Israel
Discover Israel
Israel (Hebrew: מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisra'el; Arabic: دولة إسرائيل dawlat ʔisrāʔīl) is a small yet diverse Middle Eastern country. The modern State of Israel was established in 1948 as a homeland for the Jewish people, but the region contains thousands of years of history for many peoples and religions in addition to the Jews. Israel is considered part of the Holy Land (together with areas of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian territories), and of the Levant and in ancient history of the Fertile Crescent. The three major Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as well as the Baha'i Faith, have strong ties to this land, and their holy and historic sites are major destinations for pilgrims and tourists from around the world. The Israeli population is about 74% Jews, 21% Arabs, and 5% non-Arab Christians and others. Most of the Jews are descended from Olim ("returnees" from the Jewish Diaspora), and their diverse origins (Russian, German, Moroccan, Yemeni, and Ethiopian, to name a few of the prominent ones) can be seen in various aspects of modern Israeli culture. In contrast to its long ancient history, Israel is a highly urbanized, economically developed, first-world society. It remains in conflict with the Palestinians and some of its other Arab neighbors.
Taste of Israel...
While many popular dishes in Israel are typical of Middle Eastern cuisine, its cuisine is as diverse as the population. Food is generally of a very high standard, and immigrants from around the world brought almost every genre and type of food to Israel. Kosher food is widely available. Even restaurants without Kosher certificates follow some guidelines of Kashrut to some extent. Tipping is very common in sit-in places that have waiters – not tipping in sit-in restaurants is frowned upon, but is accepted for signaling atrocious service. It is standard to give 10%–15% (or more for exceptional service). A 20% tip is considered generous. Including a service charge in the bill is no longer legal in Israel and should not be paid. Restaurants may charge a "security fee" – roughly ₪1–2 per person. However, this fee is not mandatory, and it is common to ask for the fee to be removed from the bill, as well you should. Most restaurants accept credit cards, but do not accept personal checks. If you wish to include the tip in your credit card charge, state this before paying. Restaurants are required to allow this. Perhaps surprisingly, most culinary items that are typically associated with Jewish cuisine in much of the English-speaking world, such as bagels and pastrami, are not widespread in Israel, though they can still be found in eateries operated by American or Canadian immigrants.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Israel into what it is today.
While the current state of Israel is a relatively new country founded in 1948, the "land of Israel" has a long, complex history stretching back thousands of years to the beginnings of human civilization. It's been invaded by virtually every Old World empire including the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Mongols, Ottomans, French (with Napoleon as general), and British. It is the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity, and also contains sacred sites of Islam and the Baha'i Faith. Israel has been inhabited for tens of thousands of years, with Neanderthal remains from the region dating back 50,000 years. Its strategic location serving as a land bridge from Asia to Egypt and the rest of Africa made Israel an ideal target for conquerors through the ages. The first nation to conquer the land was Egypt, in the 16th century BC. In the Fifth Year of Pharaoh Merenptah (roughly 1208 BC) Israel is mentioned on a stele as having been "laid waste" (likely a propaganda exaggeration), which constitutes the first mention of Israel known to history. Incidentally that same year is also the date of an inscription on behalf of the same Pharaoh mentioning the "Sea Peoples" who are often blamed for the virtual collapse of urban and writing society in the eastern Mediterranean of the time, ushering in - among other things - the "Greek Dark Ages" and the collapse of the Hittite Empire....
Climate
Summer in Israel (mid-June to mid-October) is characterized by high temperatures throughout the country, which will make staying outside unbearable, and you will only want to find yourself in the water, or in an air-conditioned place. It is very hot in the coastal areas even during the night. Winter (December, January, February), can be characterized by beautiful days with 20 degrees Celsius, or days of heavy rain. Mountainous areas, especially Jerusalem, are common with temperatures of less than 10 degrees Celsius. And on average, once a year it can snow in Jerusalem. Traveling to the desert on rainy days is dangerous due to the risk of flash floods. For these reasons, the months with the most travelers (excluding periods with security problems) are April, May, October and November. The official language of Israel is Hebrew, a language that was revived in the early 20th century, after having had a status similar to that of Latin among Catholics for over 2,000 years.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsIf you are Jewish and aged 18 to 26, you are entitled to a free 10-day all expenses paid trip to Israel run by Birthright Israel. As part of this trip, you will be taken to the various cultural, religious, and natural sites around Israel, and may get a chance to interact with university students or with soldiers of the IDF. All foreign nationals entering Israel must have a visa or an electronic travel authorization (ETA-IL). Electronic travel authorization is available to citizens of certain countries and allows to visit Israel for tourism for up to 90 days. Travelers can check eligibility and apply for an ETA on the official website, the cost is ₪25....
