Israel

Quick Facts

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Capital

Jerusalem

Population

6,117,000

Government

Parliamentary Democracy

Religions

Judaism, Islam, Christianity

Languages

Hebrew, Arabic, English

Calling Code

+972

Nationality

Local name

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Introduction

Easter Jerusalem 237_exposure

© All Rights Reserved David_HH

The immense religious significance of Israel to Jews, Muslims and Christians alike makes Israel one of the most important places on earth. Unfortunately, where great importance lies, the danger of conflict and violence also lies, as news of suicide bombings and political strife in Israel brutally demonstrates. That said, Israel is still a beautiful and fascinating place to visit.

Brief History

Geography

Israel shares international with Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt.

Regions/Districts

Israel consists of 6 main administrative districts.

• Center District
• Haifa District
• Jerusalem District
• Northern District
• Southern District
• Tel Aviv District

Cities

• Jerusalem, one of the most religious cities in the world and the capital of the country. Jerusalem is holy to all three of the major religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam).
• Tel Aviv, including Jaffa. Tel-Aviv has been described as the city that never sleeps. This is 100% true, with people of all ages walking along the promenades, sitting at sidewalk cafés or going out on the town to numerous night spots. Part of the city called the White City of Tel Aviv is of particular interest as it is on the Unesco World Heritage list.
• Haifa
• Beer Sheva, one of the biblical tels.
• Ashdod
• Eilat, in the south by the Red Sea. Eilat is known for its beautiful coral reefs. It is on the border of Egypt and is a popular tourist site for both Europeans and Israelis.
• Bethlehem
• Nazareth - hometown of Jesus.
• Nahariya is a beautiful coastal city near the Lebanese border. It was once a very popular city with honeymooners.

Sights and Activities

Overview
Not surprisingly, Israel's main appeal is its spiritual significance. Being able to retrace the steps of the Jewish Patriarchs or Jesus or pilgrims who have visited throughout the centuries is what thousands come here to do. The Israeli Antiquities Authority has preserved and restored many biblical/historical sites complimented by well informed and interesting tour guides, audio-visual presentations, computer simulations, slide shows and live action re-creation. For those less interested in spirituality, Israel still has an extensive list of compulsory activities, be it floating on the Dead Sea, rafting on the Jordan River, hiking in the Negev Desert or striking up a towel on one of the many fine beaches along the Mediterranean coast. There are dozens of national parks and reserves to enjoy, both with natural and cultural features or a combination of both.
If you are an art lover, you should visit the Israeli museum in Jerusalem, Yad VaShem, Tel Aviv museum of art and the Raw Art Gallery.

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is a magical city, where the ancient and modern worlds collide. Very few places bear the immense significance that Jerusalem has for Jews, Muslims and Christians, which explains why Jerusalem is such a fascinating city. The Israeli Museum is just one of many highlights here. If you want to read more about the city, visit the Jerusalem article.

North Israel

In northern Israel, you'll find beautiful, rolling green hills and expansive valleys rich in vegetation, with flowers galore and so very much to see and do in the Galilee. The Sea of Galilee is called the home of Christ and is a beautiful fresh water area. The Golan Heights (only considered territory of Israel by the country itself, but internationally regarded part of Syria) afford great views of the surrounding land. There also are a lot of historical and cultural sights to explore in this less visited region. For example Nimrod Castle, a beautifully located Crusader castle above the Galilee Sea.

Negev desert

The Negev desert in southern Israel is a gorgeous destination with a quiet and majestic beauty which will astonish you. It covers the southern portion of the country including the coastline of the Red Sea near Eilat and is home to just a small part of the Israeli population. Beer Sheba is one of the bigger settlements here and is one of three biblical tels (prehistoric settlement mounds) along with Megiddo and Hazor which is on the Unesco list. Other features include the Ramon Crater, the largest crater in the country. The Incense Route is a route along the Nabatean desert cities of Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta which is on the Unesco World Heritage List.

Dead Sea

Masada

© All Rights Reserved moutallica

The Dead Sea is located in the east of Israel on the border with Jordan which also has part of the coastline and lake within its territories. This is the lowest point on earth at almost 400 meters below sea level and is the lake has the saltiest water in the world. People with certain skin diseases may find the water healing. In the region of the Dead Sea Valley which is part of the Great Rift Valley you can find the Ein Gedi National Park which is the biggest and the most important oasis in Israel. Another important feature includes Masada which is a rugged natural fortress, a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel and its violent destruction.

