Music : Isreal

Music became an organized facet of Israeli culture after World War I, when enthusiastic amateur and professional musicians assembled chamber groups, a symphony orchestra, an opera company, and a choral society. During the 1930s, with the rise of Nazism in Europe, hundreds of Jewish music teachers, students, composers, instrumentalists and singers, and thousands of music lovers, streamed into the country. This influx spurred the formation of music schools, the Palestine Symphony in 1936 (today the internationally acclaimed Israel Philharmonic Orchestra), and the formation of a radio orchestra (currently the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra of the Israel Broadcasting Service).

These professional organizations have been joined by the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Chamber Orchestra (Tel Aviv), and others. Major choral groups include the Tel Aviv Choir and the Rinat Choir. Seasonal music activities from October into July are held in such varied settings as the historic Crusader Castle at Akko to the modem, 3000-seat Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv.
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Visual Arts : Isreal

Fewer than 80 years have passed since the sculptor Boris Schatz set up the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts in Jerusalem, marking the beginning of formal art activity in the country. Bezalel attempted to fuse a Western approach with various oriental’ styles, and to link a traditional Jewish past with Utopian visions of the future. Intense: vitality and development characterizes the period since the school’s founding, with later students and faculty’ rejecting the romantic vision of the founding fathers.

In the 1930s, local artists invoked a dark, emotional expressionism. At the same time- immigrants from Germany, fleeing the terror of rising Nazism, congregated in Jerusalem around the “New Bezalel.” continuing the tradition of German expres- sionism, rich in dramatic contrasts. The events of the 1948 War of Independence did not evoke an art of political scope and of epic character; rather, the abstraction of the “New Horizons” group had the decisive effect on Israeli art for decades after the 1940s. For many of those artists, born and educated in Europe, the blinding east-em Mediterranean light and the Israeli landscape-amazingly variegated, violent, and austere-were prime movers; the hill terraces and ridges of the coastal regions, the rolling agricultural plains, and the surrealistic forms of the desert influence and inspire the line and shape of early Israeli art.
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The Arts Literature : Isreal

The compilation of the biblical narrative was followed by the age of the Mishnah (100 BCE-700 CE) during which time halukha (law derived from the Bible) and agada (elaboration on non-legal biblical aspects) were compiled. This age also saw the growth of the piyyut (liturgical poem). Jewish poetry proliferated in the Middle Ages in such oeuvres as Megillat Antiohus and Megillat Hanuka. Narrative prose of the Middle Ages focused on demonological legends.

The increasing revival of Hebrew as a secular language in the 18th century’ brought a drastic shift in Hebrew literature. Josef Perl and Isaac Erter parodied Hasidic works in their writings. In Tsarist Russia, Abraham Mapu, the first Hebrew novelist, wrote The Hypocrite, the first novel to portray modern Jewish social life in a fictional context. Following generations moved toward realism, often employing the more versatile language of Yiddish.

Preparing your own food : Isreal

Preparing your own food is quite cheap, especially during the summer months when fresh fruits and vegetables are available in every outdoor shuk (market). You can buy groceries inexpensively at local sbuks, at the neighborhood makolet (small grocery store), or in supermarkets. The standard Israeli bread is tasty and cheap; on Thursdays and Fridays, stores sell fresh loaves of hallab, egg bread sprinkled with sesame or poppy seeds. Supermarket refrigerators sport a huge selection of dairy products, from low-fat yogurts (try Prikef) to cream-topped chocolate snacks (try Milki). In the deli section you can get food-to-go by the gram, including cookies, miniature burekas, and other pastries, as well as an assortment of salads and pickles.

You may want to carry a canteen filled with water unless you want to singlehand-edly subsidize the Israeli soda industry. The two most common beers are the excellent, deep-amber Goldstar, and the lesser Maccabee lager. Goldstar is the most common draught beer (Maccabee comes in bottles only); other brews currently available on tap are Carlsberg, Tuborg, and Heineken. Supermarkets carry a small selection of liquor; note that Nesher “black beer” is a sweet, non-alcoholic malt brew. The official drinking age in Israel is 18, but you rarely get carded.
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Food : Isreal

Some Israelis’ diets are affected by kashrut (meaning proper or properly prepared), the Jewish dietary laws. Kashrut forbids the consumption of meat or chicken with dairy products, animals without split hooves that do not chew their cud (most notably pork), and fish without both scales and fins (such as shellfish). Observant Jews will not eat or shop in a place that carries non-kosher goods; consequently, to keep kosher clientele coming, the big supermarket chains in Israel carry only kosher products, and many restaurants (including most hotels) serve only kosher food. Still, observance of kashrut is hardly the norm in Israel-many restaurants, particularly in the big cities (except Jerusalem), are strictly non-kosher.

