Great shopping deals!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you

It's a great time to look for deals. They're actually everywhere! 

I found a whole lot of interesting things on Amazon that are priced at $10 or so or less, and qualify for free shipping to Israel with your $49 order.

Maybe some of these are things you were looking for?

Hope this helps someone out there!

• Star Wars footed sleepers
• Women's Fleece Zip-Up Jacket (made of recycled materials) - buy now for next winter and save big! 
• Swimwear separates for a great price! Tops: Tankini, Crop top. Various style bottoms: These or these or these.
• Men's cotton flannel shirts (some colors are marked down to under $8) 
• Nursing t-shirt
• Bra 2-pack
• Leaf-patterned table runner
• Tea towel gift set
• Set of 4 trivets

Remember - when you're buying from overseas, the limit for tax-free purchases is $75. Amazon will show any applicable taxes at checkout before you finalize your purchase - I recommend splitting your order if you go over the $75 limit.

Other websites don't necessarily calculate taxes at checkout - so it's highly recommended to check carefully so you can avoid surprises. Right now, $75 is about 275 NIS. This can change so check before you checkout!

Free Help Filing Israeli Taxes for Last Tax Year (2023 taxes)!

Every year, many of us have to file a yearly tax report with the Israel Tax Authority.

Many, many people pay an accountant to handle this report, but did you know that in some cases you can also get FREE help?

Here's the deal:

The Israel Tax Authority runs Free Clinics for filing yearly tax reports: this year, assistance is available for Atzmaim (freelancers/self employed people) with income up to 60,000 NIS using Form 137, people who need to file a tax report using Form 1301, and employed individuals requested a refund using Form 135.

Find this help HERE:

Regional Tax Offices will operate these services between May 5, 2024 and June 26, 2024, Sundays and Wednesdays from 1pm - 6:00pm.

Some offices may be closed on certain days of the week. I recommend calling before you go to verify they are open!

In Eilat, the service will be available only on Mondays and Wednesdays. In Um Al Fahem, the service is only available on Sundays. 

NOTE: These clinics are ONLY for getting help filing your yearly tax report or a request for a refund for employed people (only forms 1301, 137, and 135).

Bring ALL your relevant paperwork with you so you can get the most accurate assistance.

Good luck!

Follow me on Facebook for more tips and info!

 

International Museum Day - FREE Museum Admission!

this post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you.

Don't miss this! International Museum Day is here - Get FREE admission on May 9, 2024 to the museum of your choice: Choose from the list of participating museums below!

Looking for something else to do? Check out these workshops, tours, and more!

NOTE: Some of the museums require advance registration.

Be sure to visit the ICOM site and register to avoid disappointment.

Participating Museums:

Center/Merkaz:

Beit HaGedudim

Man and The Living World Museum

Fetter Museum of Art and Nanoscience at The Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials

Liebling Haus - White City Centre

Rishon Lezion City Art Gallery

Museum of the Sea at Palmachim

The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History

Gallery 10 at Beit Michal

Edmond de Rothschild Centre

Rishon Lezion Museum

Botanical Gardens at Kfar Monash

Holon History Museum and Archive

Lechi Museum

Tel Aviv City Museum

Ramat Gan Museum of Israeli Art

Ramle Museum

Weizmann Museum

Netanya History Museum

Ilana Gur Museum

Petah Tikvah Museum of Art

Bank of Israel Visitors Center

Ramat HaSharon Geological Museum

The Religious Zionism Center

Mazkeret Batya Settlement Museum

Josef Bau Museum

The Land of Israel Museum

The Shenker Israeli Design Center

Petach Tikvah Pioneers Museum

Tel Aviv Museum of Art

Rechovot City Art Gallery

Bat Yam Museums

Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art

Agam Museum

Rubin House Museum

Etzel 1948 Museum

Rechovot Miniatures Museum

Museum of Babylonian Jewry

Israeli Comics Museum

Puppetry Arts Museum

Jewish Sports Museum

Anu Museum of the Jewish People

Museum of Man and the Environment

Yad L'Banim Rechovot

Kfar Sava Museum

Hagana Museum

Nachum Guttman Art Museum

Yitzchak Rabin Center 

Bialik Center

The Lod Mosaic Archaeological Center

The Azor Archaeology Museum

Beit Theresienstadt

Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center

Jerusalem Area

Heichal Shlomo

Old Yishuv Court Museum

Museum on the Seam

The Bloomfield Jerusalem Museum of Science

The Museum of Islamic Art

The Moshe Castel Museum of Art

Tower of David Museum

Museum of Italian Jewry

The Hebron Visitors Center "Touching eternity"

