This Sukkot, take a moment for birdwatching, singing in the desert or a motorcycle festival

This year in Israel, the holidays of Sukkot and Simhat Torah run from the evening of October 6 through the evening of October 14, with the mournful second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacres falling during the usually joyous time.

Many of the annual events and festivals marking the intermediate days of Sukkot are taking place once again this year, bringing Israelis outdoors to nature, to traditional sukkah dwellings, and to cultural programs that mark this time of year.

Here’s a selection of several upcoming events open to the public during Sukkot:

Jerusalem is hosting the fifth edition of the Green Inside and Out Festival from October 8-10, raising environmental awareness and encouraging more sustainable lifestyles.

The program for the three-day event, led by the municipality’s Sustainability Jerusalem Lobby, includes creative workshops, lectures and discussions, visits to the city’s green spaces and an ecological architecture tour at the National Library.

Try out a new Jerusalem hiking path, go birdwatching at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory, forage for seasonal wild plants, or build a hotel for bees, among other activities. See the website for more details.

This year, October 7 fell on the first day of Sukkot, and families of victims from Kibbutz Re’im have constructed a white, ornament-less sukkah at the kibbutz, where surviving families will sit and share their stories.

The sukkah is open to the public on October 8, from 3:30 p.m., to anyone who wants to visit and listen, no registration necessary.

KKL-JNF is bringing back its annual Birdathon (Tzaparaton), Israel’s largest birdwatching event, during the intermediate days of Sukkot and throughout October. There will be family-friendly activities, environmental education, and the chance to explore Israel’s natural landscapes.

This year’s highlights include a riddle-based family trail with a raffle for a two-day birdwatching trip, a nationwide bird photography competition with a special exhibition of finalists’ work, and a 24-hour birdathon on October 30, culminating in a festive closing at Agmon Hula Lake Park.

From October 8 to October 10, activities will take place simultaneously at Yeruham Park in the south, Hod HaSharon Ecological Park in the center of Israel, and, making its debut this year, Kfar Masaryk and the Na’aman River in the north.

Beach lovers can head to the Ashdod marina, where the Delphis Dolphin and Sea Center, dedicated to the preservation of marine mammals in Israel, will host activities about Mediterranean monk seals. The center is located on the Ashdod promenade, with parking available nearby at the Pirate Park.

In Tel Aviv, visitors strolling around the Tel Aviv port on October 8 to 9 can visit the massive sukkah open to the public, built by Reform Jewish organizations Beit Tefilah Israeli and Yahaduta, with walls displaying 20 large paintings by artist Rafi Peretz depicting Tel Aviv landscapes in his colorful, naïve art style.

The sukkah will be open daily during the holiday week, hosting performances, workshops, plays, as well as musical prayers, Kabbalat Shabbat, and a Simhat Torah hakafot event.

For a schedule and times, visit the Beit Tefilah Israeli website.

The Negev town of Yeruham will host the Piyyut Festival for the 17th year, October 8-10, celebrating liturgical poems with performances, sing-alongs and a live DJ session.

Headlining artists include Dikla with Moshik Afia, Benaia Barabi with Shai Tsabari and Mark Eliyahu, Lior Elmaleh with the Hiba Orchestra, Liraz Charhi, Eli Luzon, Hayotzrim, and Mike Karoutchi with Kulanaim, Yeruham’s homegrown cultural collective.

Throughout the Friday and Saturday of the festival, Shabbat piyut events will also take place in synagogues across Yeruham, led by singer Eli Luzon.

More details and a full schedule are available (in Hebrew) online.

Join the first Ride and Roll motorcycle festival in Jerusalem, on October 9 at Cinema City Jerusalem, with family events during the day, including a motorcycle display, rock and roll makeup and graffiti workshops, and a music festival at night, with a NIS 50 admission fee.

Vertigo dance troupe will host its Dance in the Village festival at the troupe’s Vertigo Ecological Art Village in Kibbutz Netiv Halamed Hey for three days during Sukkot, October 8-10. There will be special activities for kids and a preview performance ahead of the 2026 premiere of Noa Wertheim’s new creation, with a glimpse into the company’s creative process before the work’s stage debut.

There will also be premieres of new dance works, movement encounters, a meditative listening journey from night through dawn, an open-air musicians’ stage, juggling performances, and local culinary flavors.

The cost is NIS 65 to NIS 160, depending on the activity, with more details on the dance troupe’s website.