Hop! Channel

Hop! Channel is an Israeli children's television brand focused on preschool viewers. It was launched in Israel in February 2000 by Alona Abt and Tamir Paul, with a programming proposition built around the needs of very young children rather than the broader school-age audience served by many general children's channels. Its principal target range is approximately zero to seven years old, with programs selected or presented for different stages within that range. The channel was among the early television services designed specifically for preschool children in Israel and distinguished itself through an educational, reassuring and highly recognizable presentation style. Its stated slogan, translated into English as “Hop! To grow up in good hands,” expresses the brand's emphasis on early childhood development, familiarity and parental trust. The channel's visual identity has included a multicolored kite in red, yellow, green and blue, together with recurring mascot-like figures and interstitial characters such as a bird, mouse, puppy and cat. Earlier identity elements also included characters such as a fly, spider, clock, penguin and the purple spacecraft Tralalit. Hop! Channel has historically been distributed as part of the basic television packages of Israel's principal multichannel providers, HOT and yes. At launch, it broadcast from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., providing 15 hours of daily programming. Its schedule later expanded to approximately 5:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. Israel time, or about 18 hours a day. The service's programming model combines imported preschool series, locally produced material, presenter-led segments and branded interstitials. Examples of programs associated with its programming include Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City and S.M.A.S.H!, although the channel's central identity remains its preschool orientation rather than any one individual series. A significant development came through the channel's relationship with Sesame Workshop. In 2002, Hop! obtained rights connected with the production and broadcasting of an Israeli adaptation of Sesame Street. The resulting Hebrew-language series, Rechov Sumsum, entered production for Hop! in 2006 and continued through 2016. Four seasons were produced, alongside the related spin-off Hop! I Know. This relationship extended the channel's role beyond carriage of international content and gave it a locally adapted educational franchise with a strong connection to Israeli children's media. Hop! also supported an international extension in Romania. In 2006, a Romanian version known as Boom Hop! was launched on Boom TV through cooperation involving Romania and Israel. That service was subsequently closed in 2012. The Romanian initiative demonstrates that the brand's preschool format was considered adaptable outside Israel, while also showing that not every international channel version remained in operation. Publicly available reference material does not establish a current corporate owner, parent group, chief executive, listed status or financial profile for Hop! Channel. Accordingly, the brand is best documented as an Israeli preschool television channel whose known operating model is subscription-platform distribution, locally relevant production and a combination of imported and original children's programming.

Hop! Channel was established in Israel in February 2000 by Alona Abt and Tamir Paul. From the outset, its service proposition was narrower and more age-specific than that of a general children's network: it was designed for preschool children, broadly from infancy to age seven. This focus enabled the channel to organize its programming around the developmental stages, attention spans and viewing routines of very young children. It also distinguished Hop! from Israeli services directed at older children, including channels whose programming was intended for school-age audiences. At launch, the channel operated for approximately 15 hours a day, broadcasting from around 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Its schedule later expanded to roughly 18 hours, from 5:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. Tel Aviv time. Hop! was distributed through the basic packages of HOT and yes, giving it access to households using Israel's major cable and satellite television platforms. The channel's distribution model therefore combined a specialized brand proposition with broad subscription-platform availability. Brand identity has played an important role in Hop!'s presentation. Its logo is based on a red, yellow, green and blue kite, while program transitions and idents have used a collection of friendly animal and fantasy figures. These have included a bird, mouse, puppy and cat, with earlier materials also associated with a fly, spider, clock, penguin and the purple spacecraft Tralalit. The channel's principal slogan and theme song are commonly translated as “Hop! To grow up in good hands.” Ariel Zilber performed the song, which was later associated with the channel's presenters. Together, the slogan, visual system and recurring characters positioned the service as familiar and supportive for both children and parents. The channel's output has included imported preschool series, locally made programs, presenter-led material and short branded segments. A major step in its development came in 2002, when Hop! secured rights from Sesame Workshop related to an Israeli adaptation of Sesame Street. The adaptation, known as Rechov Sumsum, began production for Hop! in 2006. Four seasons were produced through 2016, and the project also generated a spin-off titled Hop! I Know. The Sesame-related programming strengthened the channel's educational credentials and gave it a significant Hebrew-language local-production asset rather than relying solely on acquired international programs. Hop! later tested the international portability of its concept. In 2006, a Romanian service called Boom Hop! launched on Boom TV through a partnership involving Israel and Romania. The channel represented a localized version of the preschool format, but it did not remain in operation indefinitely and closed in 2012. The international experiment is part of Hop!'s documented history, although publicly available reference material does not provide a detailed account of its audience, financial performance or commercial structure. Hop! Channel remains documented as an Israeli preschool television brand. Available sources do not clearly identify its current owner, parent company, senior management, corporate legal structure or financial results. Its most consistently established characteristics are its Israeli origin, early-childhood audience, carriage on HOT and yes, recognizable kite-based identity, and association with locally adapted children's programming such as Rechov Sumsum.