Hasmonean Heritage Museum

Yad VaShem

The President's Hut

Museum of The Underground Prisoners Jerusalem

Jerusalem Nature Museum

Karaite Heritage Center

The Bible Lands Museum

The Israel Museum

South

Ben Gurion's Hut

The Photo House

Museum of Bedouin Culture

The Negev Museum of Art and The Museum of Islamic and Near Eastern Cultures

Museum of Philistine Culture

Eilat Art Gallery

North

The Mizgaga Museum

Madatek 

Ein Dor Museum

Khan Museum of Hadera

Sturman Museum

The Emek Museum

Mishkan Museum of Art

Wilifred Museum

Knights' Halls, Old Akko

Uri & Rami Nehoshtan Museum

Ghetto Fighters' House Lohamei HaGeta'ot

Haifa Museum of Art

Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art

National Maritime Museum

Haifa City Museum

Hermann Struck Museum

Dubrovin Farm

Bet She'an Museum

ORRYTA Gallery

Circassian Museum

ICA Museum Farmers Courtyards Kfar Tavor

Regba Aqueduct

Museum of Yarmukian Culture

Hecht Museum

First Aliyah Museum

Fisher House Kiryat Ata City Museum

Zinati House - Pekiin Jewish Heritage

Museum of The Underground Prisoners Akko

Janco-Dada Museum, Ein Hod

Naharayim at Gesher

The Train Museum (Haifa)

Beit Yemei Binyamina

Umm al-Fahm Art Gallery

Chana Senesh (Anna Szenes) House

Looking for something else to do? Check out these workshops, tours, and more!

Guide to Free activities on Pesach

I just HAD to take a break from Pesach cleaning to share this:

Here's the list of Bank Hapoalim's free attractions for Pesach 2024. I have linked to websites in English, whenever possible. I hope you find this list helpful, and that you get to have some super-frugal fun over Pesach!

*Please note that I put a lot of effort into this post, tracking down websites in English for your convenience. I know the Bank Hapoalim info and other info is available to the public in Hebrew, but this blog post has added benefits for the English-speaking community. Because it was so much work, I request that you link back to this post if you share this information. Thank you!*

Please leave a comment with your favorite place to visit!

If you haven't already, go ahead and like my Facebook page so you don't miss out on deals and great info all year round!

The following are free to the public (April 24-28) courtesy of Bank HaPoalim. Pre-registration is required, and will open on Sunday, April 21. Click here to register

North:

The Wilfrid Museum 

The National Maritime Museum

Mishkan Museum of Art, Ein Harod

The Haifa Museum of Art

The Janco-Dada Museum 

The Ghetto Fighters' House Museum

Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art

The Golan Archaeological Museum

The Haifa City Museum

The Treasures in The Walls Museum

Yigal Allon Center

Hermann Struck Museum

Central Israel:

The Etzel 1948 Museum

The Yemenite Jewry Heritage Museum

The Tel Aviv Museum of Art

The Lechi Museum

Bialik House

The Etzel Museum

The Umm-El-Fahm Art Gallery

Beit HaGalgalim - House of Wheels

Planetanya

The Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art

Anu Museum of the Jewish People

The Rabin Center Israeli Museum

Design Museum Holon

The Nachum Gutman Museum of Art

The Israeli Cartoon Museum

Palmach House Museum

The Ramat Gan Museum of Israeli Art

The Rubin Museum

The Haganah Museum

4 Jerusalem: 

The Farm in the Valley

Israel Museum

Jerusalem Walls Tour

The Bible Lands Museum

The Hasmonean Heritage Museum (Modiin)

Museum of Islamic Art

South:

Ba'Ofen (Bike Rides)

Meshek 77 (Strawberry picking and more)

