Fun and festivities in Israel - celebrations, festivals and cultural events

Many colorful festivals and festive events take place in Israel year after year. One of the most important festivities in the country is the Jewish New Year also called “Rosh Hashanah”. It is celebrated for two days; on the new moon of the first and second days of the Jewish autumn month “Tishrei”. During this holiday, it is common for the whole family to unite at the table with traditional Israeli dishes. Each dish symbolizes one wish: fruits of pomegranate tree for fertile land, fish heads for superiority in everything, round bread “halal” for health, apples and honey for happiness. On Rosh Hashanah, the Jews are invited to go to the synagogue. During the festive service, the “shofar” is blown calling for repentance and appearance before the Court of God.

Another favorite Israeli celebration is Hanukkah. It is celebrated for eight days during the winter season of short nights. Hanukkah is designed to dispel the dank darkness. The main Hanukkah custom is the lighting of candles in a special candelabrum “Chanukiah”. The candles are lit up gradually: one is lit on the first day, two on the second day, and on the last, eight candles are lit. The candelabrum is then placed at the door of the house or on the window as a sign of a wonderful vessel with oil which has avoided the desecration of the Greeks. Fried doughnuts “Sufganiyot” or potato fritters “Levivot” are usually eaten on Hanukkah. During the holiday, children play with a four sided spinning top “Sevivon”. Each side bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the initials of the words that form the phrase “a great miracle happened there”.

Authentic Israeli festivals are of huge interest. One of the main celebrations is the annual festival of Israel in Jerusalem which brings together creative elites from different countries of the world. At the festival, there are performances by dance groups, orchestras and also theatrical productions. The festival of arts “Lights of Jerusalem”, also takes place in Jerusalem. The festival “Balabasta” is organized at the famous bazaar “Mahane Yehuda”. It involves representatives of creative professions, illusionists, fakirs and clowns. In the atmosphere of the oriental open-air bazaar, cheer hubbub of a carefree audience, the aromas of spices, the rhythms of music and the light of lanterns weave with one another. The event “Darom Adom” is held in the northern part of the Negev desert area in the month of February. Within the framework of the event, excursion tours, farmers’ fairs, seminars and creative master classes for children, cycling and concerts are organized. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

With the participation of theatricals of Jewish and Arab origin, the “Masrahid” monodrama festival is regularly held in the city of Akko. During the event, festive performances are staged by theater directors from Israel, Palestine and other Arab countries. They often become a launching pad for young actors and are a place for exchange of opinions by famous playwrights. In the process of celebrating, high-level political and societal problems are discussed. Every year, the International Puppet Theater and Film Festival is organized in Holon. The festival unites many puppet shows and films, creative workshops for children and other events. The largest dance event in Israel is the Karmiel Dance Festival, which brings together dancers from all over the world to participate in concerts of ethnic and folkloric dance, classical and modern, jazz, hip-hop, etc.

In the historical region of Galilee, a cheerful celebration is held commemorating the useful properties of olives and products made from them. In dozens of local villages and settlements, festival guests can walk through the groves of olive trees, listen to legends relating to them, visit oil mills and learn the secrets of cooking olive oil. During the Hanukkah vacation, a ten-day festival “Ta’am Kinneret” is held in the Jordanian desert. During the festivity, restaurants and grocery shops are set up around Lake Kinneret. Culinary master classes are also held. The festival is attended by famous chefs, offering guests signature dishes and desserts. You can get to taste the traditional food of the first settlers of the area in the festival. The main dish of the festival is Hanukkah doughnuts.