Sound the Shofar - a Witness to History
In honor of the upcoming Jewish High Holidays, a new exhibition will be displayed at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem and reveal little known facts about the Shofar and traces its use and symbolism through history from the ancient world to modern times in an exceptional display of artifacts and multi-media.
More details about the Sofar exhibit here
Netanya Contemporary Mosaic Art Festival
The Art Festival will be held in various locations throughout Netanya, including special activities on the Promenade where artist Roslan Sergeyev has created a mosaic display, the Tsuk Gallery and the Garden around it.
Click here for more information about the festival
“Guitar Gems 2011”
Under the artistic direction of Alexei Belousov and Daniel Akiva, the sixth annual Guitar Gems Festival will take place this year, October 14-18 in the coastal resort of Netanya.
Click here for more details about the festival
Christian Marclay's Masterpiece the Clock
A new exhibition at the Israel Museum will feature Christian Marclay's video work, The Clock (2010) first premiered last year in London and presented in New York, Los Angeles, Venice, and Moscow.
Click here for more information about the exhibit
Ceremonial Tree Planting Center Opens At Neot Kedumim
Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel, has recently completed a ceremonial tree planting center, the first of its kind in Israel.
For more information about the new Planting Center click here
Rare Statue of Hercules Discovered in the Jezreel Valley
The statue from the second century CE was uncovered during excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority at Horvat Tarbenet in the Jezreel Valley.
Click here for more information and photos of the statue
Restoration of the Crown in Jerusalem's Damascus Gate Complete
After nearly a year of extensive conservation work on the largest and most impressive of Jerusalem’s gates, visitors to the Old City can now enjoy the Damascus Gate in all its splendor, just as the public experienced it for hundreds of years.
For more information on the restoration click here
Israman Triathalon 2012
The grueling Iron Man competition that is ranked as one of the top 10 most challenging long triathlons in the world, will take place on January 20, 2012 in the coastal resort town of Eilat, Israel.
Read more about the competition here
Israel’s second international airport to be built at Timna, near Eilat
Approximately 18 km north of Eilat on the Red Sea, according to a decision by the Israeli Cabinet on Sunday, 24 July. The construction of the new airport will encourage the growth of incoming international tourism traffic.
Click here for more details on the new construction
7th Annual Jerusalem Beer Fest
The festival will take place this year, August 31st to September 1st at the Old Train Station on Derech Hebron in Jerusalem.
Click for more information about the Beer Fest
Fairytales In The Sand Eretz Israel Museum
Tourists visiting the garden at the Tel Aviv Eretz Israel Museum this August will be able to enjoy a special exhibition displaying dozens of sculptures made of sand, crafted by artists from the Sand Academy in Holland.
Fore more information about the exhibit click here
Hotel Montefiore Rated By Fodor’s Among “Best Choice” Hotels In Tel Aviv
The next edition of the popular tour guide “Fodor’s” will list Tel Aviv’s Hotel Montefiore among its “Best Choice” hotels in Tel Aviv.
Read more about the "Best Choice" here
Jerusalem 4th International Film Festival for Children & Youth
The festival willl take place on August 22-25 2011 at the Jerusalem Cinematheque, located near the Old City and the Tower of David. The festival features some of the world's best films for children and young adults, attracting film professionals and local distributors from around the world.
Read more about the festival here
11th Annual Animix Festival – Animation, Comics & Caricature
This year, the Animix festival will honor Israeli animator Noam Meshulam. Special guests include the world renowned French caricaturist Jean Planto, Denis Walgenwitz, President of the French Animated Film Association, the Palestinian Caricaturist Baha Bukhri and the American comic artist, Joe Cubert.
For more information about the event, click here
Bat Yam International Street Theater Festival
Dozens of outdoor shows will be presented during the three day festival, suitable for the entire family. Select performances include Rope (German), an acrobatic performance on a rope and Cosmos (Spanish) an open-air acrobatic and music performance on a crane.
Read more about the happenings here
First Urban Beach Party In Jerusalem
Best known for its unique religious, historical and cultural sites, land-locked Jerusalem will host an event of a totally different kind this summer – an urban beach party!
For more information, click here
Qasr El Yahud, the Baptism Site on the River Jordan, Is Now Open Without Advance Notice
After much investment in infrastructure to improve the spiritual experience and physical comfort of tourists and pilgrims, the baptism site on the River Jordan known as Qasr el Yahud is now open to the public, free of charge, seven days a week.
For more information about the new site click here
Jerusalem and Tel Aviv Voted Among the Top Cities in Africa and the Middle East Best by Readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine
In an annual reader’s poll, the capital was ranked number two in the category Best Cities in Africa and the Middle East. Cape Town received the number one spot on the list.
Readers ranked the cities on characteristics such as sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping and value.
