Discounted Petting Zoos, Gymborees, Bowling, U-pick, Escape Rooms, and much more!

(This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission when you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!) 

I love being able to bring you the best of Groupon's deals - some of these you definitely don't want to miss!

If you're planning a vacation, check out these tips before you get started!

Planning a day or evening out? Check out these deals (Vouchers vary from slight discounts to 50% off or more!):

Shows:

• Beatles Tribute Concert, Herzliya
• Simon & Garfunkel Tribute Concert, Kiryat Chaim
• Hairspray (Ramat Hasharon)
• Les Miserables (Tel Aviv)
• Alumini (various locations)
• "Megillat Esther" the Musical (various locations)

Jumping/Trampoline Parks:

• Ra'anana My Jump
• Haifa My Jump 
• Ashdod 2Jump 
• Netanya 2Jump 

Playplaces:

• Netanya Sukariyot Koftzot 
• Pe'alton Kids' Playplaces (multiple locations)
• Jimboli (Hadera)
• Kids Land (Karmiel)
• Funky Monkey (Ashdod)
• AstroKid (Gan Shmuel)  *gymboree for young kids*
• AstroKid (Gan Shmuel) *arcade game area*
• HaChalal HaMuflah (Netanya)

Petting Zoos/Zoos/Botanical Gardens

• Devorat Hatavor
• Agam Chai Yiron
• Ein Gedi Botanical Gardens
• The Reptile Center (Katzrin)

Bowling:

• Chutzot Hamifratz (Haifa)                 
• Be'er Sheva 
• Beit Shemesh  
• Herzliya  
• Kiryat Ono 
• Modiin  
• Netanya 
• Jerusalem  
• Ashkelon  
• Be'er Sheva (Big)
• Ra'anana (combo ticket at MyJump)
• Eilat (Foot Pool - Bowling, Pool, and more with a Twist)

Virtual Reality Games:

• Rishon 
• Ashkelon 
• Atlit
• Ramat Yishai 
• Eilat 
• Migdal Ha'Emek 
• Herzliya Flight Simulator

Laser Tag, Paint Ball, and similar:

• Ra'anana Laser Street
• Haifa
• Airsoft and Paintball (Haifa)
• Paintball (Moshav Kalanit)
• Airsoft (Eilat)

Craft Workshops:

• Pottery (Kfar Saba)
• Pottery (Kfar Saba) 
• Face Painting (Ramat Gan) 
• Paint Pub (Tel Aviv)
• Paint Date (Tel Aviv)
• Sculpture (Tel Aviv)
• Mosaics (Gesher HaZiv) 
• Mosaics (Karkur) 
• Glass Mosaics (Jerusalem)
• Glass Mosaics (Rishon)
• Concrete Home Accents (Tel Aviv & Rosh Ha'Ayin)
• Ceramics (Tel Aviv)
• Ceramics (Rishon)
• Glass Painting (Rishon)
• Jewelry Making (Metal Working) (Haifa)
• Jewelry Making (turn your child's drawing into a necklace) (Haifa)
• Carpentry Workshop (Kiryat Bialik)

Food Workshops:

• Private Cooking Class in Your Home
• Chocolate Workshop for Children (Afula)
• De Beer Studio (Chocolate or Pastry Workshops) (Kfar Chassidim)
• Italian Cooking or Bread Workshop (Kfar Chassidim)
• Chocolate Workshop at Mishi (Kiryat Tivon)
• Meat Cooking and Butchery workshops at Kzizot (Jerusalem)
• Chocolate Workshop in Raanana 
• Agri-Circus 
• Strawberry Picking (Kadima Junction)
• Strawberry Picking (Meshek Ariel in Moshav Kadima)

Escape Rooms:

• Escape City (Tel Aviv)
• Hide N Seek (Rishon)
• The Chemist (Ashkelon)
• REDBLUE (Herzliya)
• Dead Sea Scrolls (Herzliya)
• The Syrian Spy or The Enchanted Treasure (Eilat)
• Brainscape - The Catacomb (Petach Tikvah)
• Ex Room - Artificial Intelligence (Tel Aviv)
• Ex Room (SAW) (Tel Aviv)
• Out of the Box (Tel Aviv) 
• Jerusalem Treasure (Ramat Gan)
• Security Breach (Petach Tikvah) 
• Stargate (Jerusalem) 
• The Black Pearl (Haifa) 
• The Imitator (Haifa) 
• The Da Vinci Secret (Rishon)
• Baker Street (Rishon)
• Houdini (Tel Aviv)
• The Lost Hostage (Kiryat Bialik)

