Chanukah in Safed 2020
Thursday night December 10 - Friday December 18
Thursday night December 10 - Friday December 18
You are invited to join dozens of special tours and activities that will take place in the Galilee capital during the Hanukkah days subject to Ministry of Health guidelines. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, pre-registration is required.
![]() Focaccia and Pizza Baking Workshop at Bellas
45 NIS focaccia + hot drink 55 NIS pizza + hot drink For more details and reservations: Unique 054-8642278 ![]() Shvil HaLev
![]() Glassblowing
Glass artist Sheva Chaya, offers demonstrations and workshops showing the art of blowing glass. Special demonstrations for Hanukkah every day throughout the holiday at 11:00 and 14:00. The gallery is open from 9:00 to 17:00, entrance fee: 20 NIS per person. The cost of a special family workshop: 300 NIS. Phone: 050-405107, 058-7301074. ![]() Canaan Gallery Weaving
Hanukkah of tradition In the Canaan Safed you can see and experience the ancient Tzfat craft of loom weaving prayer and see the prayer shawls, scarves, shawls, challah covers that this modern-day weaver makes in the tradition of Old Tzfat. There are weaving workshops, tassel tying and a guided tour with an explanation of weaving and its direct connection to Safed. Short tour and demonstration: 15 NIS per participant, finger weaving and bracelet preparation workshop: 55 NIS per participant, perfume preparation workshop: 85 NIS per participant. The gallery is open from 9:00 to 17:00, 28 Alkabetz St., Artists' Alley, Safed. Phone for inquiries: 04-6974449, 054-9489080. https://canaan-gallery.com/ ![]() Hidden Journey
Magical journey of light and melody in ancient underground tunnels of the 16th-century Tzfat. Festive lighting of Hanukkah candles in the historic homes where 16th century Kabbalists lit their Hanukkah candles. A tour combining history, spirituality, light and melody with content from the days of Hanukkah. Historical overview, musical session and candle-lighting. More details and registration: https://en.livnot.org/hanukkah/ ![]() Tour Tzfat on your own. Click here
|
![]() Wine tasting and Donuts
Wine tasting at the Safed Winery. An Old City boutique winery that combines traditional manual processes and modern technology. During Hanukkah there will be wine tastings, menorah lighting and donuts. Open Sunday-Thursday from 15:00 to 21:00. Price: 25 NIS per person. For more details: 050-4480884, 054-3478874. ![]() Artist Quarter Minyan Candlelighting
Every night at 17:00 on Keren HaYesod Street (where Keren HaYesod meets Alorsoroff Street) at 17:00 and at 18:30 in the Courtyard of the General Exhibition/Bellas Bakery (1 Tet Vav) Free ![]() Bubble Festival
Sunday December 13 at 4 PM in the courtyard of the General Exhibition/Cafe Bellas. Bellas will be open for Nachman Kruper's outstanding sufganiyot and drinks. Join the fun! ![]() Ascent
Lanterns, candle making and menorahs Ascent will be conducting nighttime tours around the Old City and candle making workshops. Festive candle lighting every night. Thursdays 10.12 and 17.12 Musical tour from the Tzfat citadel down into the Old City plus candle making workshop 79 shekels Saturday evening 12.12 Musical tour with lanterns from the Ascent Center at 2 Ha'Ari Street through the magical alleys of Tzfat. Sunday to Wednesday, 13-16.12.2020 Menorah tours between the historic buildings, the unique courtyards and the ancient synagogues at a cost of 59 NIS per person, including a candle making workshop. Also every day at 15:30 there will be a candle making workshop and between 16: 30-19: 00 there will be a menorah / lantern tour + a festive lighting of Hanukkah candles Detailed information and purchase of tickets: https://katzr.net/919256 or on WhatsApp: 0587701659, phone: 0773601100. ![]() Safed Kabbalah Center.
