AI-Powered Halloween App BooRoute Expands Globally from Israel
Israeli UX consultant Shelly Bonder used AI tools to create BooRoute, a global neighborhood mapping app that coordinated over 2,400 trick-or-treaters across six countries during Halloween.
Halloween celebrations expanded across Israel this year, driven by a surge in community apps built using generative artificial intelligence tools. Among them is BooRoute, a volunteer-run platform created by Shelly Bonder, a 42-year-old UX consultant and mother of two from Kiryat Ono.
Global Expansion and Real-Time Tracking
Bonder built the web application over two weeks using Claude Code to solve personal frustrations from the previous year, when traditional spreadsheet coordination proved cumbersome. On Halloween night, the platform recorded 2,499 children participating in trick-or-treating across 79 neighborhoods in six countries, including Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, and Australia. The system mapped 1,153 families and registered approximately 11,000 visits during the evening.
In Israel alone, the app operated in 36 neighborhoods, tracking 943 families and 1,903 participants. The platform allowed organizers to outline neighborhood streets, mark participating houses, and highlight specific features such as allergen-free treats, vegan options, or step-free accessible entrances. Families updated the live map in real-time regarding candy inventory levels, preventing children from knocking on empty doors.
Privacy and Community Impact
Privacy remained a central focus for the developer. The map remained locked and private until one hour before the event, requiring users to log in with an email address and local phone verification. Screenshot attempts were flagged by the system, and registration was restricted to verified addresses within neighborhood boundaries. Gamification elements, including a ghost icon and neighborhood decoration likes, were integrated to enhance user engagement.
According to data from Base44, more than 12,000 users in Israel utilized various Halloween mapping applications, with half of the 38 neighborhood apps created during the week preceding the holiday. While major participation was recorded in Tel Aviv, Ramat Aviv, and Givatayim, regional communities such as the Hadarim neighborhood in Shoham and Kibbutz Yagur also saw high engagement. Bonder noted that despite minor public criticism regarding the holiday's origins, the initiative successfully fostered community connection and brought joy to children following a challenging year.