Get 10% off when you use code "Kosherfrugal" at the Maimonides Puzzle Room in Tiberias

Karaoke Rooms

• Ashdod
• Netanya
• Beer Sheva
• Rishon

Ice Skating 

• Eilat

Museums

• MadaTech (Haifa)
• Yad Mordechai Museum
• Friends of Israel Museum 

I'll add more deals to the Groupon Facebook group as I find them! See you there!

iHerb Extra Savings!

This post contains my iHerb referral link. You'll save money using it (even existing customers), and I may be compensated by iHerb. It won't cost you extra - but it WILL save you money!

 I've promised to share iHerb deals whenever I hear about them, so none of you will miss out on the extra savings! So here's the current deal:

Save an extra 5% off all orders over $50 USD right now with promo code 5OVER50 (promo code should automatically be added to your cart when you click this link)!

This coupon code is good thru Wednesday, February 28th at 10:00 A.M. Pacific Standard Time (PST)

You can also get the additional 10% off the following special offers with my referral code (QEJ101) or by clicking any of the following special links:

Sports

Superfoods

Joint, Bone, Hair and Skin Formulas

And if you use Shipping Savers, you can get really affordable shipping, even if you choose DHL Express shipping (I highly recommend this shipping method)! You can sort for Shipping Savers on iHerb by clicking the Shipping Saver checkbox on the lefthand side of the page.

Not sure if shopping at iHerb makes sense?
I shop there pretty often, as you may already know. I find it makes life easier for me - not only do they make it easy to find some "hard to find" products my family needs (like fragrance free shower products), but I save a significant amount of money on things like vitamins and probiotics. So many products are definitely less expensive at iHerb than at my local stores, and shipping is VERY affordable as I mentioned above.

Here are some of the things I like to buy at iHerb:

Palm Oil (this eco-friendly version is not available in Israel at all, and is perfect for making frosting or fudge)

Magnesium Tablets (these and many other supplements are quite pricey in Israel and iHerb is a great way to save!)

Stash Teas (I buy these when they are on sale, as the sale price comes out to less than the lowest price I can find herbal teas for locally, and these are just SO MUCH HIGHER quality than teas I can find for an affordable price!)

Vitamin D (so many people are deficient, it turns out! And my doctor prescribed a rather high dose, and what's sold here is very low dose and more expensive)

Probiotics are far less expensive from iHerb than any I've found in Israel, and they don't weigh much! Many of these are "shipping savers" - so they'll lower your shipping costs for the whole order if you add them in!

EO shower gel (we like this kid friendly all-in-one shower product that doesn't irritate our skin!)

Ricola throat drops (these work out to be only slightly less expensive than the local price, so I use them as a "filler" product, never as my "reason for buying")

Witch Hazel (it's really not easy to find witch hazel products locally, and if you love witch hazel, you'll be thrilled with iherb's price. This one is a toner with alcohol in it - some people like the alcohol in it, but if you don't, they also have plenty of no-alcohol witch hazel products)

Coffee Filters (unbleached) - I can find the #4 size locally, but I use the #2 size, and can't always find unbleached, and it's so easy to order it, rather than running around town!

Brown Rice Pasta (only when they're on sale, great for people who don't eat wheat! The local equivalent is more expensive unless there's an amazing sale)

Grapefruit Seed Extract (similar product, 1/4 of the size, cost more than twice as much at my health food store, and many people are convinced this keeps colds away,!)

Essential Oils (I use them in homemade cleaners) - for a fraction of the price here in Israel! Yes, they are real and natural (and very importantly, not an MLM)!

Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (for my soy allergic child)

Calendula Cream (so soothing and wonderful for eczema!)

Aquaphor Ointment - impossible to buy locally! (lately this has been out of stock at iherb, but you can ask to be notified when it's available). When it's not available, you might find CeraVe to be a good alternative.