Regions
Explore AreasIsrael possesses a number of diverse regions, with landscapes varying between coast, mountain, forest, and desert, with just about everything in between. On a single winter day, for example, you could…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Israel generally has a modern, sophisticated travel network, although public transit service is not as good as in Europe or East Asia. It is safe and easy to get around the country, although it can be slow (due to traffic, or slow or infrequent buses). Israelis are always willing to help a lost tourist, so never be afraid to ask people for directions or advice. Travelers should also be aware of Shabbat (Hebrew: שבָּת), the Hebrew word often spelled "Sabbath" in English. From Friday at 16:00 until Saturday at 18:00 (November to March) or 21:00 (April to October), With the exception of Nazareth, Haifa, East Jerusalem and Eilat, public transport services are completely stopped. Included to Tel Aviv airport. In Tel Aviv during the Shabat the municipality operates shuttles with a frequency of every 20 minutes, information about which is available at the bus stations, and in the Google Maps and moovit applications. There will be limited taxi service, and a weekend surcharge applies.
Where to Stay
Israel is host to a huge variety of accommodation options, from camping and hostels through to 5-star luxury hotels. Accommodation in Israel is similar to Western standards in general both in terms of price and what you can expect as service. Hotels in Israel do not have star ratings, so beware that where these are seen, they are awarded by the hotels themselves. Hostel/hotel owners in Israel do not appreciate it when you turn up onsite and ask for the best price leaving out the monopolistic middle man. Hence, you should instead book online (through their website, or one of the many commercial websites) or by phone, and take the best price you can get. Also, accommodations seem to use confusing US$ quotes and then demand shekels on purpose to prevent comparability. Make sure to always get the shekel (NIS) quote and demand to pay what was agreed on in shekels.
Money & Budget
Israel is expensive. Prices are similar to the upper end prices of western and northern Europe. Israel's currency is the New Israeli Shekel (שקל חדש or ש"ח), which is often known simply as the Shekel. It is shortened in English to ILS or NIS. It's denoted by the symbol ₪. One shekel is 100 agorot. The plural of "shekel" in Hebrew is "shkalim". The coins in use are 10 agorot, ₪1/2 (copper), ₪1, ₪2, ₪5 (nickel) and ₪10 (bi-metallic; copper core, nickel rim). Banknotes in use are ₪20, ₪50, ₪100 and ₪200. Contactless mobile/card payments with Google Pay, Apple Pay, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover are widely accepted and commonly used. Card payments (but not mobile payments) over 300 shekels require PIN code verification.
Language & Talk
The official language of Israel is Hebrew, a language that was revived in the early 20th century, after having had a status similar to that of Latin among Catholics for over 2,000 years. Because the modern language is relatively new, it has no regional dialects. Hebrew is a relatively difficult language to learn and it is not necessary to learn it to get by. Nevertheless, here are some words and phrases worth knowing in Hebrew: Israel has a significant Arab minority, comprising 20% of the population. Some areas have Arab majorities; in the cities of Nazareth and Kafr Kanna, the entire population is Arab.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
There is a constant threat of rocket and missile attacks on Israel and terrorist attacks can occur anywhere and at any time. Be alert to personal safety risks. There continues to be a high threat of military and terrorist attacks against Israel. The security situation can deteriorate rapidly, without prior notice. Therefore, it is recommended to check your country’s travel advisories a few hours before your trip. As conditions can change rapidly. Even in relatively calm times, driving a car with Israeli license plates (yellow plates) to Palestinian cities in the West Bank can pose a significant risk to your life. The Palestinian population is unaware that there are tourists in the vehicle. Therefore, pay attention to red signs on roads in the West Bank indicating areas under Palestinian control that are prohibited from entry with Israeli vehicles. An exception is the road from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, which is safe and should not pose a risk to travelers.