Sukkot is a very popular time for families to visit Jerusalem. The city comes alive with tourists and locals enjoying unique experiences in Jerusalem.
With festivals, special tours, live concerts and a variety of fun activities, there is something for everyone.
City Festivals & Special Events
The AMAZING RACE with CROSSROADS – Discover Jerusalem’s secrets – from iconic landmarks to hidden treasures while supporting an incredible cause – Crossroads Jerusalem. The race begins with a brief orientation and activity in Gan Hatazmaut Park, followed by WhatsApp clues guiding participants along the race route. Race, laugh, complete missions and conquer challenges together! Friday October 18, 10am-12.30pm. 100NIS per person
Ben Hashmashot – Sukkot with Kol HaOt – Visit Kol HaOt for a new exhibit displaying artistic responses to the items created in the twilight at the end of the last day of creation. Ranging from video, to painting and dance, all the artists capture the magic of that special time in the day, the power that comes from a time of transition.
As an added bonus, also on display only through the end of Sukkot is David Moss and Noah Greenberg’s Tree of Life Shtender, a one-of-a-kind combination of furniture, design and Judaica that contains all the items needed for a Jewish day, week and year. Opening Night is Wednesday Oct 8 at 7.30pm. FREE
Comedy For Koby – Elon Gold Sukkot Shows – Israel’s most popular English stand-up comedy tour, Comedy for Koby raises critical funds for the work of The Koby Mandell Foundation, an organization which supports victims of terror and tragedy. This year’s performer will be Elon Gold & Avi Liberman.
Herzliya – Wednesday October 8, 8pm
Heichal Omaniyut Habama
Jerusalem – Thursday October 9, 7pm & 9.30pm
Henry Crown Auditorium
Tel Aviv – Sunday October 12, 8pm
Beit HaChayal, Weitzmann 60
Plan your own family evening of comedy with Debbie’s Laughter Games Workshops. Exercise your brain and your funny bone as you enjoy special quality time with your family and friends. Debbie’s workshop can be done virtually or in-person.
Sukkot Activities
The NEW National Library – Discover the New National Library’s secrets through puzzles, stories, art, and architecture. Each child receives a personal activity kit, “A Library Experience”, available in English and Hebrew. Special 90 min Guided Tours in English to explore the Library’s breathtaking spaces, from the Reading Halls and Automated Stacks to inspiring works of art. Visit the permanent exhibition “A Treasury of Words” and enjoy two new rotating exhibitions: “Flowers: Leafing Through the Collections” and “Hadassa Goldvicht: To the Internal Libraries.”
Tower of David Sukkot Festival – Enjoy three festive days filled with tours, costumes, creative workshops, and more. A large sukkah is open for visitors in the courtyard next to the Tower Café.
Sukkot at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center – Guided Tour & AV Experience (multiple languages) – Immerse in Menachem Begin’s life from European childhood to Irgun leader, iconic speeches, and years as prime minister.
Chasing Your Cocktail – with Sara Eichler – Enjoy the views and learn about Jerusalem’s development while sipping 3 fabulous cocktails featuring spirits from THINKERS Distillery. Each cocktail is site specific, alluding to the builders and dreamers through your taste buds! You’ll have great fun exploring modern Jerusalem of the 1860s like never before. Tours are in English. They are given in the evening and can be customized for special family occasions. Ages 18+.
Sukkot at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory – Family activities include Bird Ringing Demonstrations in Hebrew, Nocturnal Safari Tours in Hebrew, early morning Bird Walks in English, and Feathers & Fur Walks in the Gazelle Valley.
Sukkot Photography Workshop with Nili Auerbach – Capture Jerusalem’s beauty with photographer Nili Auerbach. Explore sites like Yemin Moshe, Mahaneh Yehuda, or the Old City while learning composition, light, and color. Use a smartphone or DSLR, get personal feedback, and take home your best 20 images – plus photos of your group in action.
Just Outside Jerusalem
Bikurei Shilo is hosting a family-friendly Farm Festival over hol hamoed. Harvest grapes and make grape juice, make your own pitta or take a tractor or wagon tour through the vineyards(at an additional cost). There’s arts & crafts and archery and a games table too! Sukkah on site. October 8, 9, 12.
Come and see the Mishkan come to life this Sukkot at Ancient Shilo! Enjoy an interactive, full-scale exhibition of the Mishkan’s vessels, try on the Cohanim’s garments, play the Levites’ instruments and participate in a hands-on workshop making harps, breastplates and incense. Visit their Red Heifers that have recently arrived from Texas and take a 3D tour inside of the Mishkan! They’ll be street actors and guided tours and there’s a picnic site and family-sized sukkah. October 8, 9, 12.
The Gush Etzion Regional Council is hosting Sukkot family events in different locations throughout the Gush. The Kashuela Farm – The Kashuela Farm is hosting a one-day Sukkot Festival with loads of arts & crafts and food stands and activities for all the family.Wednesday, Oct 8, 11am-5pm
The Hyrcania Fortress – between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, in the Hyrcania Valley, lies an ancient fortress that has hardly been visited for two thousand years. Now, for the first time, the Hyrcania Fortress is opening to the general public and you are invited to take a peek inside one of the most fascinating archaeological gems in Israel.
Thursday, Oct 9,9am-6pm, Family Tours, 10am, 12 noon, 2pm, 4pm
Kite Festival in Pnei Kedem
Sunday, Oct 12, 12 noon-5pm
Caliber 3, Caliber 3, based in Gush Etzion is the leading Counter Terror, Defense & Security Training Academy in Israel and the world. They have some awesome Commando Tourism packages – for the Ultimate Israeli Combat Experience including the Classic 2 hour IDF Shooting Adventure, as well as upgrade activities such as Extra Target Shooting, Krav Maga, 360 degree Shoot House and an Urban Combat Simulator. As per Israeli law, adults (16+) use .22 caliber rifles and 12-gauge shotguns, and youth up to age15 use paintball or airsoft guns. Ask them about their Bar/Bat Mitzvah and VIP packages too!