I also regularly check the Specials Page to see if products I use are on sale and work out to a better deal thru iHerb during a sale, and I also occasionally will order a hard-to-find spice.

If you haven't ordered from iHerb, now is the perfect time to check it out!
And please let me know what your favorite deals are!

Don't get surprised by import taxes! If you are ordering items from overseas, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent personal import regulations!

Restaurant and Takeout Deals!

(This post contains affiliate links, and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking a link. Thanks in advance for your support!)  

Kosherfrugal.com and Janglo have teamed up to bring you some great Groupon deals and Eluna deals (and other deals) you don't want to miss! Also, Janglo Beteavone has a great selection of restaurant coupons, so you can check http://shop.beteavone.com for more deals. Be sure to check them out before you go out! But supplies are extremely limited, so hurry before they're gone.

This post focuses exclusively on kosher restaurants and take-out food, so if you're going to splurge, you can now afford to splurge a little more, with discount vouchers and savings. I keep checking for new deals, as I know you've been waiting for some, and this week there are some changes, so check carefully! Be sure to check the Facebook group so you don't miss out!

Pre-purchasing your vouchers and saving up to 50% is a GREAT way to save when you want to indulge! Don't miss out on the savings - check below for savings in your area!


Tel Aviv and Nearby:


The Faculty at TAU - pasta for two 65nis! There's also an upgraded option that includes wine and dessert. Voucher can be redeemed Sun - Thursday between 2pm and 10pm, until March 25. Reservations required after 7pm

Cofix - half price coffee! Pay just 2.5nis for a voucher you can redeem for 1 cup of coffee or tea at any Cofix except for Super Cofix branches and Ra'anana branch at Achuza 111). Limit 6 vouchers per person. Max 3 vouchers in one purchase. Valid Feb 20 - March 15

Pizza Hut (any location in the country except Rechovot) - 1 slice for 8nis. Limit 2 vouchers per person. Groupon valid thru March 15.

Breakfast Buffet at the Leonardo City Tower, Tel Aviv - 69nis for 1 person, 135nis for 2. Valid thru April 30, 2018, but not on Pesach. Redeem on Sun-Fri, with advance reservations

Shabbat Takeout from Viki in Netanya - half price vouchers! Limit one per person. Valid for 90 days, on Fridays only

Chuma in Gan Ha'Ir, lunch or dinner for 2 for 139nis. Redeem your voucher Sun-Thurs 11am - 10:30pm. Reservations required. Groupon valid thru April 1, 2018.

Shabbat Takeout from Tzanani in Bnei Brak - pay just 50nis for a voucher worth 100nis! Limit one per person. Valid thru April 30, 2018. Redeem on Fridays, between 7am and 2:30pm

Breakfast Buffet at the Leonardo Art Hotel in TA - 59nis for one, 115nis for two. Voucher valid thru March 24, 2018. Can be redeemed Sun - Fri. Reservations Required. If you go, you can bring babies under age 2 along for free.

Catering for Pesach from TOSO in Petach Tikvah - packages available for 5+ people

Shabbat Meals at the Hilton Tel Aviv (CAFE MED) for 33% off the rack rate. Voucher valid thru March 24, 2018 -- For Friday night dinner only on Feb. 2, Feb. 9, Feb. 16, and Feb. 23. For Shabbat lunch only on Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Feb. 17, Feb. 24, March 3, March 10, March 17, and March 24. Reservations required. Max 12 people with Groupons at a table.

HaDayagim in Yafo, dinner for 2 for 229nis. Reservations required. Groupon valid thru March 15

Breakfast Buffet at Herod's Tel Aviv: 79nis for one, 155nis for 2! Reservations required, redeem Sunday- Friday. Groupon valid thru Feb. 28, 2018

Breakfast Buffet at the Ramada in Netanya - 69nis for one, or 135nis for 2! Sun - Friday, 6:30-10am. Reservations required. Voucher can be used thru March 22, 2018.

Sushi -half price vouchers for a meal for two or a huge platter - at Kan Kei at Kibbutz Einat  Good thru Feb. 28, 2018. If you want the party platter, you must order at least 4 hrs in advance.

Fruit Platters from Ba-Li Pri in Ramat Gan, starting at 99nis. Limit 3 deals per person. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Order your platter in advance!

