Sukkot, notwithstanding the never-ending war and October 7 shock waves that continue to ripple over us all, offers downtime for families and others, with many opting to take a furlough from their daytime jobs for the duration of the holiday. Hence, cultural events abound up and down the country, taking in ad hoc events, annual festivals, and institutions laying on special programs for the week.
The biannual Abu Gosh Music Festival has been with us for 33 years now, proffering quality choral music in the pastoral environs of the eponymous Arab town near Jerusalem, in the delightful ecclesiastic aesthetic and acoustic surroundings of the Kiryat Yearim Church and, in recent years, at the Rabin Center in Tel Aviv.
The upcoming edition incorporates a slew of festivals, October 7-11, from Renaissance and Baroque works through to contemporary material across a wide range of genres, from classical to soul, liturgical, ethnic, gospel, jazz-leaning, and even pop music. The Sukkot lineup features works by Purcell, Fauré, Mozart, Schubert, Bach, Gershwin, Naomi Shemer, and Chava Alberstein. For tickets and more information: abugoshfestival.co.il/?lang=en
There is lots more music on offer, in another pastoral albeit very different spot, with the Tamar Festival, which marks its 25th anniversary at its usual berth near the Dead Sea, October 8-12. Since its founding, the festival has hosted many of the country’s iconic pop and rock performers, and the forthcoming event is no different. The star-studded roster includes the likes of Aviv Gefen, Dudu Tassa, Evyatar Banai, Berry Sakharof, The Friends of Natasha, Ninet Tayeb, Si Heyman, Shotei Hanevua, and Mosh Ben Ari. Shows take place at four sites, including Masada, Kibbutz Ein Gedi, and Nachal Amatzyahu Park. For tickets and more information: www.tamarfestival.com
Musical entertainment often comes with the odd alcoholic beverage, and there will be barrel loads of the latter on offer, and on tap, at the third annual Beer Festival, which takes place at the Kiryat Ata Municipal Sport Park, October 8-9. All told, there will be around 30 brews for sale, both from here and abroad, with a food truck and food stalls providing the solid gastronomic fare.
The onstage acts include hip-hoppers Hadag Nahash, reggae group Hatikva 6, singer-songwriter Liran Danino, and retro band Revivo Project. Entry to the festival compound is free. For more information: www.kiryat-ata.org.il/
Music is a constant throughout the Ushpizin poetry-based festival, which takes place at Confederation House in Jerusalem, October 8-10. The program includes panel discussions and tributes to some of the titans of Israeli poetry, such as Meir Wieseltier, Yonatan Ratosh, and Alexander Penn, as well as late Israel Prize laureate writer Haim Gouri. The festival also steps outside our locale with slots devoted to the work of celebrated Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva, who lived in the first half of the 20th century, and now 75-year-old American rock-blues-indie singer-songwriter Tom Waits. The musical acts include singer Maureen Nehedar, pianist Omri Mor, multi-instrumentalist Itai Binnun, and pianist-composer Ronen Shapira. For tickets and more information: (02) 539-9360 and www.confederationhouse.org
Staying in the capital, Avi Chai House is running its Winds of Change multidisciplinary event on October 12. The itinerary takes in literary spots with leading writers, and an intriguing vignette in which educator Shai Gilis talks to famed chef Ruthie Roussou about the culinary art, global politics, and reflections on October 7, 2023. The program, which kicks off at 8:30 p.m. and runs through to the wee hours, also features a pickling workshop and chat with researcher of the history and politics of healthcare and nutrition Dr. Uri Meir-Chisik, and an in-depth look at mysticism and music with Rabbanit Hadassah Fruman and musicians Maya Belsitzman and Yael Deckelbaum.
The entertainment side of the lineup includes performance slots and video installations, with episodes of Avi Chai House online series Shir Tikva (Song of Hope) screened throughout. For tickets and more information: www.bac.org.il
Merry and lyrical sounds will abound at the Tower of David Museum in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 8-9 and 12 with the advent of the Sukkot and Melodies festival. Over the three days, folk of all ages, particularly families, can enjoy a varied slew of themed activities, including tours, games, costumes, and music, as well as popping into the new exhibition on the life and creative legacy of Jerusalem-born octogenarian crooner-actor Yehoram Gaon. For tickets and more information: www.tod.org.il
There are more family-oriented offerings over at the Man and the Living World Museum in Ramat Gan, where the Yoga and Other Animals hands-on exhibition takes place on October 3-10. The program aims to draw us deeper into the natural world around us, with participants enjoying an experiential dip into yoga exercises and how they were inspired by the movement and posture of animals.
