Sukkot in Safed is one of the most inviting times of the year to visit Safed. Local families set up their sukkahs on their porches, rooftops and even along the lanes and alleyways of the main thoroughfares which presents a festive atmosphere of communal celebration. Visitors are often invited to enter these sukkahs and spend time with the families, giving everyone an opportunity to relax together.
sukkot & covid-19
Across the globe, we are all trying our best to handle this new normal, but unfortunately that means that many of us won’t be spending the holidays the way we normally do. Since many synagogues are closed for services, tours are only operating under severe restrictions, and social distancing in public spaces is required, we at Tourist Israel want to encourage you to stay at home and stay safe. Many annual events are cancelled or postponed, but we want to offer this guide as a general overview for what to expect seasonally, so we will not be removing events from this page. The list of events in 2022 will be updated as soon as possible.
Activities for Sukkot in Safed
During the Sukkot holiday, there are special Safed activities which are open to all. Many are free while others involve a small entrance fee.
Shvil HaLev – the Path of the Heart – offers guided tours of Safed. The tours bring visitors to the main historical sites of Safed but also include many little-known sites which have rich historical value in Safed and Jewish tradition but are generally not included on other tours. The Shvil HaLev tours include the music and stories of Safed which bring the city’s mystical traditions
The Safed Tourist Information Center will operate throughout Sukkot to provide maps and other information to visitors. Tourists are invited to watch a 10-minute film on the “History of Safed” and walk into the “Time Tunnel” — a 500-year-old subterranean room which was once at street level but has not been buried underground. The excavations display the Livnot U’Lehibanot project of experiencing Israel and Judaism through building, hiking, and learning.
Other Cities
For general information, see our article about Sukkot in Israel
Articles about Sukkot in Jerusalem, Sukkot in Tel Aviv, Sukkot in the Galilee, and Sukkot in the Negev and Dead Sea can help with many many more ideas of great things to do.