Papa Pinno in Ramat Hasharon - half off your pizza! The Groupon deal doesn't specify they are kosher, but I checked it out and they are. Good thru March 15, 2018

Eluna offers discount vouchers (most are 20 - 25% off retail price) for the following Tel Aviv area restaurants: Alfredo (Petach Tikva), Alternative, Baker's Pattisserie, Cafe Neto (Petach Tikvah), Currylinas, El Gaucho (Netanya), La Lasagna, Marrakesh, Matsuya, Nagisa (Ra'anana), Salta (Raanana), Taipei (Netanya), Taj Indian Restaurant, Vici (Raanana), and more! (Subject to change)

Sushi Plus in Tel Aviv - 89nis for 2! Voucher valid for 60 days from date of purchase, and not valid on takeaway

La Place in Netanya - Breakfast for 2, for just 59nis. Limit 2 Groupons per table. Show your Groupon before ordering. Valid thru March 20, 2018

Wok and Walk in Kiryat HaSharon - Get a 200nis voucher for just 100nis (use it for a meal for 2)! If you use it for takeaway, there is a 9nis additional fee. Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Limit one Groupon per couple per day. (Over 1000 customers have bought this deal - don't miss out!!)

Gelato Factory in Rishon - starting at 10nis! Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase.

Breakfast Buffet at the Rimonim Tower in Ramat Gan - 59nis for 1, or 115nis for 2. Valid for 30 days from date of purchase. Reservations required. Breakfast buffet is open from 7am - 10am, Sun- Fri (not valid Erev Chag)

Dinner for 2 at Hilulim (mehadrin) restaurant in Tel Aviv at the border of Holon, for 169nis. Reservations required. Max 5 Groupons per table. Voucher can be used Sun - Thurs, noon - 11pm. Voucher valid for 90 days from date of purchase, but not on Rosh Chodesh

Shabbat Takeaway from Minei Gan Catering in Netanya - Buy a 100nis voucher for just 50nis! Groupon valid for 90 days from date of purchase. Can be redeemed ONLY on Fridays. Limit 1 per household.

Lechem Orez in Reut - get your choice of 50% off vouchers. Groupon valid thru Feb. 28, 2018. Max 6 people per table when using Groupon vouchers. Reservations required.

Jerusalem and nearby:


Touro Chef's Restaurant - half price vouchers for different meals for 2. Choose from 3 types, starting at 199nis for 2 (HALF OFF!)! Not valid Purim or Pesach. Reservations required. Voucher valid thru April 18. Max 2 Groupons per table.

Cofix - half price coffee! Pay just 2.5nis for a voucher you can redeem for 1 cup of coffee or tea at any Cofix except for Super Cofix branches and Ra'anana branch at Achuza 111). Limit 6 vouchers per person. Max 3 vouchers in one purchase. Valid Feb 20 - March 15

Pizza Hut (any location in the country except Rechovot) - 1 slice for 8nis. Limit 2 vouchers per person. Groupon valid thru March 15.

Begian Waffles from Beit HaCrepe in Bet Shemesh (Mehadrin) for half off! Voucher valid thru May 15, 2018, but not on Pesach. Sun-Thurs 11am - 10pm, and Fridays 9:30am - 2:30pm. Reservations required

Cheese Platters from Macabi Cheeses in Givat Shaul (Mehadrin) - must order in advance. Pickup only on Mondays and Thursdays, with advance notice. Groupon valid thru March 5, 2018. Bring your PRINTED voucher.

Eucalyptus Chef's Restaurant in Jerusalem - save 30% on the 12 course tasting menu! valid Feb 11 - April 30, but not on Erev Pesach or Pesach. Reservations required. 

Breakfast Buffet at the Leonardo Jerusalem, for 69nis per person or 129nis for a couple. Max 6 people at a table. Valid Sun-Fri, 6:30-10:00am. Reservations required.

Teresa in Cinema City Jerusalem - breakfast for 2 for 69nis! Can be redeemed Sun-Thurs, 10am - 2pm, and Fridays 9am - 1pm. Valid thru April 30, 2018, but blackout dates apply (holidays including Purim and Pesach are excluded).  Reservations required. Max 2 couples with Groupons at a table.

