Aaah, Hanukkah, one of the delights of an Israeli winter, and the Jewish holiday that rivals Christmas (both holidays usually fall in the same week in December) for calorie-filled temptations!
Those of you counting the calories will be sorely tempted by the wide variety of donuts on sale everywhere (see our explanation behind Hanukkah to understand why donuts are a major part of the holiday), while local kids are off school and badgering parents to take them to one of the variety of shows and performances targeted for kids over the holiday.
So, besides stuffing your kids with sweet donuts, or dragging them round the Christmas sites (here’s our guide to the top things to see and do at Christmas to feel festive!), how about one of these five things we’ve picked out below (and yes, we’ve chosen not to include the traditional BIG kids show at Hanukkah, the Festigal, as it’s just one big commercial juggernaut these days). They’ll probably only be in Hebrew, but for some of them it’s all about the entertainment, and less about the language…
* The ticket prices listed below are before any discounts; you will quite often find tickets at half-price through one promotion or another. We recommend you ask about discounts when purchasing.
The Israel Ballet performs Cinderella
Take your kids for some top-class culture – the Israel Ballet are on tour! From 19th-29th December you can catch performances in Modiin, Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beersheva. Tickets are priced at 179 shekels. For more info, call 03-6046610.
Momentito
From the guys behind the long-running Mayumana, this musical, creative and humorous show runs from 20-31st December in Haifa, with up to 4 shows a day. Recommended ages: 2-10. See the clip at the end of this article for an idea of what to expect. Tickets are priced at 170 shekels. For more, see www.mayumana.com or call *2274.
Bamba Factory Tour
Learn all about Israel’s national snack, Bamba, that peanut-flavored delight, at the huge Bamba (Osem) factory in HaMelacha Street in Holon (Tel Aviv suburb). FREE to join the tour, you MUST reserve a spot in advance: call 1-700-707676. Ideal for ages 5+. And for any Bamba addicts…
Prodigy Festival
This festival of very talented singing kids (yes, child prodigies), aged 9-14, will be held at the Diona Center in Ashdod. The one-off show on 25th December will be a tribute to much loved Israeli songwriter Uzi Hitman, who wrote and sang many classic children’s songs. Tickets are 20 shekels. For more info, call 08-8648585.
Home Alone
The Hebrew version of the Macaulay Culkin classic, so even if you don’t understand the lingo, the scenes should be familiar. This one you can catch between the 19th -30th December in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, Beersheva and Ashkelon. The show features many Israeli TV stars, and tickets are priced (initially) at 180 shekels. Call *6226 for more info.
Honorary mentions…
And in addition to the above, we’d also recommend a trip to the magical Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, the Tower of David Museum (including catapult throwing!), Mini Israel, or even the old classic, the Luna Park amusement park. Bear in mind these three sites are some of Israel’s most popular, so may well be packed to the rafters during Hanukkah…
Here’s that clip we promised of the guys from Momentito…