If you have decided to come to Israel for Winter Break or Yeshiva Week, we want to say THANK YOU for your support during this difficult time. Fun In Jerusalem has been working throughout the War to support our incredible tourism vendors and to help promote volunteer opportunities for locals and tourists.
We have compiled a list of activities that will be available for tourists this winter, as well as some great volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer Opportunities
Many organizations in Israel have stepped up to provide needed support for soldiers, their families at home, terror victims and farmers. Some organizations require a minimum commitment of time and others are happy for you to join them for the day. Be in touch with them in advance.
- Leket – Leket has a variety of opportunities for tourists and locals to support the local farmers by volunteering to harvest or plant at locals farms across the country.
- Grilling for the IDF – provide cooked food to our soldiers during their most critical times.
- The Michael Levin Base – visit the base which provides programs and services to lone soldiers and lone b’not sheirut. It’s right by the Shuk.
- Pina Chama – is an incredible place in Gush Etzion where soldiers can come in and have a hot or cold drink, soups and snacks. You can arrange to come and volunteer by contacting the Gush Etzion Foundation.
- Ohr Meir & Bracha – pack food on Thursdays for families of terror victims. This takes place in the Shmuel Hanavi neighborhood.
For more information about volunteering and supporting these worthy causes please visit our Volunteering during the War blog post.
New this Year!
Neoja, the world’s first Basketball Entertainment Center, recently opened in Beit Shemesh. It’s perfect for a fun night out with your teens. They have futuristic basketball courts where you can dive into an immersive reality, so you play real basketball in a captivating virtual world! They also have a first-of-its-kind DARTS system and an advanced Arcade Gaming Zone, all in a refreshing and unconventionally designed compound.
Take a guided tour of the architectural wonder that is the new National Library building. Explore the impressive new reading halls and survey a selection of the five million items stored in the Library: rare books, antique manuscripts, photo albums, unique maps, historical posters, personal archives, and more. They offer tours in English, every Wednesday. Another option is a self-guided audio tour, in English, available daily. You’ll need to pre-book.
Build A Bed, by Just One Chesed, where fun meets purpose! Perfect for families visiting for Yeshiva Week. This hands-on experience invites you to work together, building sturdy bed frames that will comfort families in need across Israel. It’s based in the Gush.
Pizza Making for Soldiers, also by Just One Chesed is your chance to roll up your sleeves, craft delicious pizzas from scratch, and package them up with love. The best part? You’ll personally deliver these fresh, hot meals to Israel’s incredible Chayalim (soldiers) who work tirelessly to keep us safe every day. It’s based in the Gush.
White Pool is a revolutionary entertainment center in Beit Shemesh in Sha’ar Ha’ir mall! It’s a giant ball pit with over 220,000 pristine white balls complete with thrilling slides, challenging ropes courses, and a dance floor! Kids will love it, and adults won’t be able to resist it either. Stunning graffiti art and awesome lighting add a vibrant touch, with a built-in kosher cafeteria completing the picture.
Unique Tours for the whole family
Nachliel Selavan, AKA The Museum Guy is giving private and public tours of the Israel Museum and the Bible Lands Museum. His unique and engaging style brings museums and Jewish history to life; connecting Torah, history, art, geography, and archaeology all in a fun and exciting way!
The not-to-be-missed activity for everyone coming for Yeshiva Week is a visit to the Biblical Museum of Natural History! Experience the animal world of the Torah with hands-on encounters in a guided tour. VIP experiences also available!
Robby Berman is a tour guide, journalist and stand-up comedian who loves teaching and guiding. 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. You can hire him for half day (4-hour tours) or full day tours (8 hours).
Debra Tours is offering an amazing selection of specialty walking tours in Jerusalem over Yeshiva Week. She’s a licensed tour guide, who made Aliyah from LA in 2007 and a self-confessed foodie who loves culinary & wine tourism. They have a Friday morning Ashkenazi Food Crawl, Thursday Night Cholent & Bakery Tour, Shtisel Tour, Hidden Gems of the Old City and of course the Classic Shuk Tour.
The weather’s always better in the Adumim region in the winter! Shelley, owner of Tour Adumim, will coordinate your visit and she’ll even accompany you if you want. Choose from the Mitzpe Yericho Lookout and “Coffee on the Edge Cafe”. Experience Desert Survival Skills, Drawing the Desert, Soap Making, and Shepherding Skills 101 – and so much more!
Be sure to visit the Zomet Institute in Gush Etzion to find out how rabbis and engineers solve techno-halachic problems. Hear about their latest innovations being used now, by the IDF, allowing soldiers to keep Halacha 24/7 while fighting against Hamas. They have English tours where you’ll also learn about their amazing inventions for mobility, security and medical needs, allowing technology to be used on Shabbat and Yom Tov. Best of all the exhibits are interactive!
The Hebron Fund runs a family-friendly tour. It’s unique, fun and inspirational experience for all ages, visiting Kever Rachel and Ma’arat HaMachpela – two of the top 10 most visited sites in Israel. It’s is a wonderful way to connect to Jewish history and heritage and a unique opportunity to link the past with the present, to feel attached our Jewish roots and to people and events that transpired over the millennia.
Take a tour of the Yvel Factory, watch the artists while they work and learn more about the Megemaria Program and the Ethiopian immigrants who are learning the trade of jewelry making. Walk through a replica of an Ethiopian craft village with a student of the program and learn more about Ethiopian culture and their incredible journey to Israel. This is a great activity to do with your teenagers.
Moshe Braun, artist and sofer STaM will take you on a hands-on private private family tour of a Sofer STaM’s studio and introduce you to the fascinating world of Safrut (scribal arts). He’ll treat you to in-depth explanations and demonstrations on how Torah Scrolls, Tefillin, Mezzuzot and Megillot are created. You can book a tour of his studio in Ramat Beit Shemesh or Jerusalem.