Read more about the rating here
The 36th International Arts and Crafts Fair Sultan's Pool, Jerusalem
The traditional highlight on Jerusalem’s summer events calendar is celebrating 36 years - the International Arts and Crafts Fair, which attracts tens of thousands of tourists and visitors, will take place at Arts and Crafts Lane and Sultan’s Pool from 15-27 August.
Read more about the fair here
The First International Hula Valley Bird Festival
Scheduled for November 20th–27th 2011, the festival is offering various comprehensive birding programs, a unique photography seminar, a scientific conference, a one-of-a-kind concert by seven-time Grammy award winner Paul Winter and more.
Read more about the festival here
Video: Getting A Mouthful of Tel Aviv’s Flavors
Michael Gertopski, the chef at Social Club Restaurant took Will Pulos around Carmel Market on a recent afternoon to show him some of the local market ingredients inspiring a lot of Tel Aviv cuisine now
Watch the video here
14th International Puppet Theatre and Film Festival
The largest ever International Puppet Theatre and Film Festival will take place in Holon from 21 – 30 July 2011, offering visitors and tourists, children and adults, a nine day theatrical experience that encompasses shows, street performances, films, exhibitions, workshops and free public entrance to the Puppet Theatre Museum.
Click here for more details about the festival
The First Temple Period Ophel City Walls Site
The Ophel City Wall site in the Walls Around Jerusalem National Park - a complex of buildings uncovered along the route of the fortifications from the First Temple period (tenth-sixth centuries BCE) – is now open to the public, together with the display of the earliest written document ever uncovered in Jerusalem, on view in the Davidson Center.
For more information about the new site, click here
Summer 2011 at the Israel Museum
In honor of the first anniversary since the opening of the renewed Israel Museum, visitors can enjoy a wide range of extra activities during the summer months – as detailed below.
Read more about the summer activities here
Australian Football League Players and Journalists Visit and Vote for the Dead Sea
The delegation met with the 13-member Israeli and Palestinian team known as the Peace Team, as they prepare for the August 2011 AFL International Cup in Australia, in which 24 countries will compete.
Read more about the visit here
Jerusalem Season of Culture Events in July 2011
A series of riveting artistic experiences spanning the worlds of dance, music, poetry, philosophy, visual art, new media, and more, has been attracting visitors and culture vultures to the city since its opening in mid-May
Read more about the events in Jerusalem here
Stamps featuring beaches in Israel
Printed by the Philatelic Service of the Israel Postal Company, the stamps were launched Sunday (26.6.11) in the presence of the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the Dead Sea region.
Read more about the new stamps here
Tel Aviv’s White Night
On Thursday, 30 June 2011, Tel Aviv will hold its annual White Night celebrations, with numerous events throughout the city from 21:00 through to sunrise the following morning. Read more about Tel-Aviv's White Night here
Free Summer Activities At The Tel Aviv Port
The renovated Tel Aviv Port, one of Tel Aviv’s most attractive and lively entertainment hotspots, will host a variety of special, free summer activities suitable for tourists as well as locals. These include Yoga on the pier, "childhood games" happening, dance shows, welcoming the Sabbath and the Corona FussVolley League.
Read more about the summer's activities here
Researchers Explore Stream-Filled Cavern at Entrance to Jerusalem
The cave is narrow and a few dozen meters high, forming an underground canyon. It contains an underground stream, flowing in a southeasterly direction.
Read more about the new-found cave here
1,500 Year Old Public Building From The Byzantine Period Revealed In Excavations In Akko
In an archaeological excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted approximately 100 meters west of Tel Akko – next to the Azrieli Shopping Mall compound under construction there – a 1,500 year old public building was discovered that may have been used as a church.
Fore more information on the excavations in Akko click here
Carmen at Masada
Over 55,000 people – Israelis and tourists - enjoyed the critically-acclaimed 2011 Israeli Opera Festival in Masada and Jerusalem, which featured a spectacular production of Aida, conducted by Maestro Daniel Oren, at the foot of Mount Masada and the Israeli premiere of Verdi’s Jerusalem, performed against the backdrop of the Old City walls in Jerusalem.
Read more about the next opera here
Sands of Time: The Work of Micha Ullman
The exhibition, which spans Ullman’s fifty-year career in sculpture and drawing, will remain open to visitors of the museum through 12 November 2011.
Read more about the exhibition here
Summer Activities at the City of David
In addition to visiting the fascinating archeological discoveries at the City of David, tourists and visitors can enjoy a host of special activities this summer.
Find out more about the summer activities here
National Religious Broadcasters Executive Committee Traveling To Israel
The National Religious Broadcasters’ Executive Committee will be in Israel, June 4-13, for their annual planning meeting and to tour the land of Israel. The Executive Committee will be hosted by the Israel Ministry of Tourism.