The typical Israeli eats a large breakfast, returns home for a big mid-day dinner, and has a light, late supper. Because of the poor quality and high cost of meat, Israelis rely largely on chicken, dairy, and vegetable products. Popular items in the Israeli diet include hummus, an Arab import-CHm-Israeli staple; the Israeli salad, a finely chopped mix witii tomatoes and cucumbers, garnished with oil and vinegar; gvina levana, soft white cheese; schnitzel, breaded and fried chicken breast; chips, the local name for french fries; and a variety of sweet dairy snacks.
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Language : Isreal

The contemporary Hebrew language was created from biblical Hebrew by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, who compiled the first modem dictionary in the 1920s. In a surpris-; ingly short period the revived biblical dialect matured to a full-fledged language, spanning from colloquial speech to poetry. “While a Semitic language in structure (like Arabic), modern Hebrew contains elements of many other European Ian- j guages; many words for which no equivalent biblical concept exists, such aspsyko-fagia (psychology), or cassetta (cassette), have been lifted almost intact.

Most Israelis speak some English, and signs are usually written in English (and sometimes Russian) as well as Hebrew and Arabic, the official languages of Israel. You may want to learn a few Hebrew phrases; the best phrasebooks are the Dover publication Say It in Hebrew and Berlitz Hebrew for Travelers (both about US$5).
The appendix of this book contains a list of useful Hebrew words and phrases.

Festivals & Holidays : Isreal

All Jewish holidays, including Shabbal (Sabbath), are officially observed. Each holiday begins at sundown on the evening preceding its calendar date and ends at sundown the next day. The holidays fall on different days each year with respect to the Gregorian calendar because their dates are fixed according to the Jewish lunar calendar. On most holidays and the afternoon before, stores, banks, and government-run offices and services close in Jewish areas.

In 1994, Rosh haShana, the Jewish New Year, will be celebrated September 6-7. Soon after is Yom Kippur (Sept. 15), when observant Jews fast in atonement for their sins, and Israel shuts down entirely (check out the beaches, though). Then comes Sukkot (Sept. 20-27), the festival of the harvest, when open-roofed booths called sukkot are built. October 20 and 27 are holidays in Israel. Simhat Torah is also Oct. 27. Hanuka (Nov. 28-Dec. 5; not a major holiday), the Festival of Lights, and Purim (Feb. 25. Feb. 26 in Jerusalem), rich in pageantry and skits, are the two winter holidays. The eight-day holiday of Pesah (Passover, March 27-April 2) marks the flight of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.

Religion & Ethnicity : Isreal

Freedom of religion has been safeguarded by the state; in 1967, the Law for the Protection of Holy Places was passed along with the annexation of Jerusalem’s sacred Jews make up 82% of the population (4,150,000), Muslims 13.8% (700,000), Christians 2.5% (125,000), and Druze and others 1.7% (85,000). Each community nerates its own religious courts, funded by the Ministry of Religion, and controls its own holy sites. Every religions’ days of rest are guaranteed by law.

The vast majority of Israeli Jews are secular; only about 15% are Orthodox or Ultra-Orthodox (in Jerusalem, always a magnet for religious orthodoxy, you might think otherwise). In an electoral system where Jewish religious parties have often wielded disproportionate power, it’s no surprise that there is a powerful Jewish religious establishment. Much to the aggravation of many secular Israelis, Rabbinical courts have a state monopoly on matrimonial issues.

The Army : Isreal

Israel is usually proud of its army, known as Tzahal (the Hebrew acronym for Tz’va Hagana LeYisrael, Israel Defense Forces; that’s IDF in English). All 18-year-olds are drafted -men for three years, women for two-with certain exceptions, most notably non-Druze Arabs (who may enlist if they choose but are not conscripted) and yeshiva students. The result is an informal and highly-motivated citizens’ army. The IDF is a fact of life for Israeli men from ages 18 to 55, when regular reserve duty (miluitn) call-ups cease. (Women are not called for reserve service.)

