Israel is situated at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea on the "land bridge" between Europe, Asia and Africa. Its topography is a microcosm of the world's topographies, including mountain ranges, plains, savannas and deserts. The notable points of the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea and the Red Sea are part of the continuum of the great Afro-Syrian Rift Valley and include the lowest point on earth at the Dead Sea.
ENTRY POINTS
By air: Ben-Gurion Airport, located between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with a flight time from London taking approximately 5 hours.
By sea: at the ports of Haifa and Ashdod, on the Mediterranean.
By land: at the Taba border between Egypt and Israel near Eilat, and the Rafiah crossing near the Mediterranean; via the Arava bridge between Jordan and Israel near Akaba and Eilat; via the Allenby bridge near Jericho and the Jordan River; and via the Sheikh Hussein Bridge in the Galilee region. All border crossings, ports, airports are open daily except for certain religious holidays.
TIME ZONE
Israel is in the European Standard Time zone; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and seven hours ahead of US Eastern Standard time.
CURRENCY
The New Israeli Shekel (NIS), comprising 100 agorot, is the country's currency. Coin denominations are 5, 10 and 50 agorot, and 1, 5 and 10 NIS. Banknotes are available in denominations of 20, 50, 100 and 200 NIS. US dollars and various European currencies are also legal tender, with change given in NIS. Israeli currency can be reconverted at the airport at the end of your stay.
We'll be paying for pretty much everything over your three night stay but it's probably sensible to take some extra cash with you just in case.
HEALTH
No special inoculations are required for entering Israel. Visitors are urged to bring sufficient quantities of any medications which they take regularly. Anyone requiring unexpected medical attention, however, can be assured that the level of medicine practiced in Israel, as well as the facilities available, rank with the very best in Europe or the United States.
COMMUNICATION
Visitors to Israel are pleased to find they are never out of touch. Not only does Israel enjoy a broad communications-technology infrastructure, but it is one of the world-leaders in developing new communications technology. Internet and mobile phone access is therefore readily available.
CREDIT CARDS
Although again, we'll be paying for pretty much everything over your three night stay you should still take your credit cards with you. Major international credit cards are honoured in most places. These include VISA, Mastercard and American Express.
DRESS
It is our wish that Joshua's barmitzvah celebrations will be casually smart but informal. No suits or ties for the men and no overly fancy clothing or high heeled shoes for the ladies! The bywords for clothing in Israel are casual and comfortable. As temperatures can get hot, it is important to dress sensibly: natural fibres are recommended, and a hat, sunglasses and sunblock are essential. In the evenings, plan to "dress like an onion" with layers that can be peeled off (or added back on) as the day or evening progresses. Again don't forget to bring head coverings for protection against the sun (and sunglasses and sunblock - don't say we didn't warn you!) but most of all make sure you take comfortable walking shoes and a bathing suit.
Please note: It's imperative to dress moderately (especially on the first day) as we must respect the religious significance of where we are. For women, this usually means a head covering, long sleeves, and a skirt at least mid-calf in length. For men, trousers and a short-sleeved shirt are customary.
TIPPING
We will pay for everything but just in case you extend your stay, you should note that no tip is expected for taxi rides; a 10% tip in restaurants is considered "correct", with 15% or 20% given for superior service. Convention dictates that you tip any tour guide and coach driver at the end of your visit and hotel rates include a service charge, though tips are usually given to porters, maids, waiters and front desk staff.
CUISINE
Again in case you stay on after the celebrations, you should note these past five years have seen a quiet revolution in the kitchens and dining rooms of Israel's restaurants. Foodophiles who once lamented the limited range of cuisines on offer now thrill to a thriving and boisterous restaurant community that embraces every style of cooking. Regional specialties abound: Morocco, Greece, Turkey, and Spain have brought Israel the best of the Mediterranean. Bistros featuring excellent regional French and Italian cooking can be found from Tel Aviv all the way up into the Galil, and Russian and Eastern European restaurants serving time-honoured classics have become all the rage. From casual Thai noodle bars and top-notch sushi to sizzling Schezuan, the Far East is amply represented, as well as Indian, Ethiopian and even Mongolian kitchens. Israel is also home to a wide variety of prize-winning wines and liqueurs from the Golan Heights region; these are heavily favoured in local wine cellars, but frequently, fine European and Californian varieties are also on offer. A note about kosher dining in Israel: the food in virtually all of the country's hotels and many of the country's best restaurants are kosher.