The family-friendly exhibition is divided into three areas, as patrons try their luck and agility at exercises that help us garner our senses and attention, and yoga positions tailored to the exhibits, and there is a snake-body tunnel, which ends in the classic cobra yoga pose. There will also be free short yoga workshops throughout each day, which focus on breathing, balance, and flexibility. All the activities are suitable for children from the age of five and adults. For tickets and more information: adamvechai.org.il/shop/
The Janco Dada Museum at Ein Hod is, as usual, laying on workshops, entertainment, and hands-on fare for families over the Sukkot holiday week. Kids aged three to seven, and their accompanying adults, can settle down to a performance of The Lion and The Mouse (in Hebrew) on October 11 (11:30 a.m.), with the Mabadada family experiential creative space offering folk of all ages opportunities to try their hand at a range of arts techniques and materials. For tickets and more information: (04) 984-2350 and www.jancodada.co.il/
Events in Israel's south during Sukkot
If you happen to find yourselves all the way down south over the Sukkot break, you might want to pop along to the Underwater Observatory Park. You should be able to find plenty there to keep one and all happily engaged, with an ecologically-themed Hebrew-language performance of The Little Mermaid – The War on Plastic, an experiential hologram workshop, a makeup spot for kids, and an interactive tour of the park, including feeding some of our marine life friends. For tickets and more information: coralworld.co.il/
Back in Jerusalem, the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem has experiential tours and compounds, and digital games, as well as activities tailored for special needs children. The Seven Species and Jewish Holidays slot provides families with notebooks, which they will use to identify the biblical eponymous flora hidden among the museum exhibits. A self-operated digital game is also available for some between-activity fun, and there will be guided tours of the museum exhibitions. For tickets and more information: www.blmj.org/en/home-2/
The Hamerets2 multipurpose entertainment center in Tel Aviv is also throwing its hat into the Sukkot holiday activity ring with a loaded program of music, theater, dance, performance, movies, children-tailored fare, and art exhibitions. The live music lineup includes singer-actress Sima Noon, reggae band Sputnik Hi Fi, heavy metal act Kapedro Shaw, and rockers Pie-O-My. Alex Ben Ari will do a poetry reading, while Binyamin Yom Tov puts on a definitively left-field show taking in electronic cabaret, provocative performance art, and some social protest.
On the junior side of the fun tracks, the Bayit 9 Theater company will put on its Ma Be’emet (What Really) production, and Hashual Veha’etz (The Fox and The Tree) is also on the theatrical bill. Youngsters can also get a better handle on the history of popular Israeli music with the Kaveret slot of the Department of Music History, with live music, video clips, and LPs. For tickets and more information: hameretz2.org/
Sderot seems like a poignant spot to visit at this time of the year, where nine themed sukkot will be set up at the local Azrieli Park, October 8-9 (11 a.m.-4 p.m.). The Bible Sukkah will offer an immersive multimedia experience with digital quizzes, a VR journey through time, and snaps in ancient costumes. The Equality Sukkah will focus on accessibility and inclusion with hands-on workshops, while the IDF Sukkah will have soldiers and armored vehicles for the public to explore.
The festive experience won’t stop there. The Nostalgia Boulevard will be turned into “a living museum,” with performers recreating scenes from the past, a sketch artist documenting the special moments and gifting his artworks to the city, and folk dancers leading visitors in classic Israeli dances. Street theater outfits will offer humorous shows, while The Cheerleaders’ musical production will run a community singalong of uplifting Israeli numbers. For tickets and more information: www.e-sderot.org.il
Train buffs, and parents looking to instill a love of railways in their offspring, can enjoy a host of free activities at the Tel Aviv Savidor Central train station and at stations across the country. Much of the focus will be up north, where, as it does each year, Israel Railways invites children to Sukkot events at the Railway Museum located in Haifa. This year’s theme is Locomotive Party – Celebrating 70 Years of the 12 G Locomotives. The fun in Haifa includes railway exhibits and various exhibitions, a children’s craft car, a play car, a train tattoo stand, a photo booth, a gym for smaller children, and a food truck.
A bunch of other stations dotted around the country will also get in on the act with activities for children, including craft corners, while junior entertainment star Dod Haim will put on a show at the Savidor Central station on October 9 (11 a.m.). For more information: (04) 856-4293 and train-museum-sukkot.forms-wizard.co/
Dance fans generally have plenty to choose from over the Sukkot break, and they could do worse than opting for the Dance in the Village Festival at the Eco Art Village on Kibbutz Halammed Heh near Beit Shemesh. The house company, Vertigo, led by artistic director Noa Wertheim, features prominently in the three-day program (October 8-10).
The full festival program includes premieres of original productions, movement sessions, a movement and sound experience for all the family, children’s theater, outdoor music shows, and plenty of vittles and beverages.
For tickets and more information: vertigo.org.il/village/dance-festival-2025/
Meanwhile, folks up north may be happy to hear the Remangar dance company is due to appear at Hechal Hatarbut in Karmiel, on October 9, with a high-energy flamenco production called Darabar. The 14-member cast includes 11 dancers and 3 musicians playing live on stage. For tickets and more information: htk.co.il/ and remangar.org.il/
Even farther north, the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (KCDC) will unveil its latest creation, Where Is Charlie, at the Zichri Theater at the company’s home base, International Dance Village at Kibbutz Ga’aton, on October 9 (8 p.m.). The company describes the new production as “a show spawned by a sense of whimsy, play, and jocularity.” The humor-laden work is suitable for children aged 10 and over, and adults. There will be a pre-show guided tour at 6:15 p.m. of the Dance Village. For tickets and more information: www.eventer.co.il/tgcnf
And Tel Avivite dance lovers and others who reside in the densely populated center of the country don’t have to roam too far from home to attend the inaugural New Dance Festival, which takes place at the Magid Community Center on October 9-11 under the aegis of the Municipality of Tel Aviv.
The three-day program features several premieres as well as remade older works. The choreographer roster includes the likes of Yasmeen Godder, Sharon Vazanna, Rachel Erdos, Dana Ruttenberg, and Avshalom Latucha. For tickets and more information: shorturl.at/tdK4I