October Travel News From Israel

THE LATEST TRAVEL NEWS FROM ISRAEL  ISRAEL GOVERNMENT TOURIST OFFICE NORTH AMERICA  www.goisrael.com #VisitIsrael

JERUSALEM OPENS THE DOORS TO ITS MOST EXCLUSIVE, UNIQUE SPACES Inspired by the successful Open House London and Open House New York City events, Open House Jerusalem will open the doors to some of its most exclusive and unique spaces from October 22 - 24, 2015. Designer lofts, urban villas, unique synagogues, architectural marvels, curious construction sites and private gardens are among the spaces that will be open to the public free of charge.   Find more information here.  JERRY SEINFELD TO PERFORM STAND-UP IN ISRAEL FOR THE  FIRST TIME Comic legend Jerry Seinfeld will perform in Tel Aviv's Menora Mivtachim Arena on December 19 and 20 as part of his world tour. Although Seinfeld has been to Israel several times, this will be his professional debut in the country as a stand-up comedian. Originally scheduled to perform one show, which sold out within hours, Seinfeld agreed to add additional shows. The demand was so great that Seinfeld will now perform four shows in total, two a day on December 19 and 20.   Find more information here.  ISRAEL'S LARGEST YOGA EVENT From November 5 - 7, 2015, the Arava Desert will welcome the sixth annual Yoga Arava Festival, the biggest yoga event in Israel. Throughout the weekend, the villages of the Arava will host yoga workshops with the best teachers in Israel and special guest teachers from abroad. The main event, the Night of Unity, takes place on the Friday night with a sunset yoga practice at the foot of Solomon's Pillars in the Timna National Park, an experience accompanied by live music and followed by a communal dinner. Among the types of yoga that will be practiced are Iyengar, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Vijnana, Shivananda, Dharma Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and a special workshop for Yoga teachers.  Find more information here.  EILAT DESERT INTERNATIONAL MARATHON: NOVEMBER 27, 2015 The warm winter sun in Eilat along the Red Sea allows athletes to kick off the international marathon circuit with the Eilat Desert International Marathon on November 27, 2015. Eilat is a major destination for athletes to take advantage of the warm winter weather, the varied desert landscapes, and a host of professional and amateur sporting events. Participants can choose between a full marathon, half-marathon, 10k or 5k distance courses. The marathon begins at the Sun Bay, and takes runners up along Roded creek, past the remains of an ancient gold mine in the Tuchin valley and then continues upwards towards the Shechoret mountain to experience some truly breathtaking scenery. Registration ends on November 1, 2015.    Find more information here.  FREE FRIDAY TOURS OF SARONA COMPLEX IN TEL AVIV The new Sarona leisure complex is now offering free guided tours in English every Friday at 11:00AM, courtesy of the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality. The tours, which last up to two hours, explore the history and heritage of the restored German Templar colony in the center of the city, which today includes a range of cafes, restaurants, shops and galleries. Sarona combines a unique architectural history with a dynamic urban experience, inviting the public to enjoy this renewed Templar colony. Visitors can also explore the recently opened Sarona Market, Israel's largest indoor culinary market boasting 91 different shops.   Find more information here.  TEL AVIV HOTEL ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET FOR ROCK LEGEND  JON BON JOVI American Grammy Award-winning singer Jon Bon Jovi arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday, where he was welcomed to the Dan Tel Aviv's Presidential Suite for his weekend stay. Bon Jovi was in Tel Aviv for his first-ever concert in Israel, which drew a crowd of more than 50,000 fans to Hayarkon Park. Before leaving on Sunday morning, Bon Jovi autographed the Dan Tel Aviv's guest book (which has previously been signed by Mick Jagger, Madonna, Bono and many others) with a promise to return.   