Kibbutz Chatzerim Visitors Center

The Tzon Barzel Heritage Museum

Lunada Children's Museum

Park Timna

Ben Gurion's Hut

Beta Israel Village

The Joe Alon Center for Bedouin Culture

The Legends of Yamit Visitors' Center

The Corinne Mamane Museum of Philistine Culture

The Salad Trail

Chavat HaDekalim Petting Zoo

Ron Art Judaica Studio

The Sderot Founders' Museum

The Negev Pioneers Site at Ruchama

The Sea Museum

Other venues that are also FREE:

The Gush Katif Museum, Nitzan - free to the public on April 24-25, 10am - 4pm. *8947

Tower of David Museum, Jerusalem has special programming for Pesach. Free for kids under 18, Miluimnikim and their families, and evacuees from the North and South. April 24-25, 10am - 6pm

Namal Tel Aviv has several free activities over Pesach. Different activities are available on different dates, check the schedule for more info

Tiyul around the Kinneret, Thursday, April 25. Registration is required. Click here to register for the short one at 9 am or the long on at 11am.

Ramat Hanadiv, Zichron Yaakov. April 24-25, from 10am - 2pm. Outdoor fun - Click here for details. The event is free but the parking lot is not.

First Aliyah Museum, Zichron Yaakov. April 24-25, 9am - 4pm, April 26, 9am - 2pm

Spring Festival at JNF (Keren Kayemet LaYisrael) parks. Specific locations - details and registration links HERE 

Mapah U'Matzah events at National Heritage Sites:
April 24: Golani Memorial Site, Kfar Sava Museum, Mikve Israel Visitors Center

April 25: ICA Museum Farmers Courtyards Kfar Tavor, The Emek Train Site in Kfar Yehoshua, the Khan Museum Hadera, 

April 24 & 25: Atlit Detention Camp, Herzl Center at Har Herzl, Gush Katif Museum, The Future of the Desert in Yerucham, My City Eilat Museum

Israel Parks and Nature: free guided tours at various sites. Register HERE 

Eco-Park Hadera, Spring Festival April 25, 10am - 4pm

More coming soon, as I find them!

5 ​ 6
Have a great time!

Please share this with your friends, so everyone can plan a fun and frugal Pesach!

Chocolate Cake (Vegan)

this post contains afflilate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you!

My go-to cake lately is chocolate cake. And it's a super simple recipe. (And more often than not, one of my kids makes it.) And it always gets compliments. AND it's vegan!

So since several people asked about it, I'm posting it here. 

The thing about this recipe is it's deep chocolate flavor. REAL dutched cocoa is the secret. If possible, don't use any other kind. And certainly don't substitute with that weird powder Israelis call chocolate for baking. It will be all wrong, so just don't, ok? Thanks!

Vegan Chocolate Cake

This recipe makes 2 cakes - 9 inch round or 8 inch square both work. Actually, this week I made it in my 8.5 inch bread pans and it was extra moist and delicious!

3 cups flour (I used 80% whole spelt, but really any flour should work)
2/3 cups dutched cocoa powder (I get it in the shuk in Teverya, I'm sure you can find it other places too. If you live near me, you can join our group orders from the store that carries them! Be in touch!)
2 cups sugar
0.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking soda

MIX all the above together in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.

Add:
1/3 cup oil (I use sunflower oil, but use whatever you prefer)
1 cup cold coffee (plain, unsweetened, no milk, nothing whatsover added!)
1 cup cold water
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

MIX everything together until well combined. Pour batter into lined or greased and floured pans.

Optional, but highly recommended: 1/2 bag or more of chocolate chips - sprinkled on top!

Bake at 190C for about 35 minutes (test with a toothpick before declaring them done). Cool before cutting.

Enjoy! Let me know what you think!

 

UPDATED: Buy Blue & White from Overseas (with the convenience of Amazon)

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at NO additional cost to you! Thanks for your support!

Today's post is this UPDATED post. It's for my friends and followers and everyone outside of Israel, who love Israel and want to support the people here, i.e. "Buy Blue & White".

It's become SUPER easy to support some Israeli businesses from outside of Israel! So I'd like to help everyone stand in solidarity with Israel with this "Buy Blue & White" guide.

