While several traditional festivals and events were canceled in light of the war, there are still several creative and family-friendly alternatives in Israel where parents can take their children for free to enjoy a vibrant holiday environment.
The festivities include the SHOW festival, karting, and inflatable monsters, an interactive Hanukkah journey, stations for donut-baking, clay pot-making, dreidel-making, and more.
Netanya
A Hanukkah festival for the whole family: a donut factory, dreidel-making, oil pots, and Hanukkah gelt.
The coastal city of Netanya will host a Hanukkah festival featuring all the authentic customs of the holiday and a variety of activities, listed below:
Donut factory: the unique experience of making donuts - with a wide variety of flavors and colors, special spreads, and colorful candies.
A dreidel-making area: children will be able to create personally designed dreidels that are filled with candies. Those who wish will be able to donate to soldiers.
Hanukkah gelt station: creation of chocolate Hanukkah gelt packets, adorned with festive and spectacular decorations.
Oil pot sculpting station: a unique clay oil pot sculpting station - an opportunity to create personal works of art commemorating one of the main symbols of the holiday using mosaic stones and glitter.
When: The festival will take place on December 11-13, 2023, from 12:00-18:00.
Where: In the Ir Yamim mall, Netanya. Entrance is free.
The festival will take place in accordance with the directives of the Home Front Command
Be'er Ya'akov
Festive inflatable festival in honor of Hanukkah:
The "Friendly Inflatables" festival will include a wide variety of attractions, including inflatables, swings, go-karting, a fair area with prizes, and many other surprises waiting for children (admission is free).
The festival will be divided into four areas: Inflatable area - a variety of inflatables in the form of friendly monsters, on which children can jump and have fun; a large karting area with racing bikes; fairgrounds - a variety of positions: shooting at a target, dropping a can, threading a hoop, prizes, and swings for young children.
When: 10-13.12.2023
12:00-17:00
Where: Bar Ya'akov Mall
Entrance is free.
Kiryat Ata
The "SHOW" Hanukkah festival: colorful full moon party, shows, plays, circus - every day a different show - at the North Gate Mall.
The festival will be opened by a colorful full moon party and the Shambuki show - an entertaining circus show for the whole family. There will be creative art areas inspired by Hanukkah, inside a magical area that greets visitors with rhythmic music and glowing lights, where a professional make-up station will await visitors that will allow children to apply bright and luminous make-up.
On Sunday (10.12) there will be a magic show on Khushi, followed by a donut-baking workshop in a variety of shapes and flavors. On Monday (11.12) there will be a "young chef workshop." On Tuesday (12.12), the "No Problem" circus will arrive - a juggling, fire, and unicycle show that combines the classic circus and the modern circus. Wednesday (12.13) is the show of Matan the Great - a clown and circus show that combines bicycles, bubbles, and balloons of all sizes. On Thursday (14.12), Ner Shamini will close the festival with the performance of Danny Martin - the circus artist who combines special tricks from the world of juggling and the circus in combination with spectacular balance pieces.
The festival will take place between 7/12 - 14/12.
The shows will take place at 17:30 every evening, followed by the Hanukkah candle-lighting event and the distribution of donuts. Entrance is free.
Herzliya
Interactive Hanukkah journey: baking area, art area, Hanukkah gelt
Children will enjoy a variety of activities that are suitable for the whole family, starting with the baking area where they will enjoy making decorated donuts in various shapes, as well as latkes. An art complex will be established where they will produce colored candles, wooden menorahs, special lanterns, Hamran embroidery lamps, and embroidery of Hamran coins. Who doesn't like Hanukkah gelt? Enjoy a station where chocolate coins will be made for Hanukkah gelt, and placed in small bags. In a winter station, children will design scarves, warm woolen hats, snow flasks, and designed winter socks.
When: The festival will be held on Sunday-Wednesday December 10-13/12, at the following hours: 11:00-14:00 and 16:00-19:00.
How much: free entry
Where: Herzliya Mall of the Seven Stars