What to take with you on your trip to Israel

People always ask what they should bring with them when they visit Israel.

Half the clothes and twice the money doesn’t cut it here.  Due to the high cost of living in Israel, you probably won’t do that much shopping and, besides, almost all merchants take credit cards.

Here are a few musts:

A good hat that will protect you from the sun.  A baseball cap won’t cut it here.  A good hat that has  a brim that will shield your eyes and neck is a must.  Tilly hats are famous and come in all shapes and sizes.  North Face and Columbia also make several models that will nicely fit the bill.

A good pair of walking shoes, not sneakers or gym shoes.  A strong pair of leather shoes with a thick sole that supports your foot is best.  A good pair of hiking shoes will also do.  Sneakers tend to be slippery on the Jerusalem limestone and don’t really support your ankles all that well.

Sunscreen, a bathing suit (or costume for your Brits), and a comfortable pair of cotton slacks for men and a dress that covers the knees and shoulders women are a must for visiting  the many religious sites here.  Less t-shirts and more button-down shirts are recommended.

Lastly, I suggest carrying a color photo-copy of your passport with you and leave the original in the hotel safe.

That’s it.  Enjoy your trip!

When in any foreign country, the local cuisine should be sampled.
In Israel, the national fast-food is the falafel.  A falafel is a sandwich comprised of fried humous balls put in a pita bread with fresh vegetables and sometimes “chips” (french fries in the US).

Costing anywhere from 12 to 16 NIS (about $3.50 to $4.50), this is a cheap, filling and not unhealthy meal.

The question is: Where to buy one?
This past week, my clients ate possibly one of the best and one of the worst.

Let’s start at the worst: McDonald’s.  That’s right, McDonald’s.  At 16.90 NIS, it’s the most expensive.  The falafel “balls” were flat and not too-well fried.  The pita was a simple wrap.  The veggies were, however, fresh and tasty.

Their favorite was Moshe Cohen’s falafel stand next to the main entrance of the Mehane Yehuda market in Jerusalem.   Don’t confuse this stand with the one just behind the police check-point.  Cohen’s falafel is on Agrippas Street just to the right of the checkpoint and sports a sign that though in Hebrew, one can deduce that the stand has been there since 1953.  Here the falafel balls were hot, tasty and delicious.  A variety of salads, pickled vegetables and condiments were available to munch on.  At 12 NIS per sandwich, this was one of the best lunches of the trip.

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