1. 2016Rechov Sumsum production concludes

   The documented production period for Rechov Sumsum reaches its end after four seasons and a related spin-off.

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2. 2012Romanian service closes

   Boom Hop! is discontinued after operating as a Romanian version of the Hop! preschool channel concept.

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3. 2006Boom Hop! launches in Romania

   A Romanian version of the channel launches on Boom TV through cooperation between Israeli and Romanian interests.

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4. 2006Rechov Sumsum enters production

   Hop! begins producing the Israeli Sesame Street adaptation Rechov Sumsum.

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5. 2002Sesame Workshop rights obtained

   Hop! obtains rights connected with producing and broadcasting an Israeli adaptation based on Sesame Street.

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6. 2000Channel launches in Israel

   Hop! Channel begins broadcasting in Israel as a service dedicated to preschool viewers, founded by Alona Abt and Tamir Paul.

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A trusted, development-oriented television destination for infants, toddlers and preschool children, combining age-targeted programming with recognizable characters, local Hebrew-language production and family-oriented presentation.

• Hop! Channel preschool programmingChildren's television channel2000

  The core offering is a television schedule designed for children from infancy through approximately age seven. It combines acquired international series, Israeli productions, presenter-led segments and short branded transitions. The channel has historically been carried in the basic packages of HOT and yes and has operated a long daily broadcast schedule, expanding from an initial approximately 6:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. window to roughly 5:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.

• Rechov SumsumLocally adapted educational television series2006

  Rechov Sumsum is Hop!'s Israeli adaptation associated with Sesame Street and Sesame Workshop. Rights were obtained in 2002, and production for the channel began in 2006. Four seasons were produced through 2016, creating a Hebrew-language educational property tailored to Israeli children. The program was accompanied by the spin-off Hop! I Know and represents one of the channel's most significant documented local-production initiatives.

• Hop! I KnowChildren's television spin-off

  Hop! I Know is a spin-off associated with the Rechov Sumsum production initiative. It forms part of the channel's locally adapted educational programming connected with its Sesame Workshop relationship. Publicly available reference material identifies the spin-off but does not provide enough detail to document its episode count, exact run or current availability.

• Hop! Channel branded identityChannel branding and interstitials2000

  The brand's non-programming identity system includes a multicolored kite logo, the slogan translated as “Hop! To grow up in good hands,” a theme song and recurring animated or illustrated figures. These elements appear in idents and transitions between programs, helping make the service recognizable to preschool viewers and their families.

• 2006Test an international version in RomaniaStrategy

  The preschool-focused channel format was extended beyond Israel through a cooperative venture involving Israeli and Romanian partners.

  What changed. Boom Hop! launched on Romania's Boom TV as a localized version of the Hop! concept.

  Aftermath. The Romanian service closed in 2012.

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• 2002Expand into locally adapted educational programmingStrategy

  Hop! operated in a market where preschool programming could be differentiated through locally relevant Hebrew-language content rather than relying only on imported series.

  What changed. The channel obtained rights from Sesame Workshop connected with an Israeli adaptation of Sesame Street, later developed as Rechov Sumsum.

  Aftermath. Production of Rechov Sumsum began in 2006 and continued through 2016, including four seasons and the Hop! I Know spin-off.

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• Expand daily broadcast hoursStrategy

  Hop! initially operated for approximately 15 hours per day, with a schedule running from about 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

  What changed. The channel later extended its operating window to approximately 5:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. Israel time.

  Aftermath. The documented schedule increased to approximately 18 hours of daily broadcasting.

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• 2016Rechov Sumsum production period ends

  Production of the Hop!-associated Rechov Sumsum adaptation continued through 2016, concluding a decade-long locally produced run beginning in 2006.

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• 2012Boom Hop! closes

  The Romanian Boom Hop! channel was discontinued after operating as an international version of the Hop! preschool television concept.

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• 2006Boom Hop! launches in Romania

  A Romanian version of the brand, Boom Hop!, was launched on Boom TV through an Israel-Romania partnership.

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• 2006Rechov Sumsum production begins for Hop!

  Hop! began producing the Israeli Sesame Street adaptation Rechov Sumsum, which later comprised four seasons and became an important locally produced component of the channel's educational offering.

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• 2002Hop! obtains rights connected with Sesame Street adaptation

  The channel obtained rights from Sesame Workshop relating to an Israeli adaptation of Sesame Street, creating the foundation for a major locally relevant educational programming initiative.

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• 2000Hop! Channel launches in Israel

  Hop! Channel began broadcasting in Israel as a television service aimed specifically at preschool children, establishing a distinct early-childhood focus within the country's children's television market.

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1. Hop! Channel