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I will be travelling to Israel for the last two weeks of November to attend a wedding. The days immediately around the wedding are sorted already, but I have a week up my sleeve beforehand where I can do what I want. I was thinking to stay in Tel Aviv and decompress for that first week (I'm coming from many time-zones away and will be heavily jet-lagged). What low key things could the middle-aged budget traveller do? And what are accommodation options like? [more inside]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen around Israel at 3:49 PM - 3 answers

Hello Hivemind: My 22-year old stepdaughter, who, like her parents, lives in the PNW, is planning to hold her belated Bat Mitzvah this October in Tel Aviv at the synagogue her beloved grandmother attends (said grandmother can no longer manage international travel). My wife and I are planning to fly to Israel to celebrate with them. Other family members are alarmed by the prospect, and are urging us to not go due to travel warnings and the possibility of random violence. Any additional information or thoughts, especially from Mefites who live there, would be welcome. [more inside]
posted by jokeefe around Israel at 9:06 PM - 12 answers

I am Tel Aviv this week and would like to buy a cool women's leather / leather- effect jacket. Where should I even start to look? [more inside]
posted by Albondiga around Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel at 12:51 PM - 0 answers

I’ll be in Israel during Shauvot this June and am wondering whether there’s anything special I might need to know about visiting at this time. [more inside]
posted by mdonley around Israel at 4:27 AM - 1 answer

Hi friends - Looking for specific recommendations / resources for secular tours or dedicated tour guides in Israel for 4-7 days for an older couple, one with some mobility issues [more inside]
posted by cotesdurhone around Israel at 10:56 AM - 3 answers

Somewhere in the whirlwind, I signed up to spend a week at a scientific workshop in Israel. And that week is next week - yikes! I'm a pretty experienced international traveler, but I've never been to Israel and I've had no time to do my usual research. What should I know? If you've visited, what took you by surprise, and what did you wish you'd brought or looked up or done beforehand? [more inside]
posted by RedOrGreen around Israel at 8:16 AM - 12 answers

I'm traveling to Israel for the first time in ten years, and I'm interested in what the latest and greatest travel tech is, as well as what has changed in terms of Israel travel since 2008. Specific questions inside, plus background. [more inside]
posted by juniperesque around Israel at 6:41 PM - 7 answers

We, two Americans, will be taking a group trip to Israel this fall, our first time overseas. When we buy souvenir-type items, what do you experienced travelers recommend we use to pay for them: U.S. dollars, American credit card, Israeli shekels, or something else? My completely uninformed preference is credit card. The places we visit probably won't be very far off the beaten tourist path.
posted by davcoo around Israel at 2:57 PM - 16 answers

An airline recently lost my bag and, after some prompting, gave up and paid compensation. Now, about six weeks later, a totally unrelated airline found my bag and has returned it. Err, what next? [more inside]
posted by aramaic around Haifa, Israel at 12:05 PM - 20 answers

I'm giving serious consideration to making aliyah to Israel, specifically to Tel Aviv or Akko/Acre. Does anyone have experience / tips for picking a city and then finding a place to live? [more inside]
posted by youcancallmeal around Israel at 9:54 AM - 3 answers

What credit card is best in life for traveling abroad? I'm in the U.S., headed to Israel next month. Would like to get a new credit card that has no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee. Any recommendations welcome. Thanks!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell around Israel at 9:06 AM - 24 answers

Traveling to Israel in May. What are my best options for using a smartphone while in-country without breaking the bank? I won't need a lot of data, but I'd like to be able to check email and consult Google Maps. I have an iPhone 6 on Verizon in case it makes sense to use that. Thanks!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell around Israel at 1:46 PM - 6 answers

I'm going to Tel Aviv next month for a school function for about 5-6 days, that will include a 1-2 day side trip to Jerusalem. I'll also have a couple days before and after on my own, what should I do? [more inside]
posted by skewed around Israel at 1:00 PM - 8 answers

I broke my back a few years ago and suffer from mild paralysis. I found a great job overseas (in Israel) but now I need to find a health insurance plan that covers my pre-existing condition. [more inside]
posted by arcederberg around Israel at 12:51 PM - 4 answers

Can I (a non-muslim) visit Al-Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount on a Saturday? [more inside]
posted by nanhey around Jerusalem, Israel at 1:44 PM - 3 answers

Israeli (or Israel-located) responses only, please. :) I'm flying to Israel this coming Sunday morning for a week-long vacation with my wife. The current plan is 1 day Jerusalem, 1 day Ramallah, 4 relaxing days on the beach in Tel Aviv. Now I'm trying to figure out whether I'll be flying into a war zone. [more inside]
posted by Televangelist around Israel at 5:02 PM - 7 answers

5 days in Israel: what should we see and do? [more inside]
posted by naoko around Israel at 5:30 PM - 6 answers

Can anyone recommend a good company in Israel from which we can rent a prepaid sim card? [more inside]
posted by Guernsey Halleck around Israel at 6:41 PM - 2 answers

Suggestions for the four days after my Birthright Trip finishes? [more inside]
posted by Strudel around Israel at 8:40 PM - 13 answers

Looking to travel to Israel soon and interested in renting a motorcycle - anyone know of good places to rent in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem that allow for travel around the country? [more inside]
posted by HoyaSaxa around Israel at 10:47 AM - 2 answers