In 2023 and 2024, David Ha’ivri, an Israeli tour guide, didn’t offer his popular English-language Hanukkah or Christmas tours. Tourism had plummeted after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre and the start of the Hamas-Israel war, when nearly every international airline canceled flights to Israel.
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But in the past few months, and especially after the shaky October ceasefire, tourism to Israel and the Bethlehem region of the West Bank has picked up, along with Israel’s national mood, to the point that Ha’ivri is once again offering Hanukkah tours for overseas visitors and English-speaking locals. The eight-day Festival of Lights began Dec. 14 at sundown and runs through Dec. 22.
‘More normal atmosphere’
“The airlines are reestablishing their service, and I think that’s a good barometer that people are prepared and eager to visit Israel,” said Ha’ivri, whose Christmas tours remain paused until more pilgrims return. “The mood here has changed. A lot of Israelis who were army reservists are mostly back at home with their families. We feel we’re getting back to a more normal atmosphere. We are an optimistic people. We know bad things can happen, but we want to believe that there are good things ahead of us.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Michele Chabin and originally published by Religion News Service.
