Frozen Lapland is shaping up as the hottest destination this winter. Israir Airlines operates a weekly flight from Israel to Rovaniemi in Lapland, best known for the stories about Santa Claus’s village.
The highlight of any trip to Lapland is witnessing the aurora borealis, the northern lights. When the skies above Lapland sink into the deep darkness of an Arctic night, a spectacle appears on the horizon that feels utterly otherworldly: a performance of light and color dancing across the heavens like a ballet of enchanted fairies. Shades of glowing green, deep purple, and at times a mysterious flicker of pink appear as if someone were painting the sky with a delicate brushstroke of magic.
The display begins with green streaks that gradually expand until they resemble a curtain or a parochet of a Torah ark. It is a moment when time seems to stand still. The frozen Arctic wind brushes against our cheeks, sending a shiver through the body and carrying with it the scent of pure snow and eternal glaciers. The sight recalls a curtain billowing in the wind on a balcony, or a colorful dress fluttering on a clothesline in a light breeze on a quiet night.
When the lights begin to dance, the heart pounds with awe, like a pulse of reverence in the face of the infinite universe. The sense of our own smallness before the power of creation leaves us speechless, and so viewers cry out in wonder and break into spontaneous applause.
The rare light pouring down from above fills the soul with amazement and excitement. Every bone in our body trembles from the cold. It is a breathtaking experience that reverberates through every cell, like a melody that continues to play in the heart long after it has ended.
The wind carries sharp, clean scents of distant pines, freshly fallen snow, and air so pure it feels almost like cold water splashed on the face. The northern lights tell the story of the universe. This unique sight is a reminder of nature’s power and mystery.
Their beauty brings with it a sense of majesty and gratitude, like sensing the presence of the Creator in the heavens, weaving magic through Arctic nights. Our breath catches because of the beauty, and also because of the frozen air filling our lungs.
Seeing the northern lights requires luck. They appear only in winter and only on completely clear nights. It is difficult to see them above cities due to light pollution from streets and houses, and impossible to see them when the sky is overcast.
It is strange to discover that the North Star appears in Lapland’s skies almost directly above our heads, not in the area where we are accustomed to searching for it in Israel, as we learned during navigation exercises in the IDF officers’ course.
No bad weather, only unsuitable clothing
The weather in Lapland at this time of year is extremely cold and can reach dozens of degrees below zero. But don’t let the challenge of clothing worry you. In Lapland, they say, “There is no bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”
Accordingly, after each organized group lands, we are taken to an equipment center where we are issued insulated snowsuits, gloves, boots, and gear that wrap us from head to toe. The cold does not penetrate these snow suits even at -20˚. I checked.
THE NORTHERN lights are the main attraction, but if we are already coming to Lapland, there are additional activities offered every day. “Day” is a flexible concept in Lapland, because winter days are very short. Sunrise is around 9 a.m., and the sun sets at about 2:30 p.m. I couldn’t quite figure out when they light Shabbat candles...
One day is devoted to a dog sledding excursion, an experience straight out of a fairy tale. It all begins with the surrounding white silence: endless expanses of sparkling snow merging with the horizon, and crisp cold that gently penetrates the breath.
The huskies harnessed to the sleds are friendly and affectionate. As we approach, they wag their tails happily, bark and jump with excitement, shattering the silence with enthusiastic yelps, eager to set off because they know they are about to run, a thing they love dearly.
The moment the sled starts moving, a sense of freedom floods the body. The Arctic wind lashes gently at the face, carrying the scent of clean snow and the sounds of rhythmic running: the dogs’ breathing, the soft creak of the sled, and the profound feeling of connection between human and wild nature.
The sled speeds along a narrow path through the forest, between spruce trees whose branches are wrapped in white snow. We see only their tops, resembling bushes two to three meters high. Their trunks are buried under more than five meters of snow.
It is a moment of pure exhilaration. The wind on our faces, the sound of motion over snow, and the warmth spreading in the heart make the ride unforgettable, a deep, authentic connection to the magical nature of Lapland.
Another day of the journey is devoted to riding in carriages pulled by reindeer, followed by a day set aside for snowmobile adventures across the Arctic wilderness.
Yet one of Lapland’s most distinctive experiences is a voyage aboard an icebreaker ship. As the vessel forces its way through the thick layers of ice sealing the frozen sea, massive slabs crack and collapse with deep, resonant sounds, as if the Earth itself were sighing.
It resembles the crushing of a hard-boiled egg’s shell, only amplified to a thunderous scale. The splintering ice merges with the roar of the engines, while an endless expanse of white emptiness unfolds around the ship.
Midway through the voyage, the ship comes to a halt, and passengers are invited to step outside and walk across the frozen surface of the sea. The ice creaks beneath our boots. Snowflakes drift through the air, creating the sensation of floating inside a living painting.
Then comes the peak moment: immersion in a pool of icy water carved out by the ship’s propellers behind the vessel. We are dressed in bright orange flotation suits that offer a surprising sense of security as the freezing water wraps around us with a sharp, cold breath.
Floating on our backs, we gaze into the vast sky, surrounded by ice in every direction. When I entered the water, the temperature outside was -12˚, yet inside the suit it felt only cool.
It is an uplifting experience, a humbling reminder of how small we are. The feeling afterward is one of personal triumph over cold and fear, accompanied by a surge of renewed energy and a desire to linger just a little longer in this extraordinary encounter with the boundless white. This is not merely an adventure. It is an experience that brings body, soul, and the universe together into one seamless, unforgettable moment.
Another moving experience is a visit to the Snow Village ice hotel. The hotel is rebuilt at the beginning of each winter and melts away by late spring and early summer. All the walls and furniture are made of ice. Dozens of sculpting artists from around the world come to decorate it with stunning ice sculptures and wall carvings. The highlight is the overnight suites, at the center of which stands a bed made of ice, topped with mattresses and bedding. Under the blankets, it isn’t cold. An unforgettable experience.
Jewish aspects of the trip
On every trip abroad, I look for Yiddishkeit. Despite the absence of a Jewish presence in the region today, there are Jewish aspects to Lapland as well. In hassidic thought, there is the concept of the “icy wilderness,” within which one must seek the “point of light.” The idea that remote, frozen places can be fertile ground for spirituality appears in the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, who emphasized solitary prayer in nature as part of divine service.
Today, there is no Jewish community in Lapland, no synagogues, and no kosher restaurants. Still, observant travelers can manage. The local national dish is salmon soup or vegetable soup, cooked in dedicated pots.
One can bring disposable utensils or purchase a traditional wooden bowl called a “Kupelka,’ and ask that the soup be poured into one’s personal bowl that has not come into contact with non-kosher food. Every restaurant and hotel also serves fresh vegetable salads, boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes, and cooked or steamed carrots.
It is known from historical accounts that during World War II, Jews from Sweden and Norway attempted to flee Nazi rule northward to Lapland. Some found refuge with Sami families, the indigenous people of Lapland, who are known for their tradition of hospitality.
In Lapland, the Arctic silence, the endless snow, and the dancing lights remind you that the world is vast, and our moments of awe are what make it infinite.