Tel Aviv To Connect Eurovision Tourists With Host Families For Shabbat Dinner

The Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality announced that it partnered with EatWith, an Israeli-founded initiative now available in 130 countries, to offer tourists in Israel for the Eurovision competition in May the unique experience of an Israeli-style, at-home Shabbat meal with Tel Aviv families.

The Eurovision events will begin May 14 and will end with the finale on May 18, a Saturday night. Thousands of tourists of all backgrounds are expected in Israel during the week, including for Shabbat which starts at sundown on May 17.

The Shabbat Dinner project, the Tel Aviv Municipality said, will match tourists of any religion and cultural background with local host families and communities “for a meaningful night around a Shabbat dinner table.”

“Tourists from around the world will take part in a unique immersive experience and will enjoy a home cooked meal while learning about Jewish traditions that have been observed for centuries. This project aligns with the growing travel trend of experiential tourism, where tourists seek to be immersed in the local culture and are on the lookout for authentic experiences,” the municipality said.

Tourists interested in the experience will be able to choose from three options: a Shabbat dinner with a family that can host up to six guests, a proud Shabbat dinner arranged via EatWith and the Tel Aviv Municipal LGBTQ Center, and a communal Shabbat dinner – a potluck – hosted at community centers around the city.

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said the Shabbat Dinners Project “is one of the many ways to connect the thousands of tourists to Tel Aviv families and introduce them to the wonderful Jewish tradition of Shabbat in Israel. By the way, I already told Yael, my wife, to not make plans on the Friday before the Eurovision final, because we will be cooking!”

Guests will be charged a NIS 50 fee to secure their place.

Registration is here.

NoCamels recently covered a number of other social dining apps and organizations — Betzavta, Delicious Israel, and Shabbat of a Lifetime, to name a few — that connect hosts with tourists to offer local experiences through food.