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October Highlights

Photo: Eilat PR

Photo: Amir Buchnik

Photo: Shy Rosenzweig, The Israel Nature and Parks Authority

Night tours in the Golan Heights | Visitors are invited to experience the beauty of the Golan Heights after dark, with these special new nighttime guided tours in Ein Keshatot. Along the tour, visual elements are projected onto the walls of the ancient synagogue, telling the story of this historical site, and a short animation movie depicting the life of the Jewish community in the ancient village is screened, allowing visitors to travel back in time and learn about the way wine, oil, and textiles, were made here in the 6 th century, during the Mishnah and Talmud periods. These new tours create a new and unconventional multi-sensory experience that deepens the connection to the site’s heritage and history.

New free attractions at the Eilat Terminal Park |

Nahal Arugot reopens | The Nature and Parks Authority has reopened hiking trails in Nahal Arugot after a period of extensive rehabilitation works. The Ein Gedi Nature Reserve was severely damaged by a flooding episode in May of this year. In July, the Authority partially reopened the short trail, but now finally the rest of the trails, including those leading to the upper pools, have all been reopened. Apart from all the Nahal Arugot trails, visitors can now also enjoy the accessible Nahal David trail that leads to the first (Olympic) pool from the ancient synagogue in Ein Gedi. Other trails in the reserve are still closed for continued rehabilitation works.

Eilat’s Terminal Park invites visitors to enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities, all entirely for free, including juggling workshops, meditation sessions, yoga classes, salsa dancing, an escape room, a headphone tour with the Elad Theater, an acrobatics show, photography workshops, live shows, film screenings on a giant screen, and much more. At the end of last month, the park also launched a pop-up exhibition called Vertigo Lights, by artist Einat Steckler - a multi-sensory experience inspired by the world of aviation and travel. In a semi-dark space, thousands of colorful plastic bottles hang from above creating movement, light, and spectacular reflections. A special kaleidoscope invites visitors to discover endless worlds of colors and shapes.

No more passport stamps in Europe | As of this month, 29 European countries are ditching passport stamps in favor of the new automated Entry/Exit System (EES). Many countries around the world have already ditched passports stamps, including the UK, Hong Kong, Argentina, the US (partially), and more. In Israel, Israeli residents no longer get their passport stamped, but instead receive a transit approval slip issued through a facial recognition scan. It’s important to note that the passport itself is still very much in use and need, and only with it will it be possible to issue entry permits to countries. The new stamp-ditching countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, and more.

Photo: Shutterstock

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ATMOSPHERE OCTOBER 2025