Kibbutzim And Moshavim : Isreal

Three percent of the Israeli population lives on kibbutzim (plural of kibbutz), somewhat socialist rural societies where production is controlled by members. Kibbutzim are responsible for a disproportionate amount of Israel’s agricultural, production, and political leadership. The kibbutzim of today hardly resemble the fiercely ideological pioneer agricultural settlements that began 80 years ago. Now most have diversified and rely more on industry than on agriculture. In addition, the passion for austerity is subsiding; kibbutzniks are now demanding the same luxuries enjoyed by other Israelis (larger living quarters, TVs, VCRs, Bart Simpson rhinestone jackets). Many kibbutz children now live with their parents, whereas just a decade or two ago nearly all lived in separate dormitories.

Today kibbutzim, like the family farm, face mounting problems, tabor shortages increase as two-thirds of younger members leave the settlements to test their skills elsewhere. In addition, debt is becoming a daunting threat; kibbutzim owe a collective US$4 billion, about US$31,000 for each kibbutznik.
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Economy : Isreal

Poor in natural resources and big on defense expenses, Israel’s economy has always been a fragile equation of productivity, foreign support, government spending, and personal standard of living. The country’s main industries are chemicals, processed diamonds, high-tech products, textiles, and military equipment. Israel is also a world leader in desert agriculture. Recent history recorded extended periods of instability and inflation, including two currency’ changes, from lirot to shekelim to new sheke-lim (NIS), in attempts to control the devaluation of Israeli currency. The new shekel is worth one-tenth of an old one, and an old one was worth one-thousandth of a lira. The government’s support of the shekel at an artificially high value, an effort to lower inflation, collapsed in 1983. What foUowed was a series of devaluations in the shekel, reductions in government spending, and cutbacks in food subsidies.

Israelis rushed to buy stable American dollars, and it was even suggested that U.S. dollars be ised as legal tender. A new finance minister stopped government support of the shekel, and inflation consequently skyrocketed to more than 400%. Inflation hit a high of 243% in October 1984-an annual rate of 1260%. That same month the government implemented an austerity program. Unemployment jumped but inflation dropped to a monthly 3-7% in December as a result of a price, wage, tax, and profit freeze. When the program was diluted the following year inflation boomeranged back to 300%. Social discontent grew as the standard of living fell. Wages, prices, and currency exchange rates were frozen until October 1985, and later extended through July 1986. This time the inflation-reduction methods worked. Israel recorded its first surplus on its balance-of-payments current account in 1985.
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Life And Times - Government & Politics : Isreal

Israel’s government is a parliamentary democracy, the only one in the Middle East. Though there is no written constitution, a series of Acts of Parliament (1958) serves as the framework for legislation. Presently, Israelis do not vote for a candidate in the general election; instead they vote for a one of more than 20 political parties. The percentage of the popular vote received by a given party is then converted into a proportion of the 120 seats of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. The leader of the party with the majority of representatives becomes prime minister.

But it’s not that simple. Never in Israeli history has a party achieved a majority in a neral eiectjon, which means that the parties must then scramble to form a coali-rion They usually squabble and scream, cajole and concede for several weeks until eements aJ.e reached with smaller parties. Once enough parties have banded together to form a majority, the game ends and a prime minister is named. Under this election system the smallest parties have disproportionate clout in the balance of power. These parties exact concessions, as the largest party may need the two or three seats a minor party can provide to achieve the necessary coalition majority.

Toll-free : Isreal

Toll-free direct-dial numbers are the easiest way to make overseas calls; you can dial toll-free to an overseas operator and place a collect or calling-card call. (AT&T: 177 100 2727; MCI: 177 105 2727; Sprint: 177 102 2727; Canada: 177 105 2727; U.K.: 177 440 2727; Australia: 177 610 2727; New Zealand: 177 640 2727; South Africa: 177 270 2727). All toll-free numbers begin with 177.

For direct international calling, dial 00, then the country code (U.S. and Canada code: 1, Great Britain: 44, Australia: 61, New Zealand: 64), area code, and telephone number. For collect, person-to-person, and credit card calls dial 188 for the overseas operator; they also have international directory assistance. The Tel Aviv international operator (tel. (03) 62 28 81/2/3) may make your connection more quickly.
The international phone code for calling to Israel is 972.