Read more about the trip here
9th Bible and Love Festival
The ninth Bible and Love Festival will take place this year at the Bell Cave in the Beit Govrin National Park and in the Roman amphitheater near Kiryat Gat from 8-12 June 2011. The festival, sponsored by the Yoav-Yehuda Regional Council, features a variety of cultural events with leading Israeli artists as well as many guided tours in the region.
Click for more information about the festival
Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Duran Duran lead a Hot Summer Line-Up of Pop Concerts in Israel
Once again, major venues in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (among others) will host a strong line-up of pop stars performing to locals and tourists alike this summer.
For the full list of performers click here
Get Into Training
Following the success of the first International Jerusalem Marathon in March 2011 in which over 10,000 runners from more than 40 nations participated, plans are already underway for the 2012 marathon on 16 March.
Read more about the marathon here
Love Is Found 40,000 Feet in the Air, On Board El Al Israel Airlines
Two years ago, Naftali Lubin and Nina Samstein met on an EL AL aircraft when they were both travelling as part of a Hillel volunteer program called "Alternative Break in Israel." After falling in love in Israel, and continuing their relationship at home, Naftali decided to pop the question.
Read more about the romantic love story here
New Exhibition Opens at the Israel Museum Visitors to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem can now enjoy yet another new exhibition - over 100 works on paper from the collection of Hungarian prince and art patron Nikolaus II Esterházy (1765–1833), on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest until 1 July 2011.
Find out about the rest of the artists featured in the exhibition here
Masada Rose to No. 1 pay-to-enter Tourist Site in Israel in 2010
According to a recently-published report by Dun & Bradstreet Israel, the ancient Roman ruins on Mount Masada climbed above Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo to become Israel’s most visited pay-to-enter tourist site in 2010 with 762,992 visitors.
Read more about the ratings here
Haifa’s Baha’i Shrine Unveils Glittering New Golden Dome
After more than two years of extensive restoration work, Haifa's golden-domed Baha'i Shrine was recently unveiled in its resplendent glory, revealing almost 12,000 new, gilded tiles.
Read more about the Dome here
Accessible Israel
Everyone is made to feel welcome in Israel, especially travelers with disabilities.
The Israel Government Tourist Corporation has initiated numerous projects designed to make dozens of tourist sites throughout the country accessible. New sites have been made accessible and old sites have been renovated to make them more suitable.
Learn more about Accessible Israel here
A Journey in Time to Ancient Egypt
The project, in cooperation with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), offers participants an exciting experience that combines an ancient game of kings, the story of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, acquaints them with the mysteries of ancient Egyptian writing and gives them hands-on experience in an archaeological excavation camp.
Read more about the project here
New website launched to Promote Jerusalem Culture
In a recent development, the Jerusalem Municipality, the Jerusalem Development Authority Tourism Department, the Jerusalem Hotels Association and the Israel Ministry of Tourism have launched a comprehensive website showcasing the many cultural and tourist options on offer in Jerusalem.
Learn more about the site here
The International Opera Festival
Following the huge success of the first Masada Opera Festival in which the Israeli Opera presented Verdi's Nabucco by the Mountain of Masada last June, Hanna Munitz, General Director of the Israeli Opera, announced the program for the expanded Masada Opera festival which will now also take place in Jerusalem.
Click here for more information on the festival
13th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition
The Arthur Rubinstein Award and other prizes are presented to young master pianists, whose talents reveal outstanding musicianship as well as the ability to render versatile, artistically convincing interpretations of works, ranging from the pre-classical to the contemporary.
Read more about the upcoming competition here
Hollywood Comes to Rishon Lezion
The inaugural Cinema Park Festival, featuring a variety of special ‘behind the scenes’ cinema-related activities, workshops and attractions for the whole family, will take place along the beach promenade in Rishon LeZion, Wednesday - Friday 20-22/4/2011.
Click here for more information and rates
More than 10,000 runners crowd Jerusalem streets for city’s first ever International Marathon
Runners from over 40 nations participated in Jerusalem’s inaugural international marathon on Friday, March 25th, 2011.
Read here about the marathon
Bob Dylan to Perform in Israel, 20 June 2011
Legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan will hold a single concert in Israel on June 20 at the Ramat Gan stadium, following in the footsteps of fellow performers Leonard Cohen and Elton John.
Click here for more information about the expected performances
Inspired Manel Alvarez on the Bible
The exhibition, "INSPIRED - Manel Alvarez on the Bible", consists of a series of impressive sculptures in stone, iron, granite and wood on the theme of the Bible.
Click here for more information about the exhibition
Sporting Events in Israel 2011-2012
The warm winter sunshine, the relative proximity to Europe, state-of-the-art facilities, wide choice of hotel accommodation and the added benefit of unique historical, religious and cultural sites combine to make Israel an increasingly popular destination for international sports events. Listed below are some examples of some of the major international sporting events.