Red Sea Diving

Just like its neighbours Israel has some fantastic diving locations to explore the Red Sea near Eilat. The Red Sea among divers is one of the best locations in the world to see an abundance of species of fish, turtles and other sea creatures, including impressive coral.

Other Sights and Activities

• Masada - Is the famous fortress in the South of Israel were the Jews made their last stand against the Romans in the 1st century AD.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Any time is a good time to visit Israel! Spring & summer months are the best times to visit Jerusalem, where there is always a cool afternoon breeze blowing across the Judean Hills. If you can bear the heat and humidity along the coast, come in July and August, when there's lots to do, see and experience.
The best time to visit the south of the country is during late summer and autumn and in spring. Even winters are still warm though, but summers are unpleasantly hot, with temperatures near Eilat over 40 degrees Celcius not uncommon. In the Negev desert, temperatures over 50 degrees have been recorded. The northern coastline is somewhat milder and has hot and dry weather in summer and mild weather in winter with occasional showers. In winter snow is possible more inland and even in Jerusalem.

Getting There

By Plane

El Al is the national airline of Israel, based at Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) close to Tel Aviv. El Al has flights to and from a number of European cities, including Amsterdam, Madrid, London, Frankfurt and Geneva and flights further away include those to Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Beijing. Dozens of other airlines (including several Israeli based) serve the country, mostly to Europe and the former Sovjetunion republics and to Cairo.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

Getting around Israel is very easy, either by train, bus, tax or "sharoot" (a cross between a taxi and bus, seating about 12 people). Getting from one point to another is easy. A taxi from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv costs about NIS240 (shiekles) or a sharoot about NIS15. This journey is about 60km in distance.
The following gives more opportunities to get around Israel, as there are many options for such a small country to travel from A to B.

By Plane

Arkia (Israel Inland Airways) and Israir offer flights between both Tel Aviv and Haifa and Eilat daily except Saturdays.

By Train

Israel Railways offers an extensive network of rail links throughout the country. There are six lines. One goes along the coast from Nahariya in the north to Ben Gurion Airport in the south, stopping in Haifa and Tel Aviv. A second line runs from Binyamina to Ashkelon, via Netanya, Herzliya, Tel Aviv and Ashdod. The other lines run from Tel Aviv to Kfar Saba, from Tel Aviv to Beersheva, from Tel Aviv to Rishon le Zion and between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, which is one of the most scenic railways in the country. Note that services don't run on Shabbat (Friday evening to Saturday).

By Car

The road network in Israel is in a very good condition and so are the rental cars from many international (Hertz, Sixt, Avis) and local (Eldan is one of the biggest) companies. You can find them on airports, ports and major cities and towns. It is not cheap, but is an excellent way of getting around. Traffic drives on the right and you need a national driver's licence and sufficient insurance. Note that driving skills might not be the same as in your own country, so drive defensive.
Hitching in Israel is pretty easy and relatively safe as well.

By Bus

EGGED is the national bus service company, offering frequent, cheap, comfortable and reliable bus links to almost any city, town and even smaller villages. They don't run on Shabbat (sunset Friday to sunset Saturday). Older buses travel between East Jerusalem and the West Bank towns.
Dan bus company operates in the Tel Aviv region only.
Sheruts are 7 to 13 seat minibuses plying the same routes as buses. They are a bit more expensive but do run on Shabbat.

By Boat

Kinneret Sailing Company has ferries across Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) from Tiberias on the west side to Ein Gev kibbutz on the eastern shore. Other than that, it will probably on a boat from Eilat to go diving in the Red Sea.

Red Tape

Main article: Visas (Israel)

Money

The new sheqel (Hebrew: שקל חדש, abbr. NIS) is Israel's currency. It is made up of 100 agorot (אגורות). Notes come in 20, 50, 100 and 200 new sheqalim denominations and coins come in denominations of 10 agorot and ½, 1, 2, 5 and 10 new sheqalim.

Work

Study

Language

Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages, and English is spoken widely.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

Safety

Israel is one of the few countries today where you will see young children entertaining themselves at the beach or shopping malls, catching buses or taxis alone to and from their destinations. Children are independent from an early age.

The media frequently reports incidents of suicide bombings in Israel. Although the threat of a suicide bombing is real, this threat is no higher than being killed or maimed in a car accident.

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