Telephone : Isreal

Telephone Public telephones are everywhere. Older telephones devour asimo-nim (tokens) for local calls (NIS0.50; avoid calling long distance direct from an old pay phone-making a connection may take hours and handfuls of asimonim). Beige-colored public telephones (marked with yellow signs) operate by Telecards (10 units of calling time NIS5, 20 units NIS10, 50 units NIS23.50). Telecards are good for local, long distance, and international calls. (A call to the U.S. costs rouglily NIS5.90 per min.) International rates drop by up to 50% late at night and on Saturday and Sunday.

Bezek, Israel’s phone company, has offices with metered phones for international calls in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It may be more economical to call overseas from there, because they charge only for the time you were on the phone; phone cards must be purchased with a fixed set of units and you may be left with extra units at the end the call. Nonetheless, there’s nothing you can do at a telephone office that you can’t do from a pay phone. English telephone directories are available at hotels and the main post offices, or dial 144 for local directory assistance.

Keeping in Touch : Isreal

Mail Telegram Fax and Telex offices are usually open Sunday Tuesday and Thursday 8am-12:30pm and 3:3O-6pm, Wednesday 8am-2pm, y Sam-lpm, and are closed Saturday and holidays. In the larger cities some “ices may keep longer hours. Mail from North America to Israel can take up to two weeks; mail sent from Israel to North America is considerably faster. On the street yellow mailboxes are for mail within the same city, red mailboxes are for all other mail. If you need to mail something to any country within 72 hours, most post offices offer international Express Mail Service, or EMS.

Travelers have three means of receiving mail: Poste Restante (doar shamur in Hebrew), American Express Client Letter Service, and ISSTA. Poste Restante functions in Israel, though you must ask repeatedly to receive all your letters (address them: Name, Poste Restante, Main Post Office, name of city, Israel). Have tellers, check under both first and last names, and, if possible, check yourself. Always bring your passport or other proper identification. Lines at American Express are short, and employees often let you check the letter pile. Lines at ISSTA are another story.
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Alternative Accommodations : Isreal

Alternative Accommodations If you plan to sleep in Nazareth or Jerusalem, the two major Christian sites in Israel, consider staying in one of the many Christian hospices. There are also hospices on Mount Tabor, in Tiberias, and in Jaffa. Most hospices arc old monasteries or Franciscan settlements. They are officially designed to provide reasonably priced room and board for Christians on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, but all the hospices listed in this book welcome both tourists and pilgrims.

The 40 hospices in Israel are run by organizations representing various Christian denominations and a host of nations. Bed and breakfast costs US$ 12-16 per person at most places. Though austere, the hospices are conveniently located in important religious centers and are usually quiet, clean, and comfortable; most also serve cheap, filling meals. But the number of rooms is limited, and they can be difficult to obtain in the tourist season. For a list of hospices write to the Ministry of Tourism. Pilgrimage Promotion Division, P.O. Box 1018, Jerusalem 91009 (tel. (02) 24 79 62 or 23 73 11, fax 25 34 07).
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Camping : Isreal

Camping Israel’s campsites provide electricity, sanitary facilities, public telephones, first-aid, a restaurant and/or store, and a night guard. Swimming areas are either on the site or nearby. During July and August most camping places charge N1S10-15 per night for adults. For information contact the Israel Camping Union. (See Useful Addresses.)

Think twice before unrolling your sleeping bag in areas not officially designated for camping. Certain stretches of beach are off-limits for camping for security reasons (for example, the coast north of Nahariya), and others have a high incidence of robbery1 (near Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Eilat). Women should not camp alone. Finally, heed mine field warning signs unless you fancy yourself triple-jointed and edible.

Hotels : Isreal

Hotels Hotel accommodations are usually too costly for the budget traveler. There are some reasonably priced one- and two-star hotels in the larger cities; a few have singles for approximately NIS40 and doubles for NIS60. Prices can often be bargained down substantially when business is slow. Ask for booklets at the tourist office: Israel: A Youth and Student Adventure and Israel Tourist Hotels.

Accommodations : Isreal

Hostels Although often crowded in summer, Israel’s Hostelling International (HI) youth hostels are usually clean and close to historic sites and scenic areas. You can obtain a list of hostels from the Israel Youth Hostel Association. (See Useful Addresses.) Hostel locations are also listed on the back of the Government Tourist Office’s survey map. Most HI hostels accept reservations. They have no age limit, but a few have a maximum stay of three nights. The HI hostels are generally more expensive than the unofficial hostels. Individuals 18 and under may receive a discount. Hostels usually offer lunch and supper for an additional fee. In addition, many hostels follow a strict schedule: they are open from 5-9pm for check-in, from 7-9am for check-out, and are closed the rest of the day (check the specific listing).