Jon Bon Jovi and Etai Eliaz, General Manager of the Dan Tel Aviv, in the hotel's Presidential Suite Find more information about Dan Hotels here.  TOP CHEFS FROM THE USA AND EUROPE JOIN ISRAELI CHEFS FOR EXCLUSIVE EVENT From November 1 - 25, 2015, acclaimed chefs from top restaurants around the world will meet in Israel for American Express' Round Tables event. During this event, chefs from New York, London, Barcelona, Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam and Athens will take over the kitchens of Tel Aviv's best restaurants. Each of the selected Tel Aviv restaurants will welcome an international chef for a week, who will prepare a full tasting menu, incorporating some of the country's local flavors. Representing the U.S. will be the chefs behind The Fat Radish in New York, who will be taking over The Blue Rooster in Tel Aviv, and fromOsteria Mozza in Los Angeles, who will take over Cafe Italia in Tel Aviv, from November 1 - 7, 2015.     Find more information here. TEL AVIV BAR NAMED AMONG WORLD'S TOP 20 BARS Tel Aviv's Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar was voted among the world's top 20 bars at the World's 50 Best Bar Awards earlier this month. The trendy nightlife destination came in at number 17 in the rankings, earning it the distinction of being the highest new entry on the top-50 list. The winners are chosen by more than 400 of the spirits industry's international experts, and the resulting list is considered the ultimate guide to the top bars around the globe. Cocktails at the Imperial Craft include: the Spicy India, made with grated bittersweet chocolate, green cardamom, orange liqueur and an egg yolk; Flip of a Coin, made with Cognac, sherry, spices and a Guinness reduction; and Colonel Mustard, made with gin, Campari, orange liqueur, fresh grapefruit and a mustard-cinnamon syrup.    Find more information here.  SINGERS FROM GEORGIA, USA PERFORM TO A FULL HOUSE On October 11, 2015, 150 members of the Georgia-based Choral and Instrumental group performed within the ancient walls of the citadel at the Tower of David Museum, situated at the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem. The concert, aiming to bring a sense of hope and joy to the community, brought a moving 80-minute choral and orchestral program to a packed audience. Photo Credit: Ricky Rachman Find more information here.  FULL HOTEL OCCUPANCY IN JERUSALEM AND TEL AVIV  Hotels in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv have been at nearly full capacity for the month of October as international conferences, conventions and exhibitions have continued to attract visitors from all over the globe. From October 12 - 16, the International Astronautical Congress has taken place, bringing in Buzz Aldrin as a guest speaker, along with 2,000 other participants from abroad to discuss "Space - The Gateway for Mankind's Future" at Jerusalem's International Convention Center.TIMBER Israel, Israel's only woodworking and furniture industry fair, starts October 26, attracting representatives from 18 different countries. WATEC, the Water Technology and Environment Control Exhibition & Conference, took place from October 13 - 15 at the Tel Aviv Conference Center, bringing in more than 2,500 people. From October 20 - 22,  the 36th World Zionist Congress will be filling hotel rooms with over 1,000 participants from 35 countries also at the Israel Convention Center in Jerusalem.   MANOFIM FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART LAUNCHES The Manofim Festival of Contemporary Art celebrates its eighth year from October 15 - 22 in Jerusalem. The festival celebrates the rich and diverse artistic creation that takes place in the city throughout the entire year. Manofim is made possible thanks to the rare collaboration between dozens of Jerusalemite galleries and art institutes, independent artist groups, and hundreds of artists who take part in the exhibitions. The festival includes 30 exhibitions within 20 galleries, showing a wide range of perspectives and pieces. This year's theme is "voices," exploring those voices that do not always get heard in the regular noise of Jerusalem.   Find more information here.