Montefiore - dinner for 2 starting at 229nis. Valid Sun - Thurs, 11am - 9pm, and Friday 11am - 2pm. Groupon valid thru March 23, 2018. Up to six people per table with Groupon deals. Reservations required.

Eluna offers discount vouchers (most are 20 - 25% off retail price) for the following Jerusalem area restaurants: Cafe Landwer, Cafe Michael, Fresh Kitchen, HaSalatiya, Tommy's (Subject to change)

Lunch or Dinner for 2 at Pichonka in Nes Harim, starting at 199nis. Reservations required. Groupon must be redeemed by Feb. 20, 2018. Blackout dates apply. Max 5 Groupons per group. You must show the Groupon before you order, and anyone in your party without a Groupon will be required to place an 80 nis (minimum) order.

Shakshuk in Machane Yehuda - 58nis for 2! Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Can be redeemed Mon - Thurs, 8am - 4:30pm, and Fridays 8am - 1pm

Workshops (meat cooking/butchery) at Ktzizot - including a "Carnivore's meal" and a glass of wine, for 139nis! Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Reservations required. Workshops take place on Mon, Tues, and Thurs, at 6pm and last for 2 hrs.

Pescados - (Jerusalem) Lunch for two for just 139nis! Or the Dinner deal for 44% off regular price (your choice of party of 2, or party of 4). Vouchers valid for 60 days from date of purchase.

Buffet Dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (Jerusalem). 1 for 99nis / 2 for 195nis. Groupon valid Sun - Thurs 6:30pm - 9pm. Not valid on Fridays, Shabbat, Holiday eves, or Holidays. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase.

Breakfast Buffet at the Shani Hotel (center of town) - for 49nis (1 person) or 97nis (2 people). Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase.

Get half off at Ta'im BaKerem. Sun - Wed, 4pm - 9pm or Thursday 4pm -8pm. Reservations required. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase.

Haifa and North:



Cofix - half price coffee! Pay just 2.5nis for a voucher you can redeem for 1 cup of coffee or tea at any Cofix except for Super Cofix branches and Ra'anana branch at Achuza 111). Limit 6 vouchers per person. Max 3 vouchers in one purchase. Valid Feb 20 - March 15

Pizza Hut (any location in the country except Rechovot) - 1 slice for 8nis. Limit 2 vouchers per person. Groupon valid thru March 15.

Breakfast Buffet at the Leonardo Hotel, Haifa - 79nis for one, or 149nis for 2! Voucher valid thru March 20, 2018. Use Sun - Friday, 7-10am. 

Pizza Puzzle in Akko - get an XL pizza for 30nis. For 49nis, you'll also get a salad and garlic bread with your pizza. Voucher good for 2 months from date of purchase. Not valid for Delivery. Cannot be redeemed from March 23 - April 14, 2018.

Sushi for 2 at Sushiya in Kiryat Atta, for 88nis. Good thru March 25, 2018. Not valid on Delivery orders. Only valid on items on the menu, no substitutions. Can be redeemed Sun-Thurs 11:30am - 9:30pm, Fridays 11:30am - 2:30pm, and Sat. nights from 1 hr after Shabbat until 10:30pm

Shytel in Nahariya (Badatz/Machpud meats) - Dinner for 2 for 135nis. Max. 3 vouchers per table (3 couples). Good for 60 days from date of purchase. Reservations required.

Breakfast Buffet at the Crown Plaza in Haifa - 59nis for 1/109nis for 2 (69/129 on Fridays). You must buy the deal that is valid on the day you want to go (Sun-Thurs OR Friday). Reservations required. Breakfast is served 6:30-10:30am. Voucher valid thru March 20, 2018

Japan! Japan in Kiryat Ata - choose a buy one get one free voucher for Sushi or for Stir Fry. Up to 3 Groupons can be used at one table. Not valid for delivery orders. Good thru July 31, 2018.

Iskander (Mehadrin) at Nahar Hayarden (upper Galilee) - dinner for 2 for 219nis. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Max. 3 Groupons for table (3 couples). Reservations required. Redeem Sun - Wed, noon - 8pm, Thurs. noon - 9:30pm, or Friday noon - half an hour before Shabbat.

