What is a Pesach program, and is it right for our family?

What is a Pesach program?

In short, it is a holiday in a hotel that has been kashered for Pesach, where the Seder, the minyanim, the meals and the activities are organised for you. You bring your family and your Haggadah. The kitchen, the kashrut supervision and the daily schedule are already in place when you arrive.

Families in the US, UK and Canada often call it a passover program. The idea behind it is simple: rest. Pesach at home usually means weeks of cleaning, turning over the kitchen and cooking for a full table, often by the same one or two people. In a hotel the cleaning is done before you check in and the meals are served for you. Parents and grandparents get to sit at the table instead of running between the table and the kitchen.

Most families who have never tried it ask what is actually included. These are the building blocks:

• A hotel kitchen kashered for Pesach, with mashgichim and rabbis on hand to answer questions
• The Seder at the hotel, with the meals prepared by the hotel kitchen
• Minyanim with a mechitza, so the men of the family do not have to look for a shul
• Full board over Yom Tov, so nobody cooks or washes up
• Activities for the whole family: excursions, classes, lectures and more
• Day trips during Chol HaMoed, the intermediate days of the festival

What happens on Seder night, Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed?

The week has two rhythms: Yom Tov, which feels like a long, relaxed Shabbat, and Chol HaMoed, when families go out and explore. On Yom Tov the day is built around tefillot with the minyan, long meals together and time to rest, read or swim. Shabbat is observed fully.

Seder night is the heart of the week, and it is held at the hotel. Families who want a Seder for themselves can book a private hall or area for a private family Seder, for an additional charge. These places are limited, so it is one of the first things to ask about.

Chol HaMoed is when a hotel Pesach really pays off. In the Galilee our program takes the whole hotel and guided day trips are included. The region is full of family favourites: Banias, Tel Dan, the Hula Valley and Agamon HaHula, Mount Hermon, Rosh Pina and kayaking on the Jordan. At Pastoral Hotel Kfar Blum the Kfar Blum Kayaks are within walking distance, and Hagoshrim offers jeep tours, quad bikes, bicycles, workshops and kayaking in season, with a fixed discount for hotel guests.

Children are part of the plan, not an afterthought. Our programs are designed for all ages, from babies to grandparents, and Ayala by Isrotel Collection has its own kids’ club. Pools help too: an Olympic pool and toddler pool at Kfar Blum, a heated indoor pool at Hagoshrim, and a heated rooftop pool with a children’s pool at the Ritz-Carlton.

Which families does a hotel Pesach suit?

A hotel Pesach suits families who want to spend the festival together without one person carrying all the work. It works especially well in these situations:

• The same person has hosted, cleaned and cooked for years and deserves a Yom Tov at the table
• Three generations want to be together, and nobody's home is big enough or nobody's kitchen is free
• Families from abroad who want Pesach in Israel, with Chol HaMoed spent touring the country
• Parents of young children who want pools, activities and help keeping the days full
• Couples whose children are grown and who want a calm week with a minyan and a Seder taken care of

When is a hotel Pesach not the right fit?

A hotel is not the right choice for every family, and it is better to know that before you book. Talk it through honestly if any of these apply to you.

Kashrut differs between kosher Passover programs, so always check the details. Ours is kosher for Pesach under the local Rabbanut: Kiryat Shmona for the Galilee hotels, Tel Aviv for the Carlton and Herzliya for the Ritz-Carlton, with no kitniyot. The food is shruya, which means soaked matzah is used, so matzah meets liquid in some dishes. Families who do not eat gebrochts, or who only eat under one specific hechsher, should speak to us before booking. The full details per hotel are on our page about what the Pesach price includes and the kashrut per hotel.

• Your own Seder at home, with your own minhagim and your own table, is the part of Pesach you would not give up
• You want total quiet: a hotel full of families is lively, especially at meals
• Mobility is a concern: Kfar Blum has no elevator, though it has 6 handicapped accessible rooms, and at Ayala and Hagoshrim elevators serve only part of the hotel
• The budget is tight: prices are per couple per night and the rates exclude tips, so ask us for a full quote for your family

How does the Goren Pesach week work in 2027?

Our Pesach 2027 runs from 21 to 28 April 2027 (14 to 21 Nisan 5787), as a full week or a half week, in five hotels. Partial stays are possible according to availability. There are minyanim with a mechitza in all five hotels, and Meira Goren and her team are on site all week. You can see everything in one place on our Pesach 2027 program page.

Three hotels are in the north, where the program takes the whole hotel and guided day trips are included. Two are on the coast for families who want the sea and the city. Ayala and the Ritz-Carlton are new to the program in 2027. If you want the newest hotel in the north, with an infinity pool facing the Galilee and Mount Hermon, look at Ayala by Isrotel Collection. If you want the lowest from-price, a pastoral setting and kayaking on the Jordan nearby, see Pastoral Hotel Kfar Blum.

Prices include a rich, varied menu and an active holiday for the whole family: excursions, classes, lectures and more. At the Carlton Tel Aviv the holiday days and Shabbat are full board and the Chol HaMoed days are bed and breakfast. Rooms depend on availability, and we confirm them per family.

When should we book, and how?

Book as early as you can: Passover programs typically fill up 6 to 8 months in advance, and we recommend reaching out by January at the latest. Early bookers choose first from every room type, from a double room to a family suite, and booking early is the way to secure one of the limited places for a private family Seder. Hagoshrim also offers a discount for early booking and for returning guests.

The first step is simple. Tell us who is coming, the ages of the children and the dates that suit you through our trip form for a personal quote. A deposit secures your dates and the balance is due closer to travel. Practical questions about payments, changes and dietary needs are answered in our frequently asked questions, and Meira, Hila and Naama are happy to talk it through by phone or WhatsApp.