The Latest Travel News From Israel

THE LATEST TRAVEL NEWS FROM ISRAEL  ISRAEL GOVERNMENT TOURIST OFFICE NORTH AMERICA  www.goisrael.com #VisitIsrael

KANYE WEST, BON JOVI & MARIAH CAREY TAKE ON TEL AVIV Two huge music stars will set the stage in Tel Aviv this fall. Kanye West will perform in Israel for the first time at Ramat Gan Stadium on September 30. Bon Jovi will perform at Hayarkon Park on October 3, bringing classics like "Livin' on a Prayer" straight to the Holy Land. Mariah Carey recently made her musical debut in the country on August 18 at Live Park in Rishon Lezion.  Photo Credit: Rodrigo Ferrari SKRILLEX AND ZEDD TO HEADLINE THE MINUS 424 DEAD SEA RAVE ON NOVEMBER 5 Two of the top names in electronic dance music, Skrillex and Zedd, will perform at the Minus 424 Dead Sea Rave at Masada on November 5. Taking place in a breathtaking location at the base of Masada, an iconic ancient fortress, and the lowest point on earth, the sunset-to-sunrise event is expected to draw in 20,000 people. Now in its third year, the Minus 424 Dead Sea Rave will feature an elaborate stage, pyrotechnics, special effects, a vast dance space, and VIP areas. Due to the festival's remote location on the Dead Sea, special shuttles will be provided from Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion, Haifa, Jerusalem, Beersheba, and Eliat.  Skrillex by Jason Nocito Find more information here.  LEGENDARY ASTRONAUT BUZZ ALDRIN TO JOIN WORLD'S LARGEST SPACE CONFERENCE IN JERUSALEM More than 3,000 members of the international space industry, agencies and academia are expected to converge in Jerusalem for the 66th annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2015, which will take place from October 12 - 16, 2015. The Israel Space Agency will host the IAC with a week of meetings and lectures. Much of the event will focus on the recent discoveries by the New Horizons space probe that photographed Pluto earlier this month. NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin will visit Israel for the first time to participate in the IAC.    Find more information here.  580 NEW HOTEL ROOMS TO BE BUILT IN JERUSALEM Two companies have won the bid to build two new hotels on the Jerusalem Ridge compound, overlooking the Mount of Olives -- an eight-floor, 400-room hotel and a seven-floor, 180-room hotel. This development is the first stage in the compound project, which will eventually include a total of 1,330 new hotel rooms.   2016 OPERA AT MASADA FESTIVAL Looking ahead to 2016, the Opera at Masada Festival returns next September with a new larger-than-life production of Charles Camille Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila on September 15 and 17, 2016. Verdi's beloved opera Un Ballo in Maschera will be performed under the Judean skies on September 16, 2016. Carmina Burana Dress Rehearsal 3.6.15. Credit: Yossi Zwecker Find more information here.  ONE OF TEL AVIV'S OLDEST BUILDINGS TO BE REBORN A historic building taken off the streets of Tel Aviv six years ago is set to make a comeback as part of a new 21-floor high-rise. The Adler house, built between 1910 and 1911, became one of the first homes in Ahuzat Bayit, from which Tel Aviv was born. In a unique conservation project, the first of its kind in Israel, the building was dismantled into dozens of pieces and stored in a warehouse. The old historic building will now be integrated in the lower floors of this new luxury high-rise. The Adler House before it was dismantled in 2009. Credit: Henya Melichson JERUSALEM BIENNALE FOR CONTEMPORARY JEWISH ART TO SHOWCASE NEARLY 200 ARTISTS The second Jerusalem Biennale for Contemporary Jewish Art will take place from September 24 - November 5, 2015, showcasing the work of nearly 200 Israeli and international professional artists through 10 exhibitions held in seven different venues in the city center. The Tower of David Museum will host the main exhibition, Jerusalem.Passages, showcasing large scale projects by five leading artists. Biennale2015 will continue to explore the space where contemporary art intersects with the Jewish world to present personal interpretations of contemporary Jewish art.   Siona Benjamin's The 4 Mothers who entered Pardes Find more information here.  THE PLACE TO BUY LADY GAGA'S SHOES Israel-based shoe designer Kobi Levi has become a household name in the world of high-end quirky heels, drawing in the likes of Lady Gaga to don his wearable works of art. Describing Levi's designs as "unique" is an understatement, as his shoes are designed to look like everything from sharks to swans to coffee cups and playground slides. Levi opened his studio in Tel Aviv in July 2011, where he began selling his creations to the public, which now range in price from $800 to $3,000 per pair. You can order the shoes via Levi's online store, but a purchase is of course best made straight from the source at Levi's Tel Aviv studio.  Kobi Levi's "Slide" shoe Kobi Levi's "Shark" shoe Find more information here.  A MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE DEAD SEA The 16th annual Tamar Music Festival will take place at the lowest point on earth: The Dead Sea. From September 28 through October 2, 2015, the festival will heat up under the desert skies with performances set on stages with the Judean Desert Mountains as the backdrop. The five-day event will feature a wide range of music from Israeli artists.   Find more information here.  NEW EXHIBIT AT ISRAEL MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTS BERLIN As a centerpiece of the Israel Museum's 50th Anniversary season, the museum will be hosting an exhibit titled Twilight over Berlin: Masterworks from the Neue Nationalgalerie, 1905-1945. On view from October 20, 2015 through March 26, 2016, the exhibit will focus on examples of works by German artists whose avant-garde creativity was the foundation for various modern art disciplines in Israel. Featured will be works by masters of the German Expressionist movement, together with such Weimar period innovators as Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee. German heritage that can be seen within Israel's modern visual culture will be explored as well, focusing on the influence of German designers on modern Hebrew typography and the graphic arts. George Grosz's Grey Day (1921)  Find more information here.  BARON DE ROTHSCHILD'S SHIP MAY HAVE BEEN FOUND AFTER  100 YEARS In a new study, researchers from the University of Haifa are trying to identify a shipwreck discovered at Dor Beach in 1976 as the Baron de Rothschild's missing ship. The "Baron de Rothschild's Ship" was one of three ships used to carry raw materials from France to a glass factory established by the baron at Tantura beach, which served as a local production house for wine bottles for a local winery. The ship vanished without a trace in the late 19th century, and relics from a 2008 excavation are now being re-examined.  ISRAEL'S LARGEST CYCLING EVENT For one day every year, cyclists take over Tel Aviv, shutting down major roads and trading cars for bikes. This year, on October 2, 2015, over 30,000 people will bike along four different courses, attracting more than 100,000 spectators. A special event called "Bicycle Festival in the Big City" will also take place in Rabin Square from September 30 - October 1, 2015.  Find more information here. HIKING ON THE ISRAEL  NATIONAL TRAIL WalkAboutLove, a nonprofit organization that offers hiking enthusiasts an opportunity to discover Israel in a new way, has announced that its seventh edition will start on October 8, 2015. Participants can opt to walk 10 days with the group or continue with the full 11-week experience along the Israel National Trail starting in Eilat and ending at Mount Hermon.     Find more information here.