Nicole Zibelman

Israel’s heating up and the summer fun has just begun. Whether by train, boat, bike, tour, car, or hike, here are the top ways to celebrate the season in July and August - without breaking too much of a sweat.

Once a year, the hills of Masada erupt with the echoing sounds of Israel’s top musical artists - For four days, from sunrise to sunset, the desert transforms into a music lover’s paradise This year, the annual Tamar Festival will take place from October 14 to October 18, with an extra day added to commemorate its 20th anniversary. As usual, it falls during the holiday of Sukkot. “After 20 years, the Tamar Festival, which I founded, occupies a central and respectable part of the best Israeli art and is one of the main festivals that take place during Sukkot,” says Dov Litvinoff, the mayor of Tamar Regional Council. Tamar Festival © Shahar Glass The four-day festival offers options for camping in the breathtaking foothills of Masada. It also provides information on local hotels and accommodation. Several artists are debuting new music at the festival, and festival-goers can expect original collaborations between several all-time favorite musicians. On the first night of the festival, the Israeli rock band The Friends of Natasha will transform the foothills of Masada into a rock ‘n’ roll wonderland. They are debuting a new rendition of their album, “Radio Blah Blah,” which will feature surprise performers. The Friends of Natasha © Orit Pnini The second evening will be dedicated to Israeli rock singer Shalom Hanoch. During his career, he has released 11 albums in addition to hundreds of hits. 17 performers will perform covers of his greatest hits, with a performance with Hano

Fashion design and textile design students at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design put their extraordinary talents to the test this semester, in a hands-on course dedicated to designing and producing clothing for disabled athletes.  The “Good Intentions” course has been taught for three years now at Shenkar College, with a goal to spread positivity through various service projects from one year to the next. This year, in the most hands-on project yet, Shenkar students worked one-on-one with athletes to design custom clothing that fit their specific needs, in collaboration with the Paralympic Sports Committee. “Normally students design for the perfect body, and everyone’s designing for the same figure,” explains Maya Arazi, a senior lecturer from the fashion design department. “The whole beauty here was the customization and personalization for each person.” Henry Chen from the Shenkar Project © Tamir Rogovsky Throughout the course, fashion and textile students crossed into new territories by working collaboratively amongst their disciplines. While they often remained within their specialty, students not only designed the cut of the clothing, but also made the actual fabrics. To create the most functional pieces for those with disabilities, the students were challenged to change their way of thinking in order to craft creative solutions. For example, students designing for those with prosthetics had to take the athletes’ aberrant body temperatures into account, working

Wild Plastic, a project devoted to promoting eco-friendliness, is hosting its latest event at City Garden in Tel Aviv. Held at the pool and fountain of Gan HaIr, the art show aims to raise awareness about pollution due to the overuse of plastic, hence the title “Poollution.” On Friday, August 2, 20 artists will stand in the City Garden pool while creating breathtaking art before your eyes -- using only reusable materials -- leading by example in hopes to encourage others to reduce their use of plastic. “Poollution” will have a DJ amping up the spirit and bringing good vibes. The event will also host several eco-friendly vendors and environmental organizations, including HaGal Sheli, which organizes group beach cleanups, and Zalul, which is dedicated to protecting Israel’s seas and rivers. Wild Plastic, Tel Aviv © Tal Abarbanel Half of all of the day’s sales will be donated to organizations whose mission it is to preserve and protect the environment. City Garden’s shops and food stands will also be offering special discounts to those who purchase reusable products. City Garden has fostered a relationship with Wild Plastics, allowing them to express their message in a variety of ways. A few months ago, they allowed the artists to graffiti over 150 square meters of the City Garden walls with their positive, environmentally-friendly messages. Wild Plastic, Tel Aviv © Tal Abarbanel Stop by the art show to support the movement of reducing your plastic footprint. It is expected

On August 22-23, the horizon in the northern Negev will become picturesque Hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes will take over the skies above the Habesor Park National Park as part of the 8th annual International Hot Air Balloon Festival. The event is perfect for adults, children and families alike. It will feature the world’s only digitally printed hot air balloon. Additionally, a pilot will fly the largest hot air balloon in the world, weighing nearly 500 pounds and extending over 13 stories high.  © Tamara Cohen Other unique hot air balloon designs will be featured, flown by some of the world’s most famous hot air balloon pilots. In addition to beautiful views, there will be live acrobatic performances. Trapeze artists will perform stunts while hanging from the balloons, raising the stakes for any traditional circus you may have seen before. Aug 22-Aug 23, Habesor Park National Park, Negev, habsor.co.il; 4 years old+ NIS 149, 3 or under, NIS 20, Family of 4-6, NIS 125 per person