UPDATED -- This year's FREE attractions list is different from last year's, so please help spread the word ! This post is the NEW, UPDATED LIST!
This year, chol Hamoed is April 12-16. Most sites will close early on erev chag, April 16. Always verify opening hours before you go!
Here's the list of MORE free attractions for Pesach 2017, sponsored by Bank HaPoalim. 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!
You can call *2410 for information about the Bank HaPoalim sponsored attractions.
Other free attractions can be found in my other posts about this topic (Part 1 - Heritage Sites, Part 2 - the Israel Trail Events, and Part 4 - Events in the Golan).
*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 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 if you plan to share this information, you link back to my site. Thank you for this common courtesy.*
Please leave a comment with your favorite place to visit (from this list)!
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!
North:
The Ghetto Fighters' House Museum 04-9958052
The Galilee Sculpture Festival in Maalot 04-9578871
The Deer Forest 050-8723920
The Golan Antiquities Museum 04-6961350
Park Qatzrin 04-6962412
The Umm el-Fahem Art Gallery 04-6315257
The Treasures in The Walls Museum (of Acco) 04-9911004
The Robotic Dairy 054-4962656
Haifa and the Northern Valleys:
Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art 04-8383554
The Haifa Museum of Art 04-9115997
The Wilfrid Museum of Israeli Art 04-9899566
The Janco-Dada Museum (Ein Hod) 04-9842350
The National Maritime Museum 04-8536622
The Haifa City Museum 04-9115888
The Mane Katz Museum 04-9119372
The Herman Struk Museum 04-6359962
Central Israel:
The Rabin Center Israeli Museum *4585
Tel Aviv Museum of Art 03-6077000
Design Museum Holon 073-2151500
Petach Tikva Museum of Art 03-9286300
The Nachum Gutman Museum of Art 03-5161970
Outlook, the Park Hayarkon Visitor's Center 03-642-3111
The Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center 03-5339278
Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art 09-9551011
Jerusalem:
Yad LaShiryon at Latrun 08-9784302
Museum for Islamic Art 02-5661291/2
The Bible Lands Museum 02-5611066
Hasmonean Aqueduct Tour *6033
The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens 02-6794012
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center 02-5652018
South:
The Ashdod Art Museum 08-8545180/1
Arad Doll Museum 052-2398918
Arad Glass Museum 08-9953388
The Corinne Mamane Museum of Philistine Culture 08-6224799
The Museum of Water and Security at Kibbutz Nir Am 050-9672874
The Joe Alon Center for Bedouin Culture 08-9913322
Other attractions that are free for Pesach (NOT sponsored by Bank HaPoalim):
The Israel Museum will be free for children (under 18) during April 12 and 13, 02-6708811
Activities in the Golan
Shvil Yisrael Events
Heritage Sites
Have a great time! p.s. Please share this with your friends, so everyone can plan a fun and frugal Pesach!
(links in this post are affiliate links. I may receive a commission when you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!)
Have you heard about these great new games? They will make a great Pesach present for your family or friends!
Reveal Israel, the new family card game about Israel, has 3 different ways to play - making this a really great deal packed into a teeny little box! For ages 3-100 and up to 18 players.
Reveal Chai, the new card game about Jewish Life, has 3 different ways to play - making this a really great deal packed into a teeny little box! It's multilingual (English, Hebrew, Spanish, Dutch, German and French) and is great for all ages, but especially great for kids aged 3-10 ~ because there's no reading required.
Right now, when you buy these games on Amazon (this seller only), you can take advantage of these special offers: Buy 1 get 5% off, Buy 2 Get 10% off, Buy 3 Get 15% off, or Buy 4 Get 20% off! Just put the games in your cart and the discount will show up at checkout!
Whether you are buying these games as a gift for someone (this is a great way to get your family hooked on Israel as much as you are!), or you're sharing this deal with your friends and family in America, make sure you all hurry and take advantage of this discount!
Discount will expire at the end of April!
If you are in Israel and want to buy these games, please send a message to my friend Janice on Facebook!
Pesach cooking calls for a bit of extra creativity. And sometimes when it's time to cook, I have nothing left! I mean, exhaustion just takes over. I'm SURE you've been there too.
Oh and I'd just like to note that on Pesach I relax some of my "frugal" guidelines. I spend the month before being very careful and doing pantry challenges, and avoiding extras, so that when the holiday comes along we have enough wiggle room in our budget to buy some nice extras. So yes, we spend more on Pesach than on a typical week. And I'm totally ok with that!
Anyhow, back to cooking: In order to avoid "the rut", I'm gathering our favorite kugel recipes that are kosher for Pesach and posting them here. No, I am not up to cooking yet. As a matter of fact, I won't be cooking until Sunday right before Pesach. But I am planning now - that way I can hope not to overbuy when I shop tomorrow.
So here are the kugel recipes - bookmark this page so we can all find them later!
Carrot Kugel (contains matzah meal, so this is "gebrokts", pareve)
Potato Kugel (gluten-free, non-gebrokts, pareve)
Vegetable Kugel (gluten-free, non-gebrokts, pareve) - I also do this with steamed broccoli or steamed cauliflower. Same idea, different kugel. Always a hit.
(The original version of this works really well for using up veggies from the "sug bet" rack!)
Sweet Potato Kugel (gluten-free, non gebrokts, pareve)
We also love desserts, so watch for a post coming soon about Pesach baking!
Here's a really yummy way to use those sweet potatoes! I don't know about you, but I got some sweet potatoes this week for less than 4 shekels/kilo! That means a lot of yummy orange foods on our table.
While I really love spicy roasted sweet potatoes and even sweet potato muffins, sometimes I find myself relying on the good ol' kugel to coax my family into eating their veggies - somehow the act of turning a vegetable into a kugel makes my children less attuned to their vegetable-ness...
So here's our Pesach friendly, gluten-free, pareve sweet potato kugel recipe!
my sweet potato pile
Sweet Potato and Carmelized Onion Kugel
2 LARGE sweet potatoes, diced and steamed (I use a steamer basket in a pot on the stove)
2 LARGE 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.
4 eggs
1 cup non-dairy "milk", like coconut milk, soymilk, almond milk or whatever you prefer
1/2 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons of potato starch.
fresh basil (lots) - torn into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
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, water and potato starch mixture, and seasonings together. (mix very well)
Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and onions.
Bake for about 1 hour at 425 F.
This kugel is best served warm, but it's decent when cold, too.
Enjoy!
Let me know what you think!
