FREE events for Sukkot!!

I know you've been waiting for this post - and I'm so sorry I was late getting to it. But don't worry, you can still plan to take advantage of one of the many Free Events this week!

If you plan to share the information in this post, please keep in mind that it took a lot of time and research tracking down and translating this information. Please be fair and share a link to this post - do not just copy/paste the information. Thank you for your understanding.

Without further ado, take a look at this list of free events!
This info is relevant to all parts of the country, and the rest of the post is divided by region:

 
Eshkolot offers a whole list of free activities all over the country
Oct 8-10
Registration required
For more information and to register, call 077-8994989




Northern Region:

"Festival Tzlilei Bazelet 3" in Katzrin
Family fun!!
Oct 8-10
Generally from 10:30am - 4pm
Free
Park Katzrin
04-696-1350

International Sidewalk Art Festival in Afula
Free
Sderot Arolozorov, Afula
Oct 9-10, 6-10pm
Other events are going on in Afula at other times

Second Annual Chocolate Festival in Nazareth Illit
Workshops, demonstrations, Elite factory tours available for a small fee, with advance reservations.
Oct 8, 8-11pm
Oct 9-10 10am - 4pm
Municipal Buildings, Nazareth Illit, Rechov HaGilboa 16

Olive Press - "HaShomer HaChadash"
Guided tours of an olive grove, pressing olives, curing olives you can take with you. There will also be a petting zoo, arts and crafts, and other hands on stations
Oct 9-10, 9am - 5pm
Free
Reserve in advance by calling 050-881-8206
Ein Kamonim Farm, at Tzomet Kedarim in the Lower Galilee

Golan Heights guided tours
Oct 8-10, 11am - 4pm
Free
Moshav Kanaf/the Synagogue in Dir Aziz

Galilee Flavors 2017 Festival
Food, Music, Crafts, and more
Oct 8-19
FREE
Montfort Lake in Maalot-Tarshiha

Bird Celebration in Ramat Hanadiv
Games, Quiz, Birdhouse building workshop, Music, and more
In the Shvil HaMaayan, you can join in tagging birds from 8am -11am
The rest of the activities are from 11am-4pm in the Ramat Hanadiv Gardens
(small fee for the birdhouse workshop)
For more info, call 04-629-8111, ext 4

Haifa Museums, Free for kids and teens
All Haifa Museums are free for kids and teens (up to age 18). under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
Oct 6-11

International Film Festival, Haifa
About 200 films will be screened
Family friendly activities, including an amusement park and much more at "Gan Ha'Em" in Haifa during the festival. Events at the park are free (you need to buy tickets for the films)
Oct 5-14

Kumzitz, Tours and Boating on the Kinneret
"The Floating Laboratory" and other activities
Oct 8-10
Free
Various locations around the Kinneret
Reservations required. Call *55477

"Wikipedia loves Monuments"
International Photo Competition
Reserve your tours
Various Heritage Sites around the country
Sign up at http://www.wlm.org.il/
Oct 4-20
FREE

CircuSukkot
Cinemall Haifa 
Circus and Workshops
Oct 8-10, 11am-2pm and 4pm-7pm
Cinemall Mall, Sderot HaHistadrut 55, Haifa

International Charicature Exhibit
Oct 4-14 
Haifa Auditorium

Vintage Fair and Animal Shows in Lower Haifa
Turkish Market in the Lower City of Haifa
Oct 8, 10am - 10pm 

Paprika Festival, Beit Lechem Haglilit
Family friendly activities, some for a fee
Free admission
Oct 5-14, 10am - 4pm (Fridays and Erev Chag until 3pm)
Derech HaTavlinim

Moetza Eizorit Menashe Festival
"M'Tachat LaPanas"
Oct 9-10
FREE
Givat Chaviva, near Kibbutz Maanit 

Fashion Happening at Alon Ein Shemer
Oct 8-9
5:30pm-10pm
FREE
Tzomet Karkur

Merkaz Region

Sukkot in the Greek Shuk
Oct 8-10, 10am - 6pm
FREE
Greek Shuk, Rechov Pinchas Ben Yair, Yafo


Yafo Children's Theater Festival
Bilingual Hebrew and Arabic Theater, Skits, etc
Oct 12-14, beginning at 10am
Select outdoor events are free
Mifratz Shlomo Promenade 10, Old Yafo

The 100th Event 
The Israel Police Event, including history, paintball, and more
Oct 10, 4pm-11-pm
FREE
Petach Tikva: Kikar HaMeyasdim, The Municipal Parking Lot, and Rechov Chaim Ozer