Kabbalah and Chanukah -- a magical tour of the Tzfat alleys combined with discussions about different candle-lighting traditions, a klezmer show and festive candle lighting. For reservations 04-6821771. ![]() Menorah tours
Evening menorah tours of the Old City of Safed. Through the alleyways of Tzfat to see menorahs placed in the old stone arches, windows, doorways and nooks and crannies. Includes explanations about the meaning of the lights and candles, Tzfat stories, visits to historical sites and more. Also available -- 3D menorah tour with special hologram glasses. For reservations and more details: 052-5232666 ![]() Special Hanukkah tours
12:00 - Nature and sounds tour - a musical journey in the Emek Tehelet Valley, a magical nature reserve at the entrance to Tzfat. Stories and songs from the Land of Israel. 15:30 - A sunset tour of lights, sounds and flavors in Old Safed . Visits to bakeries where pastries are baked using traditional methods, donuts with homemade creams and more. A visit to the Tzfat candle factory and to the Tzfat dairy which has been operating since 1818. Tour ends with lighting the menorahs at Tzfat's ancient synagogues. 18:00 - Nighttime menorah tour using acoustic headphones so that each participant hears all the explanations, stories and discussions. Price: 45 NIS per participant. For details and registration https://tsfat.org.il/lp/ |
What Else is There to Do?
- Neshika BeeYard Happening Outdoor visit to the beehives at Yishuv Hananaya. 90-minute workshop: We’ll give you a guided tour of the life of a bee colony, honey production, and apiary-related arts and crafts:
* Taste honey straight from the comb
* Learn close-up about the secret life of bees and beekeeping, and their vital role in feeding the world
* Experience unique differences in honey collected from different regions of the country NIS 50 per person, or NIS 150/family. neshikha.com - Do a local hike!
- There are many activities to do within the city, including a walking tour of the Old Jewish Quarter. Visitors can take a tour with a tour guide or may take a virtual self-guided tour with a smartphone ).
- There are accommodations to match any budget if you want to stay in the city overnight.
- Visit a local olive press to learn about how olive oil is made (and maybe do a little olive picking, if you can find some trees that haven't been harvested)
- Some of the local sites that you can access by bus include:
- a. the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Meron (bus 361 from the Central Bus Station leaves every 1/2 hour and passes Meron on its way to Haifa);
b. the Hula Nature Reserve (bus 511 -- 1-559-599-599)from the Central Bus Station passes by the Hula Nature Reserve on its way to Kiryat Shmoneh);
c. Tiberias (bus 450 from the Central Bus Station goes directly to Tiberias);
d. Rosh Pinna (bus 511 (1-599-559-559)passes through Rosh Pinna on its way to Kiryat Shmoneh);
e. Ice-skating in Ma'alot (bus 367 (1-599-559-559) from the Central Bus Station);
f. Canada Center (swimming and ice-skating) in Metulla (bus 511 1-599-559-559 )to Kiryat Shmoneh and then a cab to Metulla;
g. Talmudic Village, Golan Winery in Katzrin (bus 511 1-599-559-559)to Hatzor HaGlilit and then bus 53 to Katzrin
h. Nahariya, a seaside town about an hour west of Safed. Bus 367 (1-599-559-559) travels directly there and back a few times daily. Great
free beach.
Local hikes which start from Safed include Biriya hike, Nahal Amud hike, Nahal Rosh Pinna hike (1 hour, begins on the road that skirts Cana'an area of Safed just past the police station on the right and the supermarket on the left - Additional area hikes
- Local Pool. Call for times 04-6922288 -- there are times for separate swimming (men/women) and times for mixed swimming.
- Visit to cheese-making -- HaMeiri Cheeses, Kadosh Cheeses
- Visit to the HaMeiri Museum of Safed history
- Otzar HaStam Interactive activity that allows people of all ages to learn about and experience the art of creating holy parchments for Torah scrolls, tefillin and mezuzzot. Audio visual presentation and experiential activities.
- Israel Extreme Tzfat-based "extreme" activities including rappelling, rock-climbing and caving.
- Hatzor Archaeological Excavations -- Nateeve Express Bus 511 to Hatzor and then a cab ride to one of the most extensive archaeological excavations in Israel.
- Third Temple Exhibit.