Many countries celebrate Christmas with special foods, desserts, and traditions and rituals passed down through generations.
In Israel, Christmas is celebrated differently from how it’s celebrated in the United States. However, Israeli Christmas foods cannot be overlooked.
Many traditions are borrowed from other religions in the region and are unique, like Israel’s Christmas foods and beverages served during this holiday season.
Here’s a list of Israeli Christmas foods and drinks. Try some of these new flavors during your next holiday celebration!
Israel Christmas Foods
1. Kugel
Kugel is the first on the list of Israeli Christmas foods. Kugel is one of the most popular Christmas foods in Israel.
Kugel is a type of pudding or cake, typically made from eggs, flour, and sugar, with raisins sometimes added.
The word kugel means round in Yiddish. There are many kinds of kugels, including sweet noodle puddings and savory egg-based casseroles.
A popular dish at Hanukkah is Kugel, also known as Jewish Penicillin. It comprises noodles, eggs, and plenty of cheese baked together in an oven until they become brown.
Many people enjoy eating this dish for breakfast on Saturdays because it contains no milk; therefore, no kosher violation might occur if milk touched meat products such as bacon, which would be served at breakfast time on Saturdays.
2. Rugelach
Rugelach, the cookie of choice for many a Jewish New Year, is also on the menu for Israeli Christmas foods.
Two types of rugelach are eaten during the holiday season: with poppy seeds and without.
Both versions have cinnamon sugar as a topping. The version without poppy seeds is made using bread dough, which is rolled into a rectangle before being cut into triangular pieces.
The triangular pieces are then placed on each other and rolled up to form a log shape, sliced into cookies.
The second type of rugelach is made using cream cheese dough. Like its bread-based counterpart, it is cut into triangles and stacked on top of each other to form a log shape.
3. Bourekas
Bourekas is the most popular food eaten during the holidays. Bourekas are similar to croissants but stuffed with meat (usually beef) and cheese.
The dough is very buttery, which makes it crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
On average, one package contains about ten bourekas, which come in two sizes: small and large.
A small one costs around three shekels, while a larger one costs four or five.
4. Cholent
Cholent is a traditional Jewish dish originating from Eastern Europe.
It is usually made of meat, beans, and barley, boiled for many hours, and then allowed to be cooked slowly overnight. The result is a hearty stew with a thick consistency.
Cholent has been eaten for centuries by Jews who did not have access to ovens or other cooking facilities on the Sabbath.
So it was always cooked before sunset on Friday and left to cook overnight without any attention during Shabbat while the family rested by Jewish law.
Today, cholent is eaten all year round as a hearty meal that can be served anytime or at night.
5. Schmaltz Herring
Schmaltz herring is a traditional dish served during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
The dish is made with salt-cured, smoked fish rubbed with sugar before being boiled in water.
The cooked fish is then combined with butter, onions, and applesauce to make the sauce for the dish.
To get this traditional Israeli dish on your table, you’ll need to purchase schmaltz herring from your local market or grocery store.
6. Hamantaschen
Hamantaschen is next on the list of Israel’s Christmas foods. They are a traditional Jewish pastry popular during Purim.
Originally triangular-shaped and filled with poppy seeds, they come in many shapes and flavors.
They are also popular during Chanukah because the dough’s shape is supposed to remind us of the flames from the menorah.
Hamantaschen is traditionally eaten on Purim as a dessert or after-dinner treat.
7. Matzah
Matzah is one of Israel’s most important Christmas foods during the holiday season.
It is the bread eaten in remembrance of their liberation from slavery in Egypt and is traditionally served with a sweet syrup called honey.
What many people don’t know, however, is that there are many varieties of matzah, some sweeter than others and some flatter than others.
Some are also thicker than others. These differences are due to the type of flour or other ingredients used to make them and how long it takes to bake them.
8. Challah
Challah, the egg- and oil-soaked bread, is an important part of the Jewish observance of Passover. However, during the weeks leading up to Hanukkah, it has become a staple in nearly every Israeli home.
The Jewish Festival of Light begins on the 25th day of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and lasts for eight days.
For those who follow a Western calendar, it falls at about the same time each year as Christmas.
So, that’s why challah is often served at both holiday meals. In addition to its festive nature, challah has made it onto many Israelis’ lists of favorite foods because it tastes so darn good!
9. Potato Latkes
Potato latkes are a traditional food served during the Jewish holiday Hanukkah. Eastern European Jews also eat latkes as a traditional Shabbat dish.
Potato latkes typically consist of grated potatoes fried in oil or fat and then salted.
They may also be made with onion, carrots, applesauce, matzo meal, and seasonings such as pepper or garlic powder.
One popular variation is the apple-potato pancake known as apple latke. It can be served with sour cream or applesauce.
10. Smoked Salmon Bagels
Smoked salmon is one of the top Israel Christmas foods. It can be eaten with various things, from cream cheese to egg salad, or on its own.
The best part about smoked salmon is that there are so many ways to enjoy it, making it perfect for any party or get-together this winter.
When I think about what I want on my bagel this Christmas, smoked salmon is definitely on my list!
11. Gefilte Fish
Gefilte fish is one of Israel’s most popular Christmas foods this season. The dish is usually served with horseradish, chopped onion, and sour cream.
It originated in Eastern Europe as a way to use up leftover fish from the Sabbath meal. Jewish immigrants from Russia and Poland brought gefilte fish to Israel.
In addition to being traditional for Rosh Hashanah and Passover, this dish is now a staple for Pesach/Passover, Hanukkah, and Purim.
12. Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is a traditional Jewish dish and a staple of the holiday. It is often served on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and other times throughout the year.
The dish is made by boiling a whole chicken in water with onion, celery, and carrots for about two hours until it falls off the bone.
The broth is then strained and simmered with salt, pepper, and lemon juice until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
13. Jachnun
Jachnun is a traditional Israeli Christmas food eaten during the eight days of Hanukkah.
Enriched with plenty of butter and oil, the dough must be stretched into long strands before being fried.
When it comes out of the frying pan, it is cut into small pieces and then sprinkled with sesame seeds and sugar.
The result is a crispy, sweet treat that will keep you going through those cold winter nights!
Christmas Traditions in Israel
A tradition is a long-standing custom or behavior that is passed down orally from one generation to the next.
A nation’s culture and heritage include its traditions and customs.
The following are some quick, fascinating details concerning customs and Christmas customs in Israel:
- Most people in Israel do not celebrate Christmas because it is a Jewish country. Instead, the Jewish community observes Hanukkah.
- Some small Christian communities celebrate Christmas, particularly in Bethlehem and Nazareth. To commemorate this crucial occasion in the Christian religion, many people come to Israel, and numerous stores offer Christmas decorations and gifts to travelers.
- There are unique celebrations in Bethlehem, where the child Jesus was born. Flags and other decorations are flown over the Church of the Nativity every Christmas.
- The Church of the Nativity was thought to be constructed on the spot of Jesus’ birth. A set of steep stairs leads to a grotto where visitors can find a silver star designating the location of Jesus’ birth. At this auspicious time, there is a large procession and fireworks display in Bethlehem.
Conclusion
Christmas in Israel is the most festive season of the year. Holiday decorations and lights adorn the streets, music plays at every corner, and delicious food is shared with friends and family.
Above, you’ll find a list of Israeli Christmas foods you must try this December!