So many companies make it easy to buy their products from the USA - especially those with Amazon storefronts (and many ship to other countries too)!

I'm happy to share some options with you - all of the items listed below are a great way to support an Israeli-owned business and still have the convenience of shopping online! I'm sure there are lots more options, but in the meantime - here are the ones that I know of: 

(I hope to keep adding to this list)

Buy Israeli wines (free shipping on 12 or more bottles and $15 off your $200 order with code KW15)

Many Israeli products - art, jewelry, etc - are available at judaica.com (use the link to begin your purchase AND use code SHOP10 for an extra discount)

You can make your own seltzer (carbonated water) using the iconic Sodastream machine. 

Or buy beautiful Judaica items, like an Emanuel mezuzah case or chanukiyah, or even a great Havdallah travel set! Also from Emmanuel: Chanukah Kippot, Jerusalem Kippot, painted wooden kiddush cup and coaster, "Yeled Tov/Yaldah Tovah" hammered stainless steel kiddush cups, hammered nickel kiddush cups, and colorful candlesticks.

Buy beautiful jewelry from Paz Creations. Also NanoStyle and Happy Lolli.

Refael Jewelry Designer sells handmade jewelry from Israel.

Also check out embroidered jewelry boxes.

Nurture your plants with a LeGrow planter set. 

Display your love of Israel with these Jerusalem-themed ArtTrivets.

Display beautiful Israel on your wall with an Israel Photo Art Calendar!

Decorate your home with beautiful wooden Wall Art from Tohar Design Store, or a fun Chanukah table runner, or a painted washing cup.

If you love music, check out Day of Rest for something different.

Buy Israeli spices from Izrael Zaatar Ltd and bring the flavor of the shuk into your kitchen (BBQ Grill mix, Galilee Stir Fry Seasoning mix).

Try out Israeli herbal/fruit teas: Golan blend or Louisina make great choices.

Get your kids moving and exploring with Israeli-owned Nona Kid pretend play, outdoor play, and fitness equipment for kids.

Check out the whole line of Qurious educational toys and games.

You can even support an Israeli business when you buy non-Israeli products from an Israeli reseller. They buy items wholesale and list them for competitive prices on Amazon. For example, handbags from BSD Merchant.

And on another note, you can always support Israeli businesses directly: For an interactive Israel-themed online escape room experience, be sure to check out the games at bagelsandlocks.com!

And if you love to read, check out books by these Israeli authors:

101 Treasures from the National Library of Israel, by Raquel Ukeles (Author), Hezi Amiur (Author), Yoel Finkelman (Author)

By Light of Hidden Candles, by Daniella Levy (Author)

Disengagement: Leaving home, finding home, and encounters along the way, by Daniella Levy (Author)

Letters to Josep: An Introduction to Judaism, by Daniella Levy (Author)

The 36: A Modern Quest in the Ancient Holy Land, by Josh Even-Chen (Author) (a long-time friend of mine!)

The Scrolls of Deborah (Desert Songs Trilogy), by Esther Goldenberg (Author)

The House of Lost Spirits, by Einat Shimshoni 

Harei At M'guyeset Li, by Segulah Levi (Hebrew novel)

Tully and the Pellmells (Tully Grows Up), by Leona Samson (Author), Idan Ben Simon (Illustrator)

Tales of Brooklyn, by Stan Fischler (Author)

Behind the Net: 106 Incredible Hockey Stories, by Stan Fischler (Author)

Community of Ones:The Search for Self after Devastating Loss, by Leona Samson

A Life Inherited: Unraveling the Trauma of a Second-Generation Holocaust Survivor, by Rena Lipiner Katz (Author)

Weekly Habits for Extraordinary Leaders (How to Master Your Mindset, Inspire Your Team and Elevate Your Business), by Daphna Horowitz

Searching for Heather Dean: My Extraordinary Career as a Celebrity Interviewer and Why I Left It, by Heather Dean

Angels & Tahina: 18 Lessons From Hiking the Israel Trail, by Tzippi Moss

Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination – and Secret Diplomacy – to Stop a Nuclear Iran and Create a New Middle East, by Yonah Jeremy Bob (Author), Ilan Evyatar (Author)