There are many excellent unofficial hostels and pensions in Israel, (most dorm rooms and bathrooms in Israel are co-ed) Regardless of whether they are affiliated, hostels are not known for security. Guard your valuables with your life.

The Israel Youth Hostel Association also offers package tours for individuals and groups, and HI membership gives discount on entrance to some national parks. Write to the Hostel Association for information on the “Israel on the Youth Hostel Trail” deals.

Business Hours : Isreal

Business hours in Israel are difficult to pinpoint-generally, they’re when everyone goes home. Because of the variety of religions, different shops close on different days. Most Jewish shops and offices are closed for Shabbat from early Friday afternoon until Sunday; some stores reopen after sundown on Saturday. Typical shopping hours are Monday-Thursday 8am-lpm and 4-7pm, Friday 8am-2pm; shopping malls open continuously until 9-10pra, Muslim-owned establishments close on Fridays; Christian businesses close on Sundays. Entertainment establishments are usually open every day, with extended hours on weekends (in Israel, bars only begin to fill up around midnight.) Public transportation, including Egged bus lines, also shuts down for Shabbat throughout the country except in Haifa. Don’t expect to catch a bus after 2pm on Friday.

Businesses close down on major Jewish holidays, keeping Friday hours the day before. During Sukkol (seven days) and Pesafy (eight days), shops close entirely for die first and last days and are open until early afternoon during intermediate days. In predominantly Arab areas, some restaurants close for the entire month of Ramadan; many others close during the day. (See Festivals and Holidays.)

Tipping : Isreal

Tipping A 10% tip is expected in most restaurants, bars, and hotels, some Middle Eastern restaurants excluded. Sometimes a service charge is already included in the bill; don’t add on top of it. Taxi drivers will happily accept tips, but they are not expected.

Use of Foreign Currency : Isreal

Use of Foreign Currency Many services and shops accept U.S., Canadian,and Australian dollars as well as Pounds Sterling, but are under no obligation to I accept foreign currency. If you do pay in foreign currency (traveler’s checks and credit cards included), expect your change to be in shekels. When you use foreign currency, you are exempt from the domestic Value Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services (18%). Many shops include VAT in listed prices, so you may have to insist on a discount.

VAT refunds can also be obtained by presenting all receipts of purchases made with foreign currency at any export bank upon your departure. There are limitations to this refund; purchases must be made at stores bearing the proper logos, purchases must be at least US$50, your purchases must be wrapped in a plastic bag which will remain closed for the duration of your trip, etc. Be sure to pick up the Customs Guide for the Reimbursement of VAT to Tourists at the air-port when you arrive.
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Money Matters : Isreal

Currency and Exchange The primary unit of currency in Israel is the new Israeli shekel (NIS). Notes come in denominations of NIS200, NIS100, NIS50, NIS20, and NIS10; coins come in NIS5, NISI, NIS.50, 10 agorot, and 5 agorot. Inflation in Israel is currently around 10%.

Money can be exchanged at any bank or authorized hotel; always bring your passport. Hotel rates of exchange are usually slightly worse than those in banks. Bank Leumi will exchange foreign currency for shekels with no commission for a minimum US$100 conversion. Shekels can be freely reconverted to a maximum of US$100. To change more than US$100 show a receipt which verifies your original conversion into shekels. (Banks usually open Sun., Tues., and Thurs. 8:30am-12:30pm and 4-5:3Opm, Mon. and Wed. 8:30am-12:30pm, Fri. and holidays 8:30am-noon. The First International Bank and many hotels have additional hours.)
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Tourist and Travel Services : Isreal

Tourist and Travel Services urael Ministry of Tourism: Jerusalem, 24 King George St. 94262 (tel. (02) 75 48 11, fax 25 08 90); Tel Aviv, 5 Shalom Aleichem St. (tel. (03) 510 1451); Haifa, 18 He’rzl St. (tel. 66 65 21), and 14 other cities. Maps, train schedules, and information on current events. Voluntary Tourist Service (VTS) arranges for tourists to spend an, evening with Israeli families (ask about Meet the Israelis program).

