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
With Joy: Art Workshops with Kol HaOt – Celebrate Chol Hamoed Sukkot the creative, hands-on way! Alongside their new art exhibition about Tehillim, enjoy family-friendly workshops for all ages that bring the the psalms of Hallel to life through making, crafting, and music. Discover, create, and take home your own artwork – and bring joy to the holiday with imagination and art. 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
Over chol hamoed there are three days of family fun, holiday spirit and activities for all ages at the YMCA. Enjoy arts & crafts, lawn games, a bouncy castle, Train Theater performances, magic, Sukkot traditions, music, family tours, Pilates, Zumba, Tai Chi and more! Kosher food and drinks will be available those days, and you’re welcome to bring your own snacks or picnic and enjoy the YMCA grounds and Sukkah during all of Sukkot. FREE (other than the Tower Tour).
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.
Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel – The priestly blessing at the Kotel, over Sukkot, is a truly unique experience. It will be held on Monday & Thursday of chol hamoed (Birkat Kohanim of Shacharit at 9:30am and Mussaf at 10:30am). On Thursday, the Chief Rabbis of Israel and the Rabbi of the Kotel and the Holy Sites will attend. Second Hakafot will take place on Motzei Shabbat (Oct 3) from 10pm – with live music and approx. 100 sifrei torah (torah scrolls).
The Jerusalem March – This annual event will be held on Monday, September 28, during Chol Hamoed Sukkot. There are two parts, a morning walk and a communal event at Sacher Park, with live performances, including a headliner, and activities for the whole family.
The Safra Square Sukkah, Jerusalem’s main Sukkah and the largest in Israel, is built each year in the heart of Jerusalem. Throughout chol hamoed it hosts exciting events, including concerts, fun activities for children and all the family. The sukkah will be open every day from the morning until the evening and is Kosher.
Celebrate 20 years of United Hatzalah with a show-stopping chol hamoed concert at Sultan’s Pool, featuring Avraham Fried, Yaakov Shwekey, Ishay Ribo, Zusha and Elaytzur.
Sukkot Activities
The National Library – Enjoy a special family visit at the National Library, including holiday activities for children! Whether you’re looking for family-friendly activities, cultural enrichment, or simply quality time together – the Library offers all of this in a festive and welcoming atmosphere.
Sukkot at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory – Bring the whole family for a fun morning of birds, nature and creativity at the Nili and David Jerusalem Bird Observatory. During chol hamoed, they are hosting a morning of migration, discovery & creativity, in English! It’s peak migration season! Birds are leaving Europe and heading south to Israel and Africa — and the Nili and David Jerusalem Bird Observatory is buzzing with feathered visitors.
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.
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.
Just Outside Jerusalem
Adama 613 invites you for a meaningful Chol Hamoed day in Eretz Yisrael built for families and friends. Discover where the 7 species of Israel and the 4 species of Sukkot grow in each field while learning how the mitzvot of the land are performed. They’ll be giving field tours, running kids activities and special workshops, live music and a BBQ too.
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.
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.
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.
At the Galita Chocolate Workshop you will learn to make special treats at the Galita chocolate workshops. Mehadrin. Kibbutz Tzuba.
Sukkot Tours & Shows for Families
Beit Avi Chai has special chol hamoed performances of a musical based Leah Goldberg’s legendary children’s poems. It includes performances of well-known and beloved songs and is recommended for families with kids aged 6-10 years old. (In Hebrew).
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, The Great Isaiah Scroll & The Written Word (which closes after Sukkot).
Debra Tours invites you to Become a Pilgrim for a Day: Walk the ancient Pilgrim’s Road from the City of David to the Southern Wall Excavations and experience the journey that brought millions of worshippers to Jerusalem during the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. Walk the original stones, discover breathtaking archaeological finds, and experience Jerusalem as never before. As about her other tours too!
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.
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+.
Holiday Themed Art Workshops
Create a unique Ushpizin wooden wall hanging and other beautiful handmade pieces of Judaica with Jeremy & Mandy Broder The Workshop Jerusalem, at their new state-of-the-art studio in Talpiot.
Learn to blow glass at a special honey spoon glass blowing workshop at Yael Vloch’s glass studio at the House of Quality.
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. Or how about Quad Tours an exciting, guided, off-road ride in the beautiful landscapes of the Beit Shemesh?
You can also rent Family Bikes in Gan Sacher, or take EZ Raiders on a Smart Tour of the city. And Dead Sea Tourism is offering an awesome range of adreneline-pumping activities including, water tag, kayaking, jeep tours and bike tours.
It’s also the perfect time of year to take a Trail-Ride on Horseback, with views of the Jerusalem Hills. This Holiday they are also offering special family Horse Adventure packages: It’s a three-hour activity and includes trail riding, archery & lassoing. It’s built for groups of up to 10 people, ages 9+.
Creative Workshops in-and-around Jerusalem
Hasadna BeNocturno is the place to get creative, with good vibes, great coffee and unique Israeli-designed gifts. It’s the perfect family chol hamoed activity. Choose from Create Your Own Print Workshop or Wood Craft & Design Workshop.
Discover a unique artistic process inspired by the geology of Israel, where raw minerals and stones collected across the country are transformed into precious wearable pieces. Create your own stone from the Land of Israel and transform it into a meaningful jewel at a Holy Land Jewelry workshop at Salome Stones 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 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! Beit Shemesh.
Studio Kliche invites you in for a family-friendly Sun Printing or Candle Making workshop with Liana, a Bezalel graduate, in her studio at the beautiful Jerusalem House of Quality. Located just opposite the Har Zion Hotel.
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.
Salves of Jerusalem. Discover the ancient art of skin and body care through herbs, oils, and biblical ingredients in this hands-on workshop held in a warm Jerusalem home. Make your own handcrafted salve and herbal infusion to take home.
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
Volunteering Activities
Check out Just One Chesed‘s amazing array of activities – all of which offer families the chance to give-back this holiday season. Build A Bed, Build A Rest Area, The Kindness Booth or Pizza Making for Soldiers. We also recommend looking into The IDF Birthday Project (based in Efrat) and The Pina Chama (based in Zomet HaGush). There are some wonderful Jerusalem-based volunteering hubs like Pantry Packers, Kedma & Ohr Meir Ve’Bracha. See or full list of nationawide opportunities, here.
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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