Organized Jewish Life: The Essential Guide for Planning Jewish Holidays, Events and Every Day, by Rebekah Chaifetz Saltzman

Organized Jewish Life Shabbat and Holiday Planner: The Ultimate Organizational Shabbat and Jewish Holiday Checklist and Planning Workbook, by Rebekah Chaifetz Saltzman

A Warrior's Guide to Fibromyalgia, by Sara Halevi 

Everything Tracker - The Ultimate Comprehensive CBT Tool Kit, by Sara Halevi MA (Author), Liora Sophie (Illustrator)

The Breast Cancer Checklist, by Fern Reiss

The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days, by Fern Reiss

30 Jewish Superheroes: An Amazing Collection of Jewish Superheroes (Coloring book), by Hillel Penrod (Author), Ayelet Hashachar Penrod (Editor)

15 B'nei Noah Superheroes Coloring & Activity Book: Heroes from Around the World! | Color, Read, and Learn to Draw Your Own Hero, Torah Comics Paperback by Hillel Penrod (Author), Ayelet HaShachar Penrod (Editor)

Inner World (Kindle book) by Hillel Penrod (Author, Illustrator), Ayelet HaShachar Penrod (Editor) 

Israel 201: Your Next-Level Guide to the Magic, Mystery, and Chaos of Life in the Holy Land, by Joel Chasnoff & Benji Lovitt

Nehama Leibowitz: Teacher and Bible Scholar (Modern Jewish Lives), by Yael Unterman

The Hidden of Things: Twelve Stories of Love & Longing, by Yael Unterman

The Street Cats of Nahariya by Jennifer Pyatt (Author), Aya Navot (Illustrator)

White Zion, by Gila Green (see all of her books here, and pre-order the newest one!)

Iconic Jewish Women: Fifty-Nine Inspiring, Courageous, Revolutionary Role Models for Young Girls, by Aliza Lavie (Author)

Getting Ready for Shabbat! Let's Make Soup! (Getting Ready for Jewish Holy Days), by Chaya Bluma Gadenyan

Girls' Names from the Hebrew Bible: A Children's Bilingual (Hebrew-English) Coloring Book, by Chaya Bluma Gadenyan

The Adventures of Incredi-Wheels & Triple S: The Mysterious Missing Book, by Rebecca Rubin Seligson

Storky's Journey Home, by Nachshon Meir Spiegelman

The Lazy Investor: How to Set a Profitable & Hassle-free Investment Portfolio, by David Mann (Author)

Tribal Lands: The Twelve Tribes of Israel in Their Ancestral Territories, by Tamar Weissman (Author)

The Koren Tanakh: Esther (English and Hebrew Edition) (Graphic Novel Format) by Jordan Gorfinkel (Creator), Yael Nathan (Illustrator), Jessica Sacks (Translator)

If you want to be added to this list, please email me at ester@kosherfrugal.com!

Thanks for supporting Israeli businesses! Let me know if you found this list helpful, and feel free to share it with all of your friends!

Shopping Finds of the Week

This post contains affiliate links. 
If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission (never at any additional cost to you)

Today I am here to admit that Aliexpress is still my friend, and here's why:

We've been having trouble finding leotards for our athletes with the sleeve length we prefer. So we ended up buying long sleeve leos, promising to alter them. But paying a seamstress to do the alteration just jacked up the cost too high. It was time to break out our own needle and thread.

The problem was - STRETCH. It's hard to sew in a way that still leaves stretch if you don't really know what you're doing, so we decided to take a different approach. We chose to do the hems with elastic thread. The only elastic I had in the house, though, were too thick for this! And the sewing store is in a different city and I didn't feel like trekking there without knowing if they'd have what I wanted. So - online shopping to the rescue!

After searching a LOT, we found this elastic sewing thread that is priced really low, arrived really quickly, and did the job well! Kudos to my daughter for sewing it herself!

Another super find was these packing organizers! They make it so much easier to stay organized while traveling. I got them for one of my kids and they have gotten so much use! And they are SUPER discounted right now, so you might want to grab them. (I definitely paid at least double!)

And lately, Aliexpress offers to combine your order into one package and ship FAST. And it WORKS!!

So those were my finds that I had to share this week! Hope you found this helpful!