Month: December 2022

Top 7 Venues to celebrate your Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ceremony in Israel

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Israel is the spiritual homeland of the Jewish people and has a rich history and cultural significance. Many people find that celebrating their Bar/Bat mitzvah in Israel allows them to deepen their connection to their heritage and the Jewish community.

There are many beautiful and meaningful locations in Israel where a Bar/Bat mitzvah ceremony can be held, below you can see puzzle’s top recommendations.

Jerusalem: 

1. Davidson Center- located south of the Western Wall. The place exhibits archaeological discoveries from about 2,000 years ago and an impressive section of the southern part of the Wall that surrounded the Second Jewish Temple. The ceremony at the Center will take place at the ancient Herodian street, right beneath the remains of the famous Robinson Arch, through which people used to enter the Temple compound. 

2. Ezrat Israel section–  the first location at the Western wall that allows men and women to pray side by side.  Have your special family ceremony at an ancient place, that is a unique part of the Jewish heritage in the land of Israel and is located next to the archaeological garden. 

 

North:

3. Zippori National Park – the park encompasses the ruins of the ancient Roman and Talmudic-era city of Zippori, located in the rolling hills of Lower Galilee. The synagogue, with its magnificent mosaics, is a great place for an intimate ceremony. 

4. Umm El- Kanatir– “The Mother of Arches,” a beautiful archaeological jewel dated to the 5th-7th century. At this site you will find the remains of an ancient synagogue with a unique story; a great place to relive history and imagine what kinds of rituals took place here thousands of years ago.                      this site was rediscovered during the 1967 war, and with the use of modern technology, it has been brought back to life.

5. Ancient Katzrin- During the Talmudic times (4th-6th centuries) it was a Jewish village in the Golan Heights that contains an impressive ancient synagogue.  it is the best display in Israel that shows how Jews lived during the Talmudic period. A Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration at the Katzrin Talmudic village can be an excellent historical and educational experience.

 

South: 

6. the Ancient Synagogue of Ein Gedi- located in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve in the Judean Desert. The site has remains of an ancient synagogue dating as far back as the 3rd century AD, its floor exhibiting an intriguing inscription about a secret potion. Some scholars believe it involved the production of Balsam.  It also tells us about the Jewish unity, way of life, and culture in the Judean Desert. 

7. Masada- In the 20th century Masada became a symbol of the Jewish national heroism, and it is now one of Israel’s most popular tourist attractions. . The story of Masada allows the teen coming of age who is celebrating the Bar/Bat Mitzvah to connect physically and emotionally to his/her ancient roots, and the story of the last stand of the Jewish patriots in the face of the Roman army in 73 A.D. In the 20th century. The views from Masada are breathtaking, with a panoramic view of the surrounding desert landscape and the Dead Sea.

We would be glad to help out with choosing a location and other arrangments that will suite your preferences and needs for your own Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony.

Caving and More – Discovering Israel’s Hidden Beauty

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Israel is a natural treasure of hidden caves and canyons. Together with Exteriorate & Puzzle Israel, come and explore the hidden beauties and extreme adventure side of Israel. 

Itay Shkolnik and Shahar Perkal know that Israel offers literally much more than the eye can see. These two founders of the Israeli Caving Club know that under our feet, behind those hills, and inside that wadi (valley), there are caves, canyons, and cliffs more beautiful than you can imagine. They decided to share that beauty with the world through Exteriorate, a company dedicated to exploring the hidden beauties and extreme adventure side of Israel. On your next trip to Israel with Puzzle Israel, you might consider having some fun with Exteriorate!

Itay and Shahar: At a Glance

Itay had already been into caving for several years when he met Shahar. His love for caves originally blossomed while living on Easter Island, where he had the pleasure of not only exploring the caves on the island, but also discovering new caves and mapping them for future cavers. A few years later, after spending some time back in Israel, Itay received an offer to work for a company in Spain, and while there he discovered a global phenomenon called caving clubs. As it turned out, there were thousands of clubs of people in every corner of the world who love caving as much as he did. He also discovered new sides to the world of caving, like rappelling into caves from above. Itay knew that his original profession of graphic design wouldn’t be enough anymore, he was in love with caving. So, when he returned to Israel from Spain, he started researching caving clubs in Israel. That’s how he met his current partner, Shahar Perkal, and together they decided to establish a the Israeli Caving Club. The concept drew a real buzz in the media, as well as quite a few participants. Shahar and Itay set out on a mission not only to teach people to love and respect caves, but also to teach them how to protect and preserve caves, as well as techniques and safety for caving.

Exteriorate is Born

While running the Israeli Caving Club and teaching courses, Shahar and Itay understood that their love for caves was beyond just the caves, it was the truly authentic connection to nature and all it has to offer, especially here in Israel. They decided to establish Exteriorate – a company that would do more than certify cavers, it would take anyone looking to connect with nature in a different and more adventurous way, and show them Israel’s beauty through caving, canyoning, and rappelling. Soon after that, survival workshops, team building activities, and ziplining were also added to the list of activities.

Why Go Caving and Canyoning in Israel?

 

Between the natural caves created by geological phenomenons, to caves created by Bar Kochba in his revolt against the Romans, Israel is not lacking in caving opportunities that are among the most beautiful in the world. Because of Israel’s location just above the Great African-Syrian Rift, Israel is filled with incredible natural caves, from Bat andStalactites caves in the North to amazing Salt caves in the South.

In the Shfela area of Israel, you can find hundreds of man made caves from the days of Bar Kochba, and you can crawl in his footsteps through the incredible underground intricacy. Aside from caving, Israel offers amazing incredible canyoning, from rappelling into the Dead Sea scrolls cave, to the Black Canyon rappelling in the mysterious waterfalls of the Judea Reserve in the Galilee.

Exteriorate and Puzzle Israel

Puzzle Israel is always striving to show the authentic Israel, as is Exteriorate. So when Puzzle Israel’s co-founders Nir and Guy met Exteriorate’s co-founders Itay and Shahar, it was like a match made in heaven. The authentic Israel is beyond the cities and the sites. The authentic Israel is all about what you might not see at first glance – the people, the culture, the hidden natural phenomenons, and the opportunities hiding in each and every crevice of the country. Itay and Shahar have a passion for the hidden and the unknown, and we are so glad at Puzzle Israel that they are sharing this passion with us, and with our travelers!