All attractions involve a fee unless mentioned otherwise.
By SHELLY PAZlatkes 88(photo credit: )
Hanukka's first candle will be lit 10 days from today, but the many suggestions, attractions and family activities are already piling up. Besides, it is never too early to plan the next vacation.
All attractions involve a fee unless mentioned otherwise.
Here are some of them:
•Hanukka at the Manara Cliff and tour that follows the Hasmoneans.
The Manara Cliff at the Galilee offers multi-age attractions, starting with a ride on the country's longest funicular (1,900 meters long and 750 meters high) during which a magnificent view of the Naftali mountain stretches beneath. Between December 6 and 7, the Manara Cliff site invites the children to participate in a variety of workshops where they can make their own Hanukka lamp, learn about the Hasmoneans and play. To learn more about the place's attractions, tours, rappelling and surfing courses: www.cliff.co.il (04) 690-5830
•Beit Vakait in Kibbutz Lohamei Hageta'ot in the Western Galilee invites Hanukka vacationers to join a long weekend (December 6-7). The deal includes breakfast on Friday and Saturday, family activity and workshops influenced by the olive oil and miracle of Hanukka in the adjacent Oil Museum. On Saturday, a jeep trip to to the Ga'aton springs and a visit to Ga'aton ruins is scheduled. The place takes special pride in its famous breakfast and it is worse asking what it includes. The entire deal costs NIS 425 for a couple and an additional NIS 100 for every child older than three. (04) 993-3271
The moshavim of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council are also offering a wide variety of attractions for Hanukka:
•Theatour at Emek Hakadmon - an educational tour that includes reenactments of significant biblical stories -December 7, 8 and 11 at 09:30. For reservations: (050) 467-4077.
•An experimental maze at Moshav Sde Ya'acov that stretches 8,000 sq.m. and has 2,000 winding paths is another attraction for the children and the adults. The maze is open through Hanukka 09:30-16:00. Early coordination is requested: (04) 983-0255.
•Large variety of Hanukka doughnuts and pancakes at the Ranch of Spices, every day 08:30-17:00. (04) 953-3405
•At Moshav Shadmot Dvora, the young members of the family can learn about honey making, the beekeepers and the work at the beehives. (04) 676-9598.
•A visit to a dairy barn at Beit Lehem Haglilit will give the children a chance to milk a cow, to learn more about this generous animal and to taste. (04) 983-2437.
•An educational workshop at Kfar Baruch will explore and pet the many water birds at the area. (04) 654-0882.
Two things you can do during the holiday without leaving the house:
•Introduce your children to Mingoville, an international on-line English learning program which is offered free of charge to Israeli children from November 30. The Danish edu-tainment Web site runs a pilot and allows unlimited use of the site for a year. It presents a virtual town inhabited by flamingo characters who invite the children to complete 10 themed missions involving stories, rhymes, games, conversations and songs. www.Mingoville.com
•Yeast company Shimrit and the Angel Bakery have joined together to donate jelly doughnuts to Sderot's residents. All you need to do is to enter Shimrit's Web site and send a Happy Holiday card to Sderot residents and by doing so add another Angel's jelly doughnut that will be given to the residents and the students of Sapir College on Tuesday, November 27. www.shimrit.co.il