Eluna offers discount vouchers (most are 20 - 25% off retail price) for the following Northern area restaurants: Baba (Karmiel), Casa Barone (Zichron), Taj Indian Restaurant in Or Akiva, Nili in Zichron Yaakov (Subject to change)

300 Grams in Moshav Betzet - All you can eat, starting at 115nis per person (there's an upgrade that includes a glass of wine if you like). Voucher valid thru March 20, 2018. Redeem Sun - Wed, 2-9:30pm or Sat.nights beginning 1.5 hrs after Shabbat until 10pm. Reservations required. Max 6 Groupons per table. Children under 6 can order a kids' meal instead of having a Groupon.

Takeout food for Shabbat from Pataio Catering in Tirat HaCarmel - get a 100nis voucher for just 50nis! Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase

Sinta Bar (Kiryat Ata) at Kenyon Shaar Hatzafon, Burger meal for 2, for 76nis. Includes 2 burgers, one order of fries, and 2 drinks. Voucher valid for 60 days from date of purchase, and call in advance. Cannot be redeemed on Fridays.

Shela Restaurant (Kiryat Motzkin), for 79nis per couple. Limit 2 vouchers per table. Voucher valid for 90 days from date of purchase, with advance reservations.

Two Felafels with French Fries at Olam HaOchel, (or two omelet pitot with french fries) for just 19nis! Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Can be redeemed Sun-Thurs till 9am - 5pm, Fridays 8am - 3pm

50% off at Ta'im L'Chulam in Haifa! (The meal includes soup, a meat main dish, 2 sides, a drink, and more!) Voucher valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Can be redeemed Sun-Thurs till 9am - 5pm.

Olam Ha'Ochel in Haifa (meat restaurant, with tons of salads for the table) for just 35nis per person (69nis for 2!). Groupon valid for 90 days from date of purchase, and only from 8am - 5:30pm (Sun-Thurs) or 8am - 4pm Fridays. limit 8 people with Groupons per table. 


South:

Cofix - half price coffee! Pay just 2.5nis for a voucher you can redeem for 1 cup of coffee or tea at any Cofix except for Super Cofix branches and Ra'anana branch at Achuza 111). Limit 6 vouchers per person. Max 3 vouchers in one purchase. Valid Feb 20 - March 15

Pizza Hut (any location in the country except Rechovot) - 1 slice for 8nis. Limit 2 vouchers per person. Groupon valid thru March 15.

Lunch or Dinner for 2 at Tebilisi in Be'er Sheva - starting 99nis for 2. Voucher valid thru March 28, 2018. Redeem Sunday or Monday, noon - 11pm, Tuesday -- Thursday, noon - 7pm, and Saturday nights till midnight. Max 3 couples with Groupons per table. Reservations required.

Criollo Pasta Bar in Be'er Sheva - 89 nis for dinner for 2! Reservations required. Groupon valid thru April 20, 2018 (with some blackout dates). 

Pizza Agvaniya (Mehadrin) in Eilat - 29nis for dinner for 1, or 79nis for 2, or 155nis for 4! These are full meals, including a soup course, drinks, and more! Reservations required. Valid thru March 10, 2018

TakeOut from Boda Blanca in Ashdod (Mehadrin) for half price! Pay 40nis for an 80nis voucher! Fridays only. Groupon valid thru March 30, 2018

Takeout Food for Shabbat from Ofra Gourmet in Ashdod - Get an 80nis voucher for just 40nis! Limit one voucher per person. Can only be redeemed on Fridays. Valid thru March 17, 2018. 

Greg Kitchen (mehadrin, meat) in Yavneh - here's a deal for a meal for 2, starting at 99nis! Groupon valid thru March 30, 2018. Max 6 people per table with this deal.