Israel Youth Hostel Association: 3 Dorot Rishonim St., P.O. Box 1075, Jerusalem 91009 (tel. (02) 25 27 06, fax 25 06 76). Operates 31 hostels. Organizes tours for croups and individuals to Israel, Sinai, Jordan, and Egypt.

National Parks Authority: 4 Rav Aluf M. Makleff St., P.O. Box 7028, Tel Aviv 61070 (tel. (03)695 2281, fax 26 76 43). Material on parks and historical sites. Also sells a 14-day ticket (NIS35) for admission to all sites; available in Tel Aviv only.
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Useful Addresses : Isreal

Embassies and Consulates

U.S.: Embassy, 71 HaYarkon St., Tel Aviv (tel. (03) 517 4338). Consulates, in Tel Aviv, at embassy; in East Jerusalem, 27 Nablus Rd. (tel. 89 51 18); in West Jerusalem. 18 Agron St. (tel. 25 32 88); in Haifa, 12 Yerushalayim St. (tel. 67 06 15).

Canada: Embassy, 220 HaYarkon St., Tel Aviv (tel. (03) 527 2929). Consulate, 7 Havakuk St. (tel. (03) 546 2878).

U.K.: Embassy, 192 HaYarkon St., Tel Aviv (tel. (03) 510 0166). Consulate also in East Jerusalem on Nashashibi St. near Sheikh Jarrah (tel. (02) 82 82 81).

Australia: 37 King Shaul St., 4th fir., Tel Aviv (tel. (03) 695 0451). Deals with citizens of New Zealand as well.

South Africa: 8 King Shaul St., Tel Aviv (tel. (03) 696 6147).

Egypt: 54 Basel St., off Ibn Gvirol St. (tel. 546 4151/2, fax 544 1615).

Off the Beaten Path : Isreal

Off the Beaten Path Israel’s most splendid scenery is often accessible only by foot. The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is an invaluable source of information, maps, guidance, and advice. They have offices in the big cities and a network of “field schools” (beit sefer sadeh) throughout the country. Their excellent hiking map, though in Hebrew, is (at 1:50,000 topo) color-coded to match the marked trail system (NIS30, available in most SPNI locations); SPNI people will be happy to mark English names on the map for you.

You can join any of their many English- or Hebrew-speaking tours; a large group may want to hire one of their field school-based guides (NIS36O a day, arrange in advance) for expert instruction in the area. SPNI stores carry two key publications for nature explorers: A Guide to Hiking in Israel and Hikes in the Jerusalem Hills and Judean Desert, both by Joel Ruskin (NIS32 and NIS15, respectively). The SPNI are also most knowl-edgable on the Sinai, a region they got to know well in the years of Israeli rule there. Beside hiking, other forms of nature exploration are offered in many nature sites in Israel; information on Jeep tours, mountain biking, horseback riding, and kayaking is given throughout the book.

Hitchhiking : Isreal

The incidence of sexual harassment and assault has increased dra; matically in recent years. The intifada has also made hitchhiking a dangerous prop; osition for everyone. Male soldiers usually have priority at marked spots for hitchhikers on main roads and near bus stops.

License plates carry meaning here; yellow is Israeli, black with a X is army, red is police, blue or gray is occupied terrt tories, and white is diplomatic. Hitchhiking in the Negev or Golan (where the only option is sometimes military vehicles) runs the risk of getting a ride that doesn’t go all the way to your destination, leaving you stranded and fried. To flag a car, point to,! the far side of the road with the index finger. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking. Tremping is not what it used to be in Israel. Women are strongly advised not to hitchhike alone.

Train : Isreal

Train Rail service in Israel is rather limited, and at present is only useful for travel between Tel Aviv and Nahariya via Haifa and other major towns along the northi coast. The Tel Aviv-Jerusalem line is circuitous and slower than highway travel bi considerably more scenic. Like buses, trains screech to a halt during Shabbat. Avoid traveling on Friday afternoons when the trains are most crowded. Train fares slightly cheaper than bus fares. Students with an ISIC receive a 50% discount.

Car : Isreal

The leading cause of death in Israel is not war, but automobile accidents. A popular bumper sticker during the Gulf War read, I’m not a Scud and you’re not a Patriot, so back off.” Extensive public transportation makes a car generally unnecessary but may allow yovi to reach out-of-the-way places. The legal driving age is 17, but most agencies will only rent to persons 24 or older with a credit card.

