The wonderful spring weather, the long school break and the unique holiday atmosphere – Passover is an excellent opportunity for a family vacation in Israel. We put together a few fun activities for parents and kids for Passover 2019
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By Reut Gawiser
During Passover, the Jewish People commemorate their coming together as a nation, retelling the story that has been passed on for more than 3,000 years, and taking pride in being one of the most ancient nations, a nation whose history still recalls its inception back in ancient Egypt and the Land of Canaan. This coming April, the perfect weather in Israel will see the lovely blossoms of wild flowers. If you are arriving with kids, don’t miss out on the following events:
The Israeli Cartoon Museum, Holon
1. Israeli Cartoon Museum
In the Tel Aviv-adjacent city of Holon, you will find the Cartoon Museum of Israeli caricature and comics. During Passover, the museum will hold various design and comics making workshops by top Israeli caricaturists. The museum also displays caricatures and comics by Israeli artists for you to enjoy. Every year, the museum offers free admission during the holiday. Suitable for children ages 9 and up.
Adjacent to the Israeli Cartoon Museum, is the largest children’s museum complex in the Middle East, with plenty of activities for the entire family, as well as the Dialogue in the Dark center, a guided tour by blind tour guides in complete darkness, which is an unforgettable experience.
Sakura tree in the botanical gardens in Jerusalem
2. The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens
37 Acres of nature in the heart of the city. The University’s botanical gardens foster over 6,000 plant species from all over the world, which makes it the largest botanical garden in the Middle East. You can tour the premises with its various plots, each one characterized by plants from a certain region in the Middle East. Guided tours are held every day in Hebrew and English on various topics, such as a tour inspired by herbs mentioned in the Bible, a tour for fostering young gardeners, tending to your home garden, etc.
3. The Haifa International Children’s Theater Festival
A long-standing tradition of the Haifa Theater for the past twenty years. Like every year, the festival showcases dozens of quality, thought-provoking children’s plays, some in Hebrew and some in other international languages. Alongside the scheduled shows and throughout the duration of the festival, there are elaborate, funny and artistic street performances free of charge. The festival atmosphere is fully dedicated to the love of theater art and culture, and introducing children to this world.
When? April 21st – 23rd from 10:00 AM till the evening.
International sculpture festival in Galilee
4. Even Bagalil – Sculpture Festival in the Galilee
8 leading sculptors from Georgia, Germany, Spain, United states, South America and of course Israel have been working for a month on sculptures for the Annual Sculpture Festival in Monfort Lake, Maalot-Tarshicha. The event will feature creative workshops for the whole family, an art exhibition, sailing on a lake, ice skating, go-carting and a number of other children’s activities, alongside evening well-known Israeli performances.
When? Sunday-Tuesday, April 21st – 23rd
Creative workshops for the whole family – Even Bagalil
5. The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History
The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History opened its doors just last June, and is the newest, most innovative museum in Israel. Inside it, you can enjoy many diversified nature displays, from The Father Schmitz Collection, featuring some of the wild animals formerly common in the Middle East that have become extinct, alongside educational programs for children that tell the story of the desert animals and other species common in Israel, to international exhibits, such as the reason behind the extinction of prehistoric animals, or how man and dog became best friends. During Passover, the museum offers arts and craft and game activities for children on museum themes as well as guided tours on site.
The botanical gardens in Eilat
The most southern city in Israel is famous for its hot weather nearly all-year-round, as befitting the desert. So how could a beautiful, blossoming botanical garden thrive there? The Eilat Botanical Garden nurtures over 2,000 plant species from all over the world, which have grown accustomed to the Israeli desert, and is considered today as one of the few botanical gardens in the world that are able to handle extreme weather conditions. Due to its abundant vegetation, the botanical garden remains nice and cool throughout the year, serving as a pleasant, green haven of nature and peace. You can tour the premises independently or with guidance. The kids can enjoy charming corners and benches made of recycled wood strewn along the garden, as well as a riddle game combining spots throughout the garden.
