RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR TRIP TO ISRAEL
Dear TOURCOM Guest,
Below you will find a few tips and general information on Israel.
We hope they will be useful.
Have an enjoyable and safe trip!
1. VISA
American visitors must hold a valid passport. Visas are not required.
All others should
inquire at the nearest Israel Consulate.
2. HEALTH
No immunization is required.
HEALTH INSURANCE . A travel insurance policy which covers medical expenses as well as loses, delays and cancellations is strongly recommended by TOURCOM. Travel insurance by Travel Guard International is available via TOURCOM.
FOOD & WATER . Although it is said that it is safe to drink
the water, please drink bottled water only because the compounds
in tap water may be different in each country.
And this may cause diarrhea.
3. MONEY
Israel's currency is the shekel (IS), also called the new shekel
(NIS). Each shekel is divided into 100 agorot. $1= approximately
4 shekels. The best places to exchange money
is the small exchange offices you can find on main streets (**In
Jerusalem, best rates are found in the Muslim section. Leave the
Old City from Damascus Gate and you will find them on Salah Eddine
St.)
Most banks are open from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, Sundays through
Thursdays; also from 4 pm to 6 pm on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays;
and from 8:30 am to noon on Fridays and the eves of major Jewish
holidays. Bank branches in major hotels usually offer convenient
additional banking hours.
You can also exchange money at the hotel lobbies. The rates are
usually OK.
Linked with major American systems, ATMs are prevalent throughout
Israel. Major credit cards are widely accepted throughout Israel.
Holders of Visa or Mastercard may withdraw
funds at the foreign currency counters of affiliated banks or
at certain ATMs.
Traveler's checks are also widely accepted but commission charges
are high. Small exchange offices are again the best option for
these.
4. TELEPHONES
The international dialing code for Israel is 972. Israel has a
card-operated public phone
system and international calls can be made from any street call
box and also in the lobbies of some hotels. Telecards are bought
from lottery kiosks, news agents or book shops and come in denominations
of 10 units. The price of the card is higher as you go to a place
with more tourists. So try to buy from a place located outside
the Old City.
The international code may differ from one company to another
and the price per unit changes. So please try different phone
companies if you find it expensive in the first call.
You can make your calls from your hotel (in which case the there
may be additional prefixes to be dialed - and the rate will change
depending on the hotel). If you intend to use your calling card
at the hotel, check with them whether they charge for that.
E-MAIL: You can find internet cafes in big cities like Jerusalem
and Tel-Aviv.
5. TIME
Israel is seven hours ahead of American Eastern Standard time.
When it's 7 pm in Israel,
it's noon in NY.
6. ELECTRICITY
Electrical current is 220 volts AC, single phase, 50 hertz. Most
outlets are of the three-pronged variety, but many can accommodate
some European two pronged plugs as well. All hotels have 110 volt
shaver/contact lens-cleaner sockets.
7. WEIGHTS
& MEASURES
Israel uses the metric system.
Temperature: to convert F to C subtract 32 and multiply by 5/9
to convert C to F multiply 1.8 and add 32
Length, Distance & Area: in to cm multiply by 2.54
ft to m "
" 0.30
yd to m "
" 0.91
ml to km "
" 1.61
acres to ha "
" 0.40
Weight: ounces to grams multiply by 28.35
pounds to kilograms multiply by 0.45
tons to kilograms multiply by 907
Volume: gallons to liters multiply by 3.79.
8. TIPPING
It's customary to tip hotel personnel, guides and drivers. Service
charges are often included in tour packages. A 15% tip is the
average in restaurants. While tipping is not mandatory in taxis,
visitors are very welcomed to do so.
The average tip for a group tour (20-30 people) is $5-6 per person
per day for the guide and $2-3 per person per day for the driver.
For individual travel arrangements (less people in a group) it
may be better to increase this amount considerably.
9. TRANSPORTATION
You can use public buses. However, taxis are more time saving.
They are very reasonably priced in Israel. They have taximeters
but they don't usually turn it on not to pay tax on it. If they
resist, it does not mean that they are going to charge you a lot.
Just in case, tell the driver where you want to go and fix a price
before you get in the taxi. The taxi fare is higher after 9 pm
till 6 am.
10. WHAT
TO BRING
Casual clothing can be worn by day, but dressier apparel may be
necessary at some restaurants. Conservative attire is appropriate
for religious sites. Don't forget to pack:
-Hat
-Sunglasses
-Scarf for head and shoulders
-Crease-free, comfortable clothing
-Sweater, jackets, coats and umbrella for the off-season travel.
** The altitude of Jerusalem is high so it means that it is cool
even in summer months.
11. THEFT
AND ROBBERY
Theft is not much of a problem, and robbery even less, but take
precautions. Besides having an insurance, put your wallet in a
safe place of which you can keep track. Do not carry your passports
with you instead use your hotel safety boxes for them and for
your valuables. Pay extra attention in crowded places such as
the Old City in Jerusalem. Do not wander around empty and dark
side streets at night.
12. BUSINESS
HOURS
The most important thing to know is that on Shabbat, the Jewish
sabbath, all Israeli shops, offices and places of entertainment
close down. Shabbat starts at sundown Friday and ends at sundown