The Jerusalem Science Museum visits Dizengoff Center
Oct 8-11, 11am - 6pm (erev chag 10am - 2pm)
Free
Dizengoff Center, Floor 1 

Sukkot in the Seven Stars Mall, Herzliya
Children's activities, mostly candy themed
Oct 8-10, 10am - 2pm and 4pm - 7pm
 
Origami in Old Jaffa
Oct 8-10, 10am - 5pm
Kikar Kedumim, Yafo

Giant Sukkah in Namal Tel Aviv
Live shows, Workshops, Open Mike, and more
Oct 4-12, 9am - 11pm
Rechov Argaz Hachol, North Dock in Namal Tel Aviv

Muse Festival in Shoham
Art festival and more
Oct 9-10
FREE
For more info call 03-972-3001

Coca-Cola Always Classic
Time Travel with Coca Cola
Oct 4-14, 8am-10:30pm (till 3:30pm on Friday and Erev Chag, and after Shabbat and Chag beginning at 8pm)
Free
Federation House (next to Hangar 11), Namal Tel Aviv
Reservations required, see the Always Classic website

Museum on the Grass in Herzliya
Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art
Oct 10, 4:30pm - 7:30pm
Rechov Habanim 4, Herzliya
Free

The Secret Notebook
Rishon L'Zion Museum
Mystery Game for kids and more
Oct 8-10, 10am - 2pm
Rechov Achad Ha'Am 2,
Rishon L'Tzion
For more info, call 03-959-8890

"The Whole Family" at the Train Station in Tel Aviv
Juggling Workshops, bubbles, gymboree, children's shows (11am, 12:30pm), crafting workshops and more. Some have a fee
Oct 8-10, 10:30am - 3pm

Chag Same'ach in the North Shuk
Oct 8, 5:30pm: Guitar Show for kids
Oct 9, 3pm - 6pm, Craft workshop
Oct 10, 11am - 6pm, bounce houses 
Rechov Ra'oul Wallenberg 20, Ramat Hachayal

Jerusalem Area

Visit the President's Sukkah
Oct 9, 10am - 4pm
FREE
you must bring a TZ or passport
Rechov Hanassi 3, Jerusalem

Bible Heroes Festival
Oct 8-10
Binyamin Region 
Call 1-800-345-454 for more information

Southern Region

Olive Pressing Festival for Families, JNF
Tzomet Gilat
Oct 9, 10am - 3pm
(small fee for the olives)
For more info, call 1-800-350-550

Historic Eshel House Tours, Be'er Sheva
Oct 8-9, 10:30, 12:30 and 2:30
Bet Eshel, Be'er Sheva, next to Park Nachal Be'er Sheva
For more info call 1-800-350-550

Old Be'er Sheva Tours
Oct 8-10, 10am - 2pm
Meet at the entrance to Be'er Avraham, Derech Hebron 2, Be'er Sheva
For more info call 08-646-4980
Advance reservations required

Beer Festival at the Red Sea
Oct 7-10, 6pm - midnight
Outside the "Mul Hayam" Mall in Eilat
Free

"The South Rises" Festival
Concerts and more
Oct 9-10, 6pm-11pm
Tayelet Bar Kochba, Ashkelon

Festival "Sukkah for Thought" Sderot
Escape Sukkah, Moroccan sukkah, Ethiopian Sukkah, Lego Sukkah, Chess Sukkah, and more
Get to know Sderot with guided tours, workshops, shows, concert, and more
Oct. 8-9, beginning at 10 am
There is a small fee for the Escape Room, Tours, and Laserball.
Park Azrieli and Park Hayeladim, Sderot

I'll do my best to add more events as I hear about them! Please let me know where you go, and if you had fun! We'd all love to hear your recommendations!

Have a wonderful Sukkot! Don't forget to check for discounts and deals for other places that don't appear on this FREE list! Find deals for Fun Days Out here!

Fun Day Deals!

(This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission when you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!)
Kosherfrugal.com and Janglo have teamed up to bring you some great Groupon deals you don't want to miss!

This Sukkot, you can save BIG with discount vouchers and savings - the links in this post will take you to discount deals for each place listed. Hurry, some deals sell out quickly!

Exclusive Deal:

Get 10% off at the Maimonides Puzzle Room in Tiberias. Use code "Kosherfrugal" when you make your reservation! Reservations required. Call 053-530-3018 to reserve your time slot.

Here's a Segway tour in the north at Montfort Lake! You can use this deal during Chol Hamoed! Ages 16+, closed shoes required. 65nis for one person, 129nis for two.

