivities that incorporate both holidays.
In Jerusalem, there is a Christmas Market and Christmas Concert at the Jerusalem International YMCA, which recently hosted the annual Jerusalem Christmas tree lighting ceremony. In addition, there’s the “High Light” Hanukkah laser show at the Commissioner’s Palace that promises a mesmerizing visual spectacle alongside food stands serving holiday treats.
In Tel Aviv-Yafo, the municipality is staging “Lighting Up Jaffa” events to mark the winter holiday season. A giant menorah was installed at the entrance to Jaffa, while two other areas of the quarter are illuminated with installations of dreidels.
Haifa, which has been heavily impacted by the war in Lebanon over the past year, has been decorating the streets to mark both Hanukkah and Christmas, as well as incorporate Muslim symbols, in honor of the holiday of Eid-al-Adha.
Additionally, Beit Hagafen, Haifa’s Jewish Arab cultural center, is hosting a series of events incorporating all the religious winter holidays under the umbrella of “The Holiday of Holidays.”
Hanukkah festival in Eilat
The tropical weather of Israel’s southernmost city doesn’t scream “WINTER HOLIDAY,” but it may be the most fun option yet. The festival, which is part of a larger Hanukkah fair, will feature circus acts, living sculptures, live shows, food trucks and more.
The festival takes place between December 30 and January 1 at Terminal Park Eilat. The best part is that entry is free.
Hanukkah with the Bedouin
This option may not be the first to come to mind when it comes to celebrating Hanukkah, but it will definitely leave you with a lasting impression.
Project Wadi Attir in the northern Negev, near the Bedouin town of Hura, combines Bedouin culture and experience with progressive notions of sustainability and green technologies. For Hanukkah this year, the project is offering a variety of family-oriented activities, such as creative workshops and lessons on Bedouin culture and tradition.
The complex also offers guided tours throughout its vast property that includes a farm, medicinal herb area and a petting zoo.
The activities take place between December 28 and January 1. There’s no admission fee, but rather a “pay what you can” policy for participation in workshops.
Donut-related activities
Hanukkah donuts, or sufganiyot, are an inseparable part of the festivities associated with the holiday. The sufganiyot market has exploded over the past few years, with major bakery chains trying to outdo each other in design and taste variety.
You can either celebrate Hanukkah by forking over the dough for a few eye-popping sufganiyot at legendary bakeries such as Roladin, or you can sign up for a workshop at Givatayim-based pastry shop SHIRIZ and decorate your own. For more details, click here.
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