Most major car rental agencies honor an American license. Roads are usually well marked, and maps are available at all tourist offices. Israelis drive on the right side of the road.) The cheapest rentals run about US$50 per day, plus 25« per kilometer, or US$60 per I day with unlimited mileage. Prices in shekels are considerably higher in some cases. Deals arranged beforehand from overseas are usually much cheaper. See the Practi-j cal Information of each city for agency addresses, and Useful Addresses in Essent for booking agencies overseas.

Taxi Israeli : Isreal

companies offer both private and less expensive sherut (shared) taxis. Regular private taxi rides are called special (pronounced ’spatial’). All city taxis, operating as special, must have meters (moneh), though the drivers often need to be reminded to turn them on. Any offers of special discount rates (translation: no meter and an exorbitant charge) should be adamantly refused.

Sherut taxis hold up to seven people. Certain taxi companies operate sherut taxis seven days a week from stations or taxi stands in each city. Intercity sherut taxis operate on loose schedules, usually simply waiting until they fill up; on Saturdays, they often whiz along the streets in search of passengers. Intra-city sherut taxis never follow a schedule, but cruise the streets daily. Most routes, intra-city included, have set fares. Check with Israelis or at the nearest tourist office. The price should not be much more than the bus fare for the same route, and always fix the price before starting out. Be particularly insistent about this on Saturdays and late at night when buses don’t run and sherut drivers may try to rip you off.

Getting Around : Isreal

Bus Buses are the most popular and convenient means of traveling around Israel. Except for the Dan Company (tel. (03) 561 4444) in Tel Aviv and the Arab buses serving the West Bank and Gaza, the Egged Bus Cooperative has a monopoly on intercity and most intracity buses in Israel. Many direct (yashir), express, and local (me’asef) buses travel between the major cities each day. Buses are generally modem, air conditioned, and quite inexpensive. Students with ISIC receive a 10% discount on all fares; just be sure to show your ID a number of times-first to the ticket seller, then to the driver, then to the ticket inspector, then to interested passengers.

Buses are sometimes crowded, especially on Saturday nights after Sbabbat. Don’t be afraid to push your way in and out of the bus door; just preface each push with the word sliha (excuse me; or-ironically-I’m sorry), as Israelis do.

Once There Entry

Security upon your arrival into Israel is seemingly relaxed, especially when compared to the scrutiny your luggage will receive at Ben-Gurion Airport upon your departure. For the most part, you can take the “Green Channel” to exit the airport. Most items can be brought in duty-free as long as you intend to carry them out when you depart. Take the “Red Channel” if you need to declare articles. Duty must be paid on large quantities of perfume, alcohol, and cigarettes.

There is a Government Tourist Information Office (GTIO) in the arrival hall at Ben-Gurion. Egged buses run regularly to major cities (#475 to Tel Aviv). Sherut (shared) taxis run regularly from the airport to Jerusalem (NIS24).

Israel

For important information on all aspects of travel in general and some specifics on Israel, see Essentials.
At age 46, a fractious Israel (Yisrael) still doesn’t know what it wants to be when it grows up. The world’s only Jewish state is variously “a light unto the nations,” a pariah among its neighbors, and a country like all the others. From persecution culminating in the Holocaust, Jews have come together to build a new country in the midst of imperial ruins, mingling diverse cultures and backgrounds to make a brand new kind of state and to remake themselves in the process. With the country’s identity at stake, all Israelis have their own vision of what Israel should be.

To give one eloquent example, Amos Oz, Israel’s leading novelist, sees his fellow Israelis not as “the ‘Maccabeans reborn1 that Herzl talked of, but a warm-hearted, hot-tempered Mediterranean people that is gradually learning, through great suffering and in a tumult of sound and fury, to find release both from the bloodcurdling nightmares of the past and from delusions of grandeur, both ancient and modern.” Of course, many Israelis see Oz as a stuck-up intellectual, and will tell you at length, in more simple words, how they see their country (as the saying goes, if you have two Israelis in a room, you have three opinions). Finally, this rigorous self-analysis is going on in the midst of the intractable Arab-Jsraeli conflict, in itself a favorite topic for opinionated discussion. Talk with Israelis about their bewildering country for long enough, and they will finally smile or shrug and say, Yihiyeh b’seder” (It’ll be OK).