Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights that lasts eight days. The Holiday is widely celebrated in Israel with symbolic events, foods and customs.
This year, Hanukkah will be celebrated from December 24th to January 1st. This magical time of the year is a great opportunity to explore urban Israel and see the lights of the Hanukkiah shine in the windows and doorways of different neighborhoods all the while tasting the fresh donuts from the bakeries that are specially made for this holiday.
The best places to see the Hanukkah candles are the Old City of Jerusalem, the neighborhood of Nachlaot in Jerusalem and the Old City of Tzfat.
Museums and tourist attractions run special events throughout the week of Hanukkah and in many places there is free entrance for children.
Listed below are some special events that are happening in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv during Hanukkah:
Jerusalem
Hanukkiah lighting at the Western Wall
The Hanukkiah (menorah) at the Western Wall will be lit every night at 16:30 in an iconic public ceremony in the presence of leading rabbis and dignitaries.
The Israel Museum
Free entrance to the museum throughout Hanukkah for children (under 18, excluding workshops, performances, and special events)
Special events at the Israel Museum during Hanukkah
· Aluminum
Tues – Thur | 27 – 29.12 | 11:00, 12:30, 14:00
Excerpts from the international show "Aluminum" with a new performance of music, material, and artists that come together to create a magical, mystery-filled performance combining theater, dance and humor.
· Hanukkah Workshops
Mon - Thur | 26-29.12 | 10 am -3 pm
Different Hanukkah workshops (suitable for children age 6+) are being offered throughout the festival including:
- Hanukkah oil lamps – as in ancient times
- Drawings inspired by artworks on dreidels
- Shadow theater – the story of the Maccabees
- Self-portrait on a mirror with threads – in conjunction with the Wire(less) Connections exhibitions
· Recycling Workshops
Mon - Thur | 26-29.12 | 10 am – 5 pm
A workshop that connects the threads together to create a Hanukkah-lamp shaped mobile
Bloomfield Science Museum
Free entrance to museum throughout Hanukkah for children (under 18, excluding workshops, performances, and special events)
Special Events during Hanukkah at the Bloomfield Science Museum:
In A Different Light – activities, exhibits, displays and workshops for the whole family. Light, shadow, and fire activities for all ages.
· MakeLight: Lights Outside the Box
A special light exhibition for Hanukkah.
The MakeLight exhibit is an annual theme exhibit featuring the work of MAKERS from all over the country. This year’s exhibit, Light Outside the Box is a tribute to the Games in Light and Shadow exhibit that the museum has presented in the past four years. It uses fun and games to shed light on the relationships between the source of light, the body casting a shadow and the area on which the shadow falls. Light Outside the Box exhibit is a celebration of art and creativity and an examination of how far the boundaries of a familiar, everyday phenomenon such as casting a shadow can be pushed.
The contemporary, interactive, humorous works are a unique blend of modern artistry, frequently blurring the lines between art and the principles of science and technology.
· Magic Gloves Workshop – the magic of photochromic color is explored. These special colors change when exposed to sunlight. Participants in the workshop create their own magic gloves and take them home as a souvenir.
· Light Box Workshop – a surprising and entertaining pyramid of light boxes. Families are invited to design their own creations in the LIGHT BOX workshop, combining creativity, imagination, and the spirit of ecology. The light boxes will be incorporated in a structure built by visitors and displayed every day. Register for the workshop at the Museum Information desk. Limited number of places.
· The home of Professor Archibald Shadow. He is a scholar, a dreamer, and a shadow collector. An interactive home, designed in the style of the 1930s, is filled with light and shadow to explore using interactive computerized work of art, interesting objects from all around the world (A shark's jaw, dried lizards, feathers, old devices, huge seashells and more - each having interesting shadows), a shadow making green house and more.
· The Sevivon table interactive exhibit – at the entrance to the Museum there will be a hands-on table of light sevivonim.
Jerusalem - Tower of David Museum
Free entrance to museum throughout hanukkah for children (under 18, excluding workshops, performances, and special events)
Special events during Hanukkah at the Tower of David Museum:
· Holiday Hanukkah Workshops
Mon - Thur | 26-29.12 | 10:30 – 15:30 Fri | 30.12 | 10:00 - 13:30
Creative holiday workshops suitable for children aged 6-12 as well as a toddler / young child room (3-6 years) with creative holiday workshops from 10:30-16: 00 (extra cost)
· The Night Spectacular
The walls of the Citadel serve as a stage for a nighttime show which is a celebration of sight and sound. Amidst the archaeological remains including those that date back to the time of the Maccabees in the Citadel’s courtyard and to the sound of original music, the story of Jerusalem unfolds through giant breathtaking, virtual reality images.
The Night Spectacular uses trompe l’oeil technology – the stones of the walls and structures fade into the scenes and the screened images envelop the viewers and whisk them off to a one-of-a-kind multi-sensory experience.
Advanced booking recommended.
· Hanukkah for Families with Children with Special Needs:
a Hanukkah activity for EVERYONE in the Family followed by a festive candle lighting in the courtyard!
Tuesday | 27.12 | 16:30 - 18:30 | 25 NIS per family
Families with children with special needs are invited to enjoy special activities just for them during the quiet hours in the museum in an inclusive, and positive atmosphere. There will be a storyteller (in Hebrew), creative workshops, dreidel search and guided activities around the citadel, a spectacular view over all of Jerusalem, festive candle lighting and tasty sufganiyot.
· Activity Stations: Story-teller
The story of Hanukkah (in Hebrew) with audience participation Archery – learn about weapons from earlier periods and experience a digital game Look for the Dreidel – Search for the dreidels using the sense of touch. Find the Shape – a game inspired by the shapes and structures of Jerusalem buildings. Family photo – Greeks and Maccabim- Self photos with costumes. Creative Workshop – Preparing sweet bouquets Quiet room
Tel Aviv
Lighting of Hanukkah Candles
Every night from December 24-31, the Hanukkah candles will be lit in Rabin Square, Sarona Square and Habima Square.
Night Light Festival in downtown Tel Aviv
Thurs + Sat | 22+24.12 |
Neve Sha'anan neighborhood was originally designed as a candelabrum. During 2 nights in December (22nd and 24th), the neighborhood will recreate the original candelabrum and illuminate the multicultural abundance and complexity of the neighborhood with dozens of Performances, light installations and projections, music, food, tours, parties, and engaged-art in public and private spaces. The neighborhood will come to life through light and art.
Light-pipes at the Tel Aviv Port
Sat - Sun | 24.12 - 01.01 |17:30 - 00:00
From afar it looks like an alleyway lit with Christmas lights, but as you draw closer you will see dozens of clear pipes covered with shining lights with thousands of rolling balls, all creating together a vast Hanukkah Menorah.