Water fun at the Swell Surfing Club in Nahariya or Acco, starting at 50nis for an hour. Looks like you can use this during Chol Hamoed, but you must reserve your slot in advance.

Boating in Nahariya! 69 nis per person. Groupon can only be redeemed Sun-Thurs (7am - 7pm) or Fri (8am - 2pm) with advance reservations

Here's a combo ticket for fun at Montfort Lake - entrance to the park, the extreme park, and the ice skating rink - all for just 79nis. Good during Sukkot

Vist Park Yotvata this Sukkot - here's a Groupon for 33nis admission. Add a few shekels, and you'll also get ice cream included!

Visit Dvorat Hatavor this Sukkot! Find out all about bees and honey! You must make reservations, but this deal is good for chol hamoed fun!

Visit Chai Kef in Rishon this Sukkot for half off (they recommend coming early on Chol Hamoed)!

Take part in the grape harvest and make grape juice, in Mazkeret Batya this Chol Hamoed! 20nis for adults, 45nis for kids, or buy the combination ticket for one adult plus one kid for 60nis total!

Take the kids to "Extreme BaKfar" in Yishrash (near Rechovot) this Sukkot - for just 39nis per child. Or check out the multi-ticket options! This looks like lots of fun for the kids!

Here's where you get discount tix to the Wine Festival in Tel Aviv!

Expand your cooking know-how with a Bread baking workshop, or Italian Cuisine workshop!

Yum! Do a Chocolate Workshop in Kfar Chasidim!

Want to go Jet-skiing? Here's a Groupon deal for that at the Kinneret! Choose between the single or the couples deal

Check out these "tracteronim" for kids (ages 4-12), or the adult version (the kids ones are 15 min long, the adult ones are 1 hr or longer). Not valid on holidays, please call before you buy to be sure your date is available

The Igudan Visitor's Center has special shows for kids this Sukkot. Grab your Groupons now - but note that they are only valid on Oct 8,9, & 10. After you buy your voucher, you must call and sign up for a specific tour.

Here's a Groupon for the Petting Zoo at Kibbutz Deganya! Just 21nis per person.

Check out WiPark in Holon this Sukkot! The Groupon gives you a 31% discount

Here's a deal for Technoda, and an option for a combo ticket that includes the special Sukkot activity, "TechnoShef" (TechnoShef is for kids only - parents should buy the regular tix). These Groupons are ONLY valid Oct 8-10


Check out this Paragliding deal at Top Sky (Sharon area)!
You must reserve your slot before you go.

Click here for Restaurant Deals!


Join my Facebook Group for Deals Everyday! Be sure to share this post with your friends - friends don't let friends overpay!

FREE Attractions and Activities for Sukkot!

Don't want to spend too much money this Sukkot? No one does!
Here are a number of free activities to choose from!
Take your pick, and let me know where you've been and how it was!!
(Please call ahead and verify this information, I cannot take responsibility for errors.) 

UPDATED Oct 18th to add the following information:

The Center for Research and Development of the Shomron and Jordan Valley
Kida Junction
Free Science Event on Thursday Oct 20, 10:30am - 4:30pm
1-800-34-54-54

Mizpe Ramon Science Center
Free Science Events on Thursday Oct 20, 10am-10pm
050-780-7598 or 050-749-8021  



North:

Tree Festival ("Hadarim U'N'shirim")
Lehavot HaBashan 6, Tzomet HaGumah Rd
Oct 18-20 at noon.
050-832-5009

Tzuk Manara
SOME free activities (many will be paid admission, call ahead for accurate info)
Kiryat Shmonah
04-6905830

Musical Hallel in Park Katzrin
Oct 18 
Ancient Katzrin

Eshkolot offers a whole list of free activities all over the country Oct 18-20
Meeting points include: Katzabiya parking lot, Rosh Pina's old cemetery, "Ha'Agam" Parking lot, Reichan Forest Reserve
For more information and to register, call 02-626-8727

SukkahJazz
Sunset Jazz Concerts beginning at 6pm Oct 18-20
Namal Ein Gev, "Mifgash HaDayagim"
054-5658009

Yekev Harei HaGalil
Circus-style Entertainment is FREE
(Winery tours require entry fee)
Kibbutz Yir'on
04-6868749

The Kineret Trail
Free Guided Trail Tours. Some activities have a fee.
*55477

Holiday at the Port
Oct 19 all night activities
Other activities Oct 16-24
At The Ein Gev Port
04-6659800

HaShomer HChadash Olive Festival
Oct 19-20, 9am-5pm
Advance Registration Required
Ein Kamonim Farm
050-8818205