Red Bus City Tours are a new addition to the tourism scene in Jerusalem! Whether you are a history buff, a culture lover, or simply seeking a thrilling adventure, a Red Bus City Tour is the perfect way to discover the hidden gems that Jerusalem has to offer.
Challenge yourselves to some local adventure
Caliber 3 is the leading Counter Terror, Defense & Security Training Academy in Israel and the world. They are based in Gush Etzion and have some awesome Commando Tourism packages – for a real “only-in-Israel” experience!
If extreme sports and adventure are more your thing, enjoy challenging, physical activities and help your kids boost their self confidence at the Jerusalem Ropes Course with Yaakov, a real gever and runner up at Ninja Israel, at Ammunition Hill. He also offers rappelling / snappelling down the walls of the Old City for an awesome adreneline-pumping experience!
Dead Sea Bikes is the only local tourism company in the northern Dead Sea with a variety of options for special self-guided or guided bike rides, trails and hikes. They have Riders – a totally new concept in bike riding. It’s like a Segway which hovers just above the ground. And a huge array of different bikes for families to enjoy. If you have younger children, ask about tandem and add on options for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers!
Have a real “havaya Israeli” (Israeli experience) with Jeep & Trekking Tours. Each certified tour guide has a personal touch so you can enjoy the nature and experience with Hidden Valley.
Enjoy an exhilarating, real-life adventure at an Army Day program at the Kalia Beach in the Northern Dead Sea! It’s an awesome day filled with obstacles and challenges that give you a feel for being in the army. A real “Israel Experience” brought to you by Falcon Tactical Laser Tag Extreme. Or how about challenging the family to a competitive game of Laser Tag, Gelly Ball or Water Tag?
EZ Raider is a new concept in off road mobility. It’s a strong, lightweight, electric powered ATV for individuals that can handle any kind of terrain. Glide through Jerusalem and see the famous sites and landscapes from a completely different perspective. They’ve just moved to a new location – you’ll find them right across from the King David Hotel. And their bike rental compound is conveniently located in Sacher Park.
Take the unique opportunity to ride horseback in the Jerusalem Hills at the King David Stables, right near Jerusalem. They offer trail rides for all levels, with a trained guide and pony rides for younger kids and horse care classes. It’s located in a yishuv called Yad Shmona just a 15 minute drive outside of Jerusalem off Route 1.
Visit the “HUB” for Bloc Climbing in Jerusalem. It’s the perfect place to learn to climb, boulder and improve your techniques. Make it a fun, challenging, and active day while spending time together as a family. It’s located in the center of town.
Crafts you can bring home with you
Arts & Crafts workshops are a firm favorite for families with younger kids. All of the workshops we recommend are run by artists who have opened up their studios to tourists. Many of the workshops have an Israeli or Judaic theme, making them unique experiences.
For older kids, we recommend the Glass Blowing & Flame Working workshop with Yael, a Bezalel graduate.
Roochie Sinai, owner and artist at Rave Mosaics has a studio the Artist’s Colony St. (Hutzot Hayotzer) where you can create your own unique piece of art from broken pieces of glass.
Chaya Esther Ort gives a unique ceramics workshop inspired by the Holy Land. Kiyor Ceramics is located just opposite the main entrance to Machane Yehuda Market.
Take an incredible woodworking workshop and walk away with handmade pieces of Juaica at The Workshop Gush Etzion. Jeremy and Mandy Broder will teach you how to take wood from its’ raw form and create it into a finished piece, learning all aspects of the process along the way. Cutting, sanding, filing, gluing and varnishing by hand using custom woodworking machinery.
Come and visit Dana at the Creative Crafts Studio in Gush Etzion where you can choose from a variety of projects. We recommend their Family Projects. Ask about special option for evening workshops as well.
During a Mezuzah workshop with Uri Kalfa he’ll will teach you about the mitzva of Mezuzah as you create your own mezuzah case. His studio is located in Maale Adumim.
Have you ever wanted to meet an artist and take part in a workshop where the artist sits with the participants and teaches them her craft? A Kakadu Workshop is just that….a wonderful and unique experience. Choose from a huge variety of products including place mats, to decorative objects, coasters, Hamsas and can even design floor mats (if requested in advance). The wooden carpets are internationally patented. Each piece is “finished” off by Reut herself and each person walks away with a beautiful piece of art in the Kakadu style. It’s based in Moshav Tzafririm, 7 minutes from Beit Shemesh.
Nurture your creative side at a Resin Art Workshops at the Nicole Friedman Studio in Beit Shemesh. Come experience first-hand what the resin art hype is all about. With private and group workshops available, participants create color-bursting useable art.
If, like mine, your family loves chocolate then treat yourselves to a fabulous chocolate workshop at Galita. It’s a chocolate-lovers paradise and a really fun (and tasty) family activity. All their chocolates are Mehadrin. Galita’s located on Kibbutz Tzuba, in the Jerusalem Hills just after Ein Kerem. It is a beautiful 20 minute drive from the center of Jerusalem.
Book your favorite restaurants in advance this week
Don’t forget to pamper yourself with a delicious meal the Veranda Chef restaurant at the David Citadel, which has just re-opened.
Take time to treat yourself
For a real treat book yourself a spa day at the Akasha Spas and Gyms at the Citadel and Mamilla.
Looking for a different activity? Take a look at our FUN Favorites page to see all of our recommended family activities in Jerusalem.
Safety Precautions
- Be aware of where the safe rooms are – mamad or miklat
- If you are in a car when the siren goes off, pull over to the side and move away from your car.
- We also recommend downloading the Home front command’s app to your phone during your visit.