Eluna offers discount vouchers (most are 20 - 25% off retail price) for the following Southern area restaurants: Namaste (Ashdod) (Subject to change)

Cafe Greg, G mall in Yavneh (mehadrin) - choose a 50nis voucher for anything on the menu (not breakfast though) for half off, or breakfast for two for 79nis! Voucher valid thru March 30, 2018

Marshmallow in Be'er Sheva - Choose breakfast for 2 for 69nis OR a 40 shekel voucher (for one person) for 20 shekels! Valid thru Jan 30, 2018. Limit 3 couples with a Groupon at a table. Redeem Sun - Thurs 9:30am - 6pm

Marshmallow in Be'er Sheva - Pasta dinner for 2 for 79nis, including a dessert (fondue and other "specials" not included) Valid thru Jan 30, 2018

Ribs in Ashdod - 99nis for a 2 person meal! (upgrade that includes wine, dessert, and coffee is available) Voucher valid thru March 28, 2018. Can be redeemed Sun-Thurs, noon - 7pm. Reservations required.

Hummus Cohen (mehadrin) in Ashdod - have lunch for 23nis! Groupon valid thru Feb. 28, 2018, limit 4 Groupons per table. Not valid for takeaway.

Lunch at "Space" in Moshav Amonim - 139nis for 1 person, 279nis for 2, or 549nis for 4. Voucher valid thru June 30, 2018. Check for blackout dates, and reservations required. Generally valid Sun-Thurs noon - 5:30pm or Fridays noon - 2pm. Anyone in your party without a Groupon voucher will be required to order 100nis minimum from the menu, and children under 10 will be required to order a 40nis children's meal. According to the info posted, you can use their gardens (and pool, maybe) before and after your meal.

Pizza HaGesher in Be'er Sheva (Mehadrin) - Get an XL pie for just 29nis! Sun - Thurs, 11am - 8pm, and Fridays 11am - 4pm. Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase. You can redeem multiple vouchers at one time.


Have you joined Groupon Israel's Best Deals on Facebook? Join us there and you'll find out about awesome deals every day! 

Orlah Fruits in the Marketplace - Update for Adar

This post is a follow up to the Kashrut for New Olim post. If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out -- there's important information there! 

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES in Israel - Specific Kashrut Issues

Unlike in other parts of the world, in Israel, fruits and vegetables are NOT automatically "kosher" - here we need to make sure that they are not "orlah" fruits (harvested during a tree's first 3 yrs, with other rules applying to year 4) and that trumot and ma'asrot have been taken (from both fruits and vegetables). 

If you shop at a market that doesn't have an ishur kashrut (kosher certification) on their produce, you'll need to investigate these issues further, if you are interested in adhering to the halachot of the Land of Israel OR if you regularly host people who assume the food in your home is kosher! I must say that it's important to familarize yourself with these special halachot, as they are part of keeping kosher in Israel! (If you say you keep Kosher in Israel, everyone assumes that you have taken care of these issues; and if you don't, then you may be unwittingly putting someone in a situation they don't want to be in!) 

It's definitely possible to take trumot and maasrot on your own (I do it often), so vegetables are easiest to buy without a teudah, as that is all you need to do (and very often, it would be without a bracha). Some of the fruits on the market may be ok to purchase even from a non-certified establishment and just take trumot and maasrot, because of the extremely low percentage of orlah fruits being sold, but those lists change frequently, so you'll constantly need to stay up-to-date.

Other fruits can be a problem, because of a high possibility that they are orlah (from the first 3 yrs after the tree was planted). I have recently begun to post a monthly update on my website, with a list of the fruits where the percentage of orlah fruits on the open market is greater than 0.5%. These fruits should only be bought from a reputable source that does not sell orlah fruits (i.e. a place with a teudah):

ORLAH Update for Iyar 5778

Fruits to AVOID buying without a teudah:

• Avocado - Ettinger, Haas, Ruti, and Reid varieties
• Blueberries
• Lemon
• Lime
• Papaya
• Prickly Pear (Sabra Fruit)
• Starfruit
• Passionfruit
• Clementines - Murcott variety, Hadas Variety, and Tami variety
• Valencia Oranges

Please be sure to speak with your personal Halachic Authority about purchasing fruit in Israel without a teudah. Not everyone holds by the 0.5% threshold. This information is just for informational purposes and is not a halachic psak! Even if you follow a psak that relies on the 0.5% threshold, you still must take trumot and maasrot on all produce grown in Israel (or be sure it has been taken), in order to fulfill your halachic obligations.

Also, be aware that this list does NOT apply to fruit grown by an individual. If your friend has a fruit tree, you'll need to find out how old it is! 

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