Holiday Apartment Rentals in Jerusalem: Sukkot, Pesach and a Shabbat Checklist

Short answer: for Sukkot, Pesach and the summer, book a holiday apartment three to six months ahead; the family-sized apartments in the popular neighbourhoods go first and prices rise sharply. Ask four things before you pay: how the kitchen's kashrut works (and, for Pesach, whether it is kashered), whether there is a sukkah or a balcony for one, how the door and lights work on Shabbat, and how many stairs there are. Pay through the platform or with a written agreement, never by wire transfer to someone you have not verified. Where to stay helps you choose the neighbourhood.

When to book

• Sukkot and Pesach: three to six months ahead for family apartments; many have minimum stays covering the whole chag.
• Summer: two to four months ahead for July and August.
• The rest of the year: weeks rather than months, and far better prices.

Where the listings are

• The big booking platforms, which hold your payment until check-in.
• Local agencies that manage holiday apartments in the south of the city and the centre.
• Local classifieds such as Janglo and community WhatsApp groups, where families rent out their own homes while they travel. Good value, but check more carefully.

The kitchen and kashrut

• Ask who used the kitchen and to what standard: a kosher home, and which hashgachot the owners keep. The kashrut guide explains the terms.
• Meat and dairy: how are the sinks, dishes and oven separated?
• Pesach: is the kitchen kashered and are there Pesach dishes, or will you need to bring or buy them? Many owners offer a "Pesach-ready" apartment at a premium.

Sukkot

Ask whether the apartment comes with a sukkah or a sukkah-friendly balcony (open to the sky, not under another balcony) and whether the building allows one. Sukkah kits are sold across the city before the chag if you need your own. Sukkot in Jerusalem covers the week.

A Shabbat-friendly checklist

• The door: a mechanical key, or a code lock that you can leave unlocked or set up before Shabbat.
• Lights: Shabbat timers (shaon Shabbat), or lights you can leave on in the rooms you need.
• Hot food: a hot plate (plata) and an urn, or ask whether the owner can supply them.
• The lift: a Shabbat lift, or how many flights you will be walking with children and a stroller.
• Walking distance to the shul you want, or to the Kotel. Shabbat for visitors explains what closes.

Everything else to check

• Heating and air conditioning: in winter an apartment can be cold; make sure the air conditioners heat. Weather by month explains the seasons.
• The mamad (safe room) or the building's shelter, and where it is. The safety guide explains why.
• Beds and cots for the number of children you are bringing; high chairs and strollers can often be borrowed from local gemachs.
• Parking, if you are renting a car.
• The cancellation terms, the deposit, and what happens if a siren or a flight cancellation stops you travelling.

Paying safely

• Pay through the platform, or to a known agency, with a written agreement that lists the dates, the price and the deposit.
• Be wary of an apartment that is much cheaper than its neighbours, an owner who only wants a wire transfer, or photos you can find elsewhere online.
• Ask for a video call walking round the apartment if you are booking privately.

Budgeting the whole trip? What a trip to Jerusalem costs has the numbers.

Common questions

When should I book an apartment in Jerusalem for Sukkot?

Three to six months ahead for a family apartment in the popular neighbourhoods. Late bookings are possible but pricier and further out.

Is it better to rent an apartment or a hotel for the chagim?

An apartment gives you a kitchen, space and often a sukkah, and suits families and Shabbat; a hotel takes care of meals and service. Apartments are usually better value for groups.

How do I know if a holiday rental is kosher?

Ask the owner directly who uses the kitchen, to what standard, and how meat and dairy are kept apart; for Pesach, ask whether the kitchen is kashered.

Hebrew you will meet

• דירה — dira — apartment
• השכרה לטווח קצר — haskara le-tvach katzar — short-term rental
• פלטה — plata — Shabbat hot plate
• שעון שבת — sha'on Shabbat — Shabbat timer
• מעלית שבת — ma'alit Shabbat — Shabbat lift
• כשר לפסח — kasher le-Pesach — kosher for Pesach

More everyday words are in our Hebrew vocabulary guide.

Rented for a chag and have a tip for other families? Tell us and we will fix it.