Binyamina Festival for Israeli Art
(Concerts Require Admission Fee)
Many Free Events
Oct 19-20 10am-5pm
04-6288391/2

Olive Festival - Saba Chaviv
Kibbutz Parod
Oct 17-24, 11am-4pm
04-6991888

Nachal Kziv Shuttle and Guided Tour
Oct 17-22, 9am-4pm
Meeting Point: Maalot - the Koren Industrial Zone

Tastes of the Galilee
Food Festival
Oct 18-20, beginning at noon
Lake Montfort, Maalot-Tarshicha
04-9574004

Harvest Festival
(Concerts - Paid Admission, other activities are free)
Beit Shean
Oct 18-20

Free Concert at Park Katzrin
Oct 19, 9pm
Ancient Katzrin
must be 18+ yrs old

Chocolate Festival
Nazareth Illit
Oct 18-19
at "Mul Harim"

"Chasidudes"
(Shows for Children)
Oct 18-20
Cinemall Haifa

Haifa Celebrates
Street Events and Museum Events throughout Haifa
visit-haifa.org

MisChag Street Festival
Kfar Tavor
Oct 18-19, 4pm-9pm
kefar-tavor.muni.il

Leket Israel
Pick Vegetables for Leket in Moshav Nahalal!
Oct 18, 10-2
Advance registration required
leket.org

Paprika Festival
(some activities are free, some have a fee)
Oct 15-24, 10-4
Derech HaTavlinim
Beit Lechem HaGlilit
04-9533405

Olive Oil Tour and Tasting
(some activities free)
Olive Press at Beit Lechem HaGlilit
052-6154411


"Decoding the Mystery of the Kingdom"
Free Puzzle Game/Outdoor Event
Ramat HaNadiv
Oct 19-20, 11am-4pm
04-6298111

Fruit Picking and Juicing
Moshav Adirim
Oct 18-20, 9am-noon
Advance Registration Required
04-6499262

afuli'Z
Art Festival
Oct 21-22
Afula, at the new shuk

3D
Art Festival
Oct 19-20
Afula, Sderot Arlozorov

First Aliyah Museum
Zichron
Free Admission Oct 18-20, 9am-5pm
Oct 21 9am-2pm
04-6294777


Center:


Family365
Oct 18-19, 10am-10pm
Hangar 11
Namal Tel Aviv

Ashdod Port Events
Oct 18-20, 8:30-4
ashdodport.co.il

"Our Driver"
Egged Museum
Holon
Oct 18-21, 8:30-12:30
03-9142361

"We Found Water, We Made Wine"
Festival
Oct 18-20, 10-2
The Well, at The Rothschild Museum
Rishon L'Tzion
03-9598862/90

"All in the Family"
Shoham, Gan HaChevel
Oct 19-20
03-9723001

Locked!
Mobile Escape Rooms
Oct 18-20
Kanyon Renanim
Raanana

Teimana
Yemenite Festival
Oct 18-20, 4-11pm
rosh-haayin.muni.il

"Never!"
The World of Peter Pan
Oshiland, Kfar Sava

Eshkolot offers a whole list of free activities all over the country Oct 18-20. Meeting points include: the Gas Station at the entrance to Ariel
For more information and to register, call 02-626-8727


Jerusalem Area:


Bible Marathon
Oct 21, 8-noon
biblemarathon.co.il

Yafo Winery
Free Guided Tours
Neve Michael
0544523201 (advance registration required)

Planet in Jerusalem
Free Origami, Concert, and more
Oct 18-24
Yes! Planet
Jerusalem

Presidential Sukkah
President Ruvi Rivlin and family are opening their Sukkah for a public reception
Oct 19, 10-4
the Garden at the President's Home
Jerusalem
(No bags or guns allowed; Come with TZ or passport ONLY)

Kites!
at the Israel Museum
Free admission for Children
Oct 17-25

Treasure Hunt!
Oct 18-20, 10-2
Kfar Etzion
02-9935133

Eshkolot offers a whole list of free activities all over the country Oct 18-20
Meeting points include: Ir David, Tzomet Shoresh, Tzomet Ha'Elah
For more information and to register, call 02-626-8727

Kikar Safra Municipal Visitor's Center
Free Guided Tours
Oct 19, at 11am - Tour in English.
Meet at the Entrance to Building 3
Jerusalem
02-6295363

Jerusalem Autumn Festival
Emek Hatzvaim
Oct 18-21, 9am-5pm
Jerusalem

Derech Beit Lechem Festival
Oct 18, 5-10pm
Jerusalem

Ein Kerem Festival
Oct 19-21
Oct 19, 10am-11pm
Oct 20, 6pm-11pm
Oct 21, 9am-2pm
Jerusalem