Read here for more information on the different events
Tourism Ministry to Invest Millions in Youth Hostels in Israel for Tourists use
The Tourism Ministry will invest NIS 29 million in the coming years in upgrading, expanding and converting nine youth hostels around the country for tourists’ use, in order to answer the shortage of available hotel rooms and to provide a wider choice of overnight accommodation options.
Read more about the project here
Andrea Bocelli at Masada
Accompanied by the Opera Orchestra and Chorus as Part of the New International Opera Festival at Masada-Dead Sea and Jerusalem Sunday, June 12 2011.
Get more details on the even here
Herzliya Summer 2011 Events
The summer program of musical, cultural and sporting events, detailed below, offers an added reason to choose Herzliya as your summer holiday base.
For the list of events click here
Old City Flavors Festival
For the first time in Jerusalem’s Old City, as part of the popular Tastes Festival, the gates and alleyways of the Old City will open up for five magical evenings, a gastronomical celebration of tastes, flavors and aromas.
Read more about the festival here
Three Weeks Of Music, Dance And Theater Performances At Spring's Annual Israel Festival
The 2011 Israel Festival will feature three weeks of music, dance and theater performances throughout Israel, May 23 - June 18.
More information about the festival
Tel Aviv’s 4th Contemporary Art Fair Fresh Paint
Fresh Paint, the contemporary art fair to be held for the fourth consecutive year, is the most influential annual art event held in Israel, attracting tens of thousands of visitors every year.
Read more about the art fair here
A full Calendar of Sporting and Cultural Events in Eilat for 2011-2012
Eilat, Israel's premier vacation resort situated at its southernmost tip where the Red Sea meets the Eilat Desert Mountains, is known not only for its year-round sunshine, water sports, desert activities and unique tourist attractions, but also its packed cultural and sports calendar.
Get the full calendar here
A New Exhibition Entitled Prayer Opens at the Okashi Art Museum in Akko
Housed in an Ottoman-era arched building near the Knights’ Hall in the Old City of Akko, the exhibition is centered around the special moments of prayer in Israel and around the world as documented by Jewish, Christian, Moslem, Druze and Hindu artists in still photography and video exhibits.
Read more about the exhibition here
Actress Claire Danes Visits Israel for the First Time
American actress Claire Danes, accompanied by her husband, English actor Hugh Dancy, made her first visit to Israel to film the Showtime television series Homeland, based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War.
For the full Press Release click here
Coming to your TV screens: Israel on Eurosport
In March the Ministry of Tourism will launch a NIS 2.5m international campaign on Eurosport
The target: a European sporty audience that has the means to travel and tour the world
Read the full Press Release here
A Race to the Top of Masada
For the first time in history – a race up the famous Snake Path leading 300 meters to the top of Masada will take place, within the framework of the 28th International Ein Gedi Marathon, in memory of Giora and Tomer Ron on 18 February 2011.
Read more about the race here
Masada Opera Festival
The highly anticipated 2nd annual Masada Opera Festival will be taking place at the footsteps of Masada in the Judean Desert and in various churches and Sultan's Pool in Jerusalem, June 1-12.
Read more about the opera and the featured performances here
Byzantine Church And Large Mosaic Uncovered In Salvage Excavation At Hirbet Madras
A large and beautiful mosaic floor and a church were uncovered in excavations carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) at Hirbet Madras in the Judean coastal plain.
Read more about the uncovered pieces of history here
A Pilgrimage of Thanks in the Holy Land
The Chilean miners and their spouses to visit the Holy Land to give thanks for their rescue, as guests of the Tourism Ministry, 23.2.11 – 2.3.11
Read more about the pilgrimage here
The 6th Eilat Chamber Music Festival
For the sixth consecutive year, the Eilat Chamber Music Festival will take place in Israel’s premier vacation resort on the Red Sea, offering tourists and music-lovers the opportunity to combine a spring sunshine vacation with world-class chamber music concerts, master-classes and workshops.
Read more about the festival here
Invitation to Cover
A press conference with the tourism minister and tourism heads on the occasion of the visa requirement waiver between Israel and the Ukraine which goes into effect February 9, 2011.
Read more about the press conference
Tour de Dead Sea on 5 March 2011
The annual Tour de Dead Sea, a cycle race along the contours of the Dead Sea, will take place for the fifth time this year on 5 March 2011 with over one thousand cyclists from Israel and overseas cycling in support of the Dead Sea’s candidacy in the finals of the New7Wonders of Nature campaign.
Read more about the cycle race here
European Triathlon Championships 2012
Thousands of triathlon athletes from Europe, their families and supporters, are expected to converge on the resort city of Eilat.
Read more about the triathlon here
Israel To Host The 2013 European Under 21 Football Championships Finals
Israel will host the European Under 21 football championship finals in 2013 after beating out the competition from England, Wales, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
Read more about the hosting here
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