Creative Crafts Café in Gush Etzion has a variety of incredible hands-on workshops, perfect for ages 6 and up: different creative workshops offered each day Wax Candles, Glass Fusing, Epoxy Resin workshops. Create your own masterpiece in their comfortable, air-conditioned space. Kfar Etzion, Gush Etzion. Reservations required.
The Zomet Institute Visitors Center has guided tours in English & Hebrew over hol hamoed showcasing how rabbis and engineers solve techno-halachic problems. Learn all about the fusion of halacha & technology, bringing solutions in the fields of healthcare, security and mobility. Kosher sukkah on site. Pre-registration required. Alon Shvut, Gush Etzion.
Sukkot is the perfect time of year to take a Hebron Tour. It’s a unique, fun and inspirational tour for all ages, visiting Kever Rachel and Ma’arat HaMachpela – two of the top 10 most visited sites in Israel and a wonderful way to connect to our Jewish history and heritage.
Yvel invites you to come and enjoy a special tour of the world-renowned jewelry factory. Explore the Megemaria Craft Center with artistry demonstrations. Enjoy guided tours in English of the Jewelry School and Yvel Design Center. You’ll end the tour at at the factory store where you can select the perfect holiday gift for yourself or a loved one. You’ll need to reserve your tour ahead of time. Motsa off route 1.
Throughout hol hamoed, you can enjoy an ancient experience at Eretz Bereshit (Genesis Land) when you are greeted by Eliezer and brought into the tent of Avraham. Take a family tour and be a part of the Biblical story when you ride a camel to the tent and partake in some light refreshments from the couple known for their hospitality.
Kakadu Sukkot Festival – join Reut Shachar on a journey of self-discovery at Kakadu’s special Sukkot family festival. Create exclusive, beautiful, functional artistic products that you will paint in the distinctive Kakadu bold colors. Reservations required. Moshav Tzafririm near Beit Shemesh.
At the Galita Chocolate Workshop you will learn to make special treats at the Galita chocolate workshops. Mehadrin. Kibbutz Tzuba.
Holiday Themed Art Workshops
Create a unique Ushpizin wooden wall hanging and other beautiful handmade pieces of Judaica with Jeremy & Mandy Broder at The Workshop Gush Etzion.
Use leaves to create magical impressions in clay at the Kiyor Clay Studio near the Shuk.
Learn to blow glass at a special honey spoon glass blowing workshop at Yael Vloch’s glass studio at the House of Quality.
At Hadara’s Ceramic Studio this Sukkot you’ll learn how to do hand building with clay & different design techniques to create beautiful pieces of art for display & use. Reservations required. Emek Refaim.
Have you always wanted to create your own Rave Glass Mosaic? There is no better place to learn than at the Rave Mosaic Studio in the Artists’ Colony just outside the Old City.
Mezuzah Making at Uri Kalfa’s Studio. Learn about the history and significance of the Mezuzah and then hand carve and decorate your very own Mezuzah case from olive wood. Maale Adumim
Have you ever created a piece of art from Resin? Learn the techniques at Nicole Friedman’s Studio. Come and create color-bursting useable art and experience first-hand what the resin art hype is all about!
Sukkot Tours & Shows for Families
Take a guided tour through the animal world of the Bible at the Biblical Museum of Natural History just outside Beit Shemesh. Experience many fascinating exhibits, including their Hall of Shofars and the Art of the Arks exhibit. Reserve a tour in English.
Nachliel Selavan, affectionately known as “The Museum Guy” is offering a special holiday-themed tours at the Israel Museum. His Tishrei Tour examines Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah through the Jewish Art and Archaeology and exploring the connections between the agriculture, history and Torah-readings of this special holiday-rich period of time. Or, on his Magical Family Tour you’ll visit the newest exhibitions and see the hidden treasures and off-the-beaten-path places in the museum. It’s geared towards kids aged 6-12 years old and adults. Teens will also enjoy it!
Yonina’s Sukkot Musical Tour– Join Yoni and Nina Tokayer for an inspiring musical tour of Jerusalem’s Old City. Enjoy stories in English, music, and a unique Sukkot experience for the whole family.
Private Sukkot Tours with Robby Berman– a tour guide, journalist and stand-up comedian who loves teaching and guiding. He has a special affinity for children and makes sure that they stay engaged and entertained throughout the tour. Robby guides all over the country with an expertise in the Old City of Jerusalem (all the quarters), the Mount of Olives, the Israel Museum, the Old City of Tel Aviv, the Old City of Jaffa and the American colony in Jaffa.
Sukkot Adventure Activities
Sukkot is all about celebrating the great outdoors and adventure. And there’s so much on offer in-and-around Jerusalem!
You can take an off-road Jeep tour of the Judean Mountains or the Desert, go ATVing in Shilo, or challenge your family to a Ropes Course at Ammunition Hill or Snappling (Rapelling) down the Old City Walls.
Rent Family Bikes in Gan Sacher, or take EZ Raiders on a Smart Tour of the city.
It’s also the perfect time of year to take a Trail-Ride on Horseback, with views of the Jerusalem Hills.
Havent found exactly what you are looking for? Take a look at our activity pages by theme.
Art workshops, Food workshops, Adventure activities or Experiential tours.
Click here to see all the Sukkot the events on our calendar
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