Opening - "Chatzerot B'Yerushalayim"
Museum of Italian Jewry
Opening event on Oct 18 at 7pm is FREE
02-6241610

South:


"HaDarom Oleh"
Festival at Tayelet Ashkelon
Oct 19-20, 6-11pm

Eshkolot offers a whole list of free activities all over the country Oct 18-20
Meeting points include: Bnei Dekalim, Moshav Carmel, and the Gas Station at the northern entrance to Eilat.
For more information and to register, call 02-626-8727

"Bedouin Happening"
Oct 18, 2-7pm
Industrial Park Idan HaNegev
gonegev.co.il

Succot in the Old City
Old City of Beer Sheva
Oct 18-20, beginning at 10am
Some museums have an admission fee
08-6464980



If you know of other free events or activities, please leave a comment below!
Thanks!

Chag Sameyach - Happy Holiday - to all!

Cooking for chag

It's that time of year, when every week there is a special Jewish holiday, requiring lots of food preparation. Not to mention the other preparations of getting a lulav/etrog set (or 3!), and building a sukkah! And decorating a sukkah, which requires lots of patience and creativity...

I'll try to post about our decorations later, but for now, I will write about my food prep plan.

I'm cooking today for my sukkah building crew plus a family with a new baby.

Chag is us plus some guests.

Today: 

Garlic Foccacia Breads (making it the Quick Bread way) 
Pasta two ways (with tomato sauce, veggies, and cheese, and with macaroni and cheese style) 
cut veggies - we have cucumbers, carrots, kohlrabi, peppers... 

Planning to make enough to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow too. (Just how many bags of pasta do I need to have enough for a total of 18 people...?)

For Chag:

Challot
Vegetable Soup
Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Roast chicken with rice
Tofu lo mein for the vegetarian
Potato Kugel 
Apple Crisp
Salads (whatever I manage to pull together)
Brownies
Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'd love to hear how all of your holiday preparations are going!

Sukkot Menu

I'm sick. My airways have closed up in response to a regular ol' cold I caught from my daughter. She had this cold - fever, stuffy nose, sore throat for a few days last week (started Thursday) but she was all better by Sunday. 

On Tuesday it hit me. I woke up at 3 a.m. with fever and a sore throat. I was hoping that it wouldn't progress, but it has set off my asthma... so I'm trying to rest up, take lots of asthma meds and stay optimistic.

a corner of our sukkah. (a problematic corner)

 

So this chag menu will be more of the same. EASY foods.

Here goes:

Whole Wheat Honey Challot (from the freezer)
Super Garlicky (forgive me, please, kids!) vegetable soup for healing
Oven fried chicken
Corn on the Cob (got our hands on some super sweet organic corn and I haven't found a ton of bugs)
Apple crisp (my girls will make that)
Roasted Summer Squash
Roasted Red Peppers
Lentils with sauteed onions
Brown Rice
Salad with honey-cinnamon oranges (the oranges we were able to get are still quite tart) for some extra vitamin C
Dessert: grapes, and a chocolate chip cake from the freezer
Snacks: popcorn, watermelon and these honey cinnamon roasted chickpeas I've been wanting to try...

Chag Sameyach to all of you!
What are making for chag?

Sweet Potato and Carmelized Onion Kugel

I like sweet potatoes, and the price has come down lately. My family, however, just doesn't enjoy sweet potatoes the way I do. I really don't know why!!

my sweet potato pile

I wanted to come up with a something made with sweet potatoes that the others would enjoy too, and so far 3 of my 4 children are happy with my new kugel.

So I have this pile of sweet potatoes, that I got for a pretty great price (5 shekel/kg), and I decided that now is the time to make a bunch of kugels for the freezer.






Here's the recipe, enough for 1 kugel in a casserole size pan.

2 good size sweet potatoes, diced and steamed (I use a steamer basket in a pot on the stove)

2 good size onions, sliced or diced, cooked in a heavy pan (I used my cast iron pan, my favorite) with olive oil till they begin to carmelize.

2 eggs
2 cups non-dairy "milk" - I use either soymilk or coconut milk
1/4 c. ground flaxseeds

basil (lots), salt, and pepper


First spread the sweet potato out, covering the bottom of the pan. Then, layer the carmelized onions on top of the sweet potatoes.

Mix the eggs, non dairy milk, flaxseed, and seasonings together. (mix very well)

Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and onions.

Bake for about 1 hour at 425 F.

Let me know what you think!