Nostalgic Israeli Games

What comes to mind when you think of your childhood?

Maybe you recall that amazing vacation you took with your family or slumber parties with your classmates, but most of all, blissful afternoons spent playing games with your friends. You probably picked up new games from friends or older siblings, but what doesn't change is that everyone played these games at one point.

This is true in Israel, there are many iconic games that all Israeli children remember fondly. Which ones do you remember?

So what are Israel's most nostalgic games?

Stangha

Similar to soccer (football), each player tries to score a goal with the ball, but you can only touch the ball once. If you manage to hit the goal post with the ball, you receive 2 points!

Hamesh Avanim (Five Stones)

In this simple game, you sit on the floor and play with five identical stones by tossing them in the air and catching them. That’s it. Israelis remember spending hours and hours playing this simple yet addicting game.

Adjuim/Gogoim

In any other place in the world, once you’re finished eating your apricot, you throw out the pit, right? Well, not in Israel. This creative game is similar to marbles except you can collect as many pits as you can eat! Each player tries to toss the pit as close as possible to the wall. The player whose pit lands closest to the wall wins all the pits on the ground. Clearly, sanitation is not an issue at this age.

Hakadarim Baim (British Bulldog)

In this form of catch, the catcher (kadar) runs towards the other side of the field and tries to catch the other players, without being allowed to turn backward. Any person he catches joins his team. You’re not a true Israeli if you didn’t cheat at this game!