When the cleaning is done: Planning for Passover

Orchid gazing, mud balls and urban street games for the holiday’s in-between days

By Jessica Steinberg

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11 April 2014, 8:33 am

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Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Is Passover cleaning getting you down? Can’t think or plan about the intermediate days between the Seder and the weekend, because it’s all about crumbs in the fridge, grease stains on the stove and questions about whether the Nespresso machine can be properly cleaned of legumes?

We can’t help you with any of that — we’ve got our own lists — but we do have a few suggestions for what’s going on during Passover, from artsy get-togethers and crater-sliding in the Negev to flower-gazing, recycling projects and urban street games toward the country’s center.

1) If the southern region is calling your name, it’s a great time to head down to the Negev plains. There’s a range of activities, from guided tours around the experimental farming center in the region (Wednesday and Thursday, April 16-17, at 11 and 2. Call 054-620-9040), birding workshops and a dance festival at the Adama Dance Center in Mitzpe Ramon (April 20-22, courses, workshops and camping, call 08-659-5190), to hikes with the local field schools and rappeling in the Ramon Crater (NIS 100 per person, adamsela.co.il). For a full listing, go to the Ramat Hanegev Regional Council website.

Israel's fields of red poppies were in danger of disappearing until a public service campaign, with xxx's painted flowers -- urged Israelis to stop picking the poppies (Courtesy Hebrew University) — Israel’s fields of red anemones were in danger of disappearing until a public service campaign– featuring Avigad Levy’s painted flowers — urged Israelis to stop picking the wildflowers (Courtesy Hebrew University)

2) Want to tiptoe through the tulips? Can’t offer those, but there is an orchid fair at Tel Aviv’s Ganei Yehoshua, Wednesday, April 16 (3-6), Thursday, April 17 (10-6) and Friday, April 18 (10-3), and entrance is free. In Jerusalem, “A Rare Breed — Wildflowers of Israel” is opening at Hebrew University’s (small) Stern Gallery, showing the original works of Bracha Avigad Levy, the artist whose 1960s-era sketches of red anemones helped save the endangered wildflower from local extinction. Sunday-Thursday, 9-4, small Stern Gallery, Hebrew University, Mount Scopus.

3) Wander through the streets of Tel Aviv with Barchovot, a company that runs urban family games. They run activities for companies, organizations and family groups of three or more, ages eight and up, taking participants through the streets, markets and neighborhoods, using a unique app designed by them. Thursday, April 16- Sunday, April 20, 10 a.m., in front of Habima Theater. There’s a 25% discount for anyone who signs up ahead of time, by calling 03-573-3638.

4) If you’re hanging out by the beach, take a walk by the Tel Aviv port and visit the “Think Green, Design Green” exhibit, created by the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design and the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The full exhibit of recyclable objects will be on display from April 10-21, with a series of workshops over Passover. For NIS 20, make five-sided seed balls out of mud — no misshapen lumps of mud from this bunch — turn old jewelry into toys, dolls and accessories, or see what the Shenkar design students can make from those stray socks left in your drawer. April 11, 13, 16, 17, 18; workshops begin at 11 a.m., Bitan 16, Tel Aviv port.