Experience culinary delights, games, music, tours and solving ancient riddles.
By MEITAL SHARABIHarvesting olives with HaShomer HaChadash in the Lower Galilee(photo credit: MEITAL SHARABI)
Now that we’ve completed our soul searching for Yom Kippur, it’s time to plan our outings for the week of Succot.During Hol Hamoed, thousands of people will be out enjoying themselves with friends and family in national parks, on tours and at holiday festivals. Here are some of my suggestions for the most worthwhile places to visit this Succot holiday.Kfar TavorDuring Hol Hamoed Succot, the Mis’hag Festival will take place in Kfar Tavor. There will be street artists, as well as music, dance and circus performances.In addition, guests can join tours of the region, play games and win prizes at the fair. And if you’re hungry, you can pick from a variety of food stations serving locally made fare, such as marzipan, wine, cheese and olive oil. In a large succa, visitors can join a discussion about good neighborliness led by Prof. Yossi Katz. If you have time, I also recommend popping into the Museum of Moshava Kfar Tavor where you can learn about the pioneers who founded the village in 1901.Dates: October 18 and 19, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.Location: Rothschild Blvd, Kfar Tavor.Price: Free.Ma’alot-Tarshiha
From October 18 to 20 the second annual Taste of Galilee Food Festival will take place around the Montfort Lake in Ma’alot-Tarshiha. During the music festival, which is appropriate for all ages, there will be nonstop music, including performances by Idan Amedi and Elai Botner & The Outside Kids. There will be food stalls and cold beer, and a few local restaurants will be serving special menus for the festival. Kids will be especially happy to know that they will be treated to three shows a day, wooden games and a petting zoo.Dates: October 18-20, from noon.Location: Montfort Lake, Ma’alot-Tarshiha.Ramat HanadivAnother great Hol Hamoed activity will take place at Ramat Hanadiv. As visitors set out on an exciting search along the path leading to the spring, they will be given riddles that they have to solve on the way. Along the path, guests will see archeological artifacts and an ancient water tunnel where hints for solving the riddles can be found. I bet you can’t wait to find out what happened to the jug of wine in the end. Comfortable walking shoes are required.Dates: October 19 and 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.Price: Entrance and activities are all free.HaShomer HaChadashThis Succot, The Hashomer HaChadash movement is inviting the public to an exciting olive harvest festival, which will take place at Ein Kamonim Farm near Kadarim Intersection in the Lower Galilee. Visitors are invited to participate in a guided tour of the olive grove, which will also include olive picking and an olive marinating workshop.Alternatively, you could volunteer to do some agricultural work, play in the petting zoo, feed the animals, make pitot on a taboon (type of oven) or prepare arts and crafts to hang in your succa. You’ll also be able to dress up in old-style agricultural clothing and have your picture taken in front of a barn.Dates: October 19 and 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Location: Ein Kamonim.Price: Free.Pre-registration required: 050-881- 8217.The Negev mountainsNow that the weather is getting cooler, we can set out for a tour of the Negev. The Negev mountains are once again preparing challenging activities for visitors this Hol Hamoed. Geofun is offering Segway and bicycle tours along the edge of the Ramon Crater, and Dror in the Desert is back by popular demand with his incredible sand surfing. And if you’re looking for an activity that is a little more stationary, you might be interested in a workshop where you’ll learn to make paper flowers or organic soap. In Kadesh Barnea, kids will love taking part in the Paper from the Desert workshop. Shira Slapter will teach you how to peel, cook, write and dry plant fibers to make aromatic paper.Dates: October 20-22, 11 a.m.Price: NIS 40 (from age 4).Pre-registration recommended: 050-877-5490.Naharayim Lots of fun activities will be taking place this Succot at Naharayim Park.In an environmental rehabilitation project in conjunction with the Israel Electric Company, the Naharayim hydroelectric power plant that was built by Pinhas Rutenberg, is once again up and working after having been abandoned 80 years ago. You can walk along (or take a guided tour of) the path that goes along the dam and then view the island of peace, the railway bridge and the King’s Gate. If you continue along the path, you’ll reach the dam’s overflow waterfall.Location: Naharayim Park, Ashdot Ya’acov.Pre-registration recommended: (04) 670-9143.Sussiya At the site of the ancient Sussiya there will be activities, such as a game in which children get to play a character from a Day in Life of the Sussiya Community. Participants will meet Shaltiel, the local police commander, who will give everyone a map and a few tips to help get them started. They’ll pass through 11 stations, during which they’ll tease and sort wool, weave fabrics, grind flour, knead dough, bake pitot and solve riddles. At the end of the game, all the participants will gather their clues and try to solve the riddle: Where did the leader of ancient Sussiya disappear to? After solving the mystery, the kids can have their picture taken wearing the dress-up clothing.Dates: October 18-20.Price: child NIS 35, adult NIS 29, family rate NIS 175.Details: (02) 628-6212.Ma’aleh GilboaEmek Hama’ayanot invites the public to take part in an experience for the whole family at the wind farm on Kibbutz Ma’aleh Gilboa. Guests can join a guided tour of the visitors’ center, participate in an interactive game during which they’ll learn how wind turbines are built, watch a short film about wind power, or walk around the turbines. The tour ends at the Dubi and Eran Shamir Lookout. Tours will begin every hour on the hour. In addition, visitors can create weather vanes and kites.Dates: Hol Hamoed Succot, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Price: NIS 15 per person or NIS 70 per family. Workshops: NIS 10 to NIS 25.Pre-registration is required: 052-811-4645.Translated by Hannah Hochner.