Vacationers flooded parks and other national sites on Monday as Israelis enjoyed a day off from work and school. The Jewish National Fund reported more than half a million visitors at the attractions it runs.
By Monday morning, more than 40,000 people had visited the JNF's most popular site this year – the Hula Lake in northern Israel. The site is a resting place for hundreds of species of migratory birds.
Other popular JNF sites included the Sataf and Ben Shemen forests, and the Yatir reservoir.
High tourist turnout was also reported in Judea and Samaria, and in the Gaza belt area. Residents of Gaza belt communities reported that almost all vacation sites in the area were full.
Residents of Hevron expressed satisfaction Monday as thousands of tourists arrived to visit the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Maarat HaMachpelah) and to take part in holiday activities provided in the Jewish neighborhoods of the city.
In the Tomb of the Patriarchs, rabbis from around the country led a “Day of Torah” on Sunday. The tomb will be open in its entirety to Jewish visitors on Monday and Tuesday, and Jews will be able to access area above the burial sites of the patriarch Yitzchak and matriarch Rivka, which are in an area usually reserved for Muslim prayer.
Jewish communities in Samaria hosted thousands of visitors as the region celebrated 30 years of renewed Jewish life. Jews returned to Samaria three decades ago after being forced from the area by Jordanian troops and local Arabs during the War of Independence in 1948.
Approximately 4,000 people attended celebrations on Sunday, which included central events in Elon Moreh and Har Kabir as well as tours throughout the region. On Monday, more activities took place in Itamar.