Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

Model for new pavilion at Jerusalem's Botanical Gardens, May 2023. (courtesy, Shlomo Aronson Architects)

May 16, 2023, 4:40 pm

Jerusalem’s Botanical Gardens to get major upgrade

A new gateway and a Japanese pagoda will extend access to horticultural research center, which boasts biggest live plant collection in Middle East

By Danielle Nagler

Yaala Getzov's fantastical collage, part of 'The Nature of Things' exhibit at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens through June 22, 2023 (Courtesy Yael Ilan)

May 1, 2023, 6:27 pm

Fantasy meets reality in botanical art exhibit

‘The Nature of Things’ is now showing at new art gallery in Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

By Jessica Steinberg

Lit Hanukkah menorahs are part of the tour in Jerusalem's Old City during the eight-day holiday, which begins November 28, 2021 (Courtesy Michal Ben Atar)

November 28, 2021, 6:08 am

The tours, events and shows that will light up your Hanukkah

Archaeological digs, cupcake decorations, museum tours and neighborhood explorations are some of the activities on offer during the eight-day holiday

By Jessica Steinberg

From Photomenta exhibit opening September 21, 2021, at Eretz Israel Museum (Courtesy Nadir Bucan)

September 17, 2021, 7:32 am

Leave your Sukkot booths to view films, exhibits and shows

The week of Sukkot offers a cornucopia of events, with museums, festivals, sites and troupes prepared to entertain

By Jessica Steinberg

US President Donald Trump, center, with from left, Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, during the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on September 15, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

September 15, 2021, 1:58 pm

Daily Briefing Sept. 15 – How are the Abraham Accords holding up a year on?

Jacob Magid assesses the future of normalization agreements between Israel and Arab countries, and Jessica Steinberg fills us in on the hottest cultural events coming up in Israel

By ToI Staff

Some of the heritage seed packets at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens (Courtesy Jerusalem Botanical Gardens)

August 17, 2021, 11:40 am

Wildflowers will go forth from Jerusalem

Named for flower lover Nechama Rivlin, the late wife of former president Reuven Rivlin, a community-based project at Jerusalem’s Botanical Gardens aims to save rare flowers

By Jessica Steinberg

Sakura cherry blossoms in bloom at Jerusalem's Botanical Gardens (Courtesy Tom Amit)

February 14, 2021, 5:24 pm

Signs of spring as cherry blossoms bloom at Jerusalem gardens

Hebrew University Botanical Gardens celebrates post-lockdown reopening with days of cherry tree and pink narcissus blooms

By Jessica Steinberg

The oversized, lit-up dreidels placed in Jaffa for Hanukkah 2020 (Tomer Neuberg/Flash 90)

December 10, 2020, 8:39 am

One for each night: Ideas to celebrate Hanukkah even as the coronavirus lurks

Pandemic-friendly activities to mark the eight-day festival of lights include daytime strolls, nighttime lights, crafts and of course — digital entertainment

By Jessica Steinberg

Sigalit Landau's 'Squirting Cucumber,' one of the sculptures on display on 'Returning to Nature' at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens (Courtesy Jerusalem Botanical Gardens)

October 22, 2020, 11:00 am

Jerusalem’s Botanical Gardens bring sculpture to green spaces

The urban nature site launches ‘Returning to Nature’ exhibit, offering outdoor access to arts and culture

By Jessica Steinberg

The rainforest interior of the renovated Tropical Conservatory at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens. (Jessica Steinberg/Times of Israel)

February 2, 2020, 3:23 pm

With rainforest and rare species, little-known Jerusalem garden aims to flourish

The cultivated green lung of the capital’s Botanical Gardens is a hub for 6,000 species, a research center, and a free field of flora and fauna for the capital’s kids

By Jessica Steinberg

Illustrative: A close-up view of a ficus palmata tree (YouTube screenshot)

October 8, 2019, 3:18 pm

Endangered wild fig planted in Knesset gardens

Only one specimen of ficus palmata is known to currently remain in the wild in Israel; its planting is part of new tradition at Knesset to help preserve rare plants

By ToI Staff

Children playing on a makeshift pirate ship with Playmobil figures, at the Jerusalems Botanical Gardens, July 15, 2019. (Joshua Davidovich/Times of Israel)

July 17, 2019, 10:08 am

At Botanical Gardens, Playmobil plants its plastic flag

There’s no stopping to smell the flowers as children romp through the green landscape themed to tie-in with cherished playset and upcoming feature-length film

By Joshua Davidovich

Dr. Michael Avishai, co-founder and scientific director of the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, who died Saturday, aged 83. (Judith Marcus)

January 1, 2019, 11:30 am

Michael Avishai, founder of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, inspired generations

Versed in evolution, geology, botany of course, and doubtless many other disciplines, beloved Berlin-born visionary and teacher, who has died at 83, saw big picture of our planet

By Sue Surkes

The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens' Reut project helps prepare adults with mental illnesses for the workplace. (Shmuel Bar-Am)

May 31, 2017, 11:07 am

In Jerusalem’s Botanical Gardens, it’s sometimes the plants that grow the people

Where stunning flowers from the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Australia flourish amid social activism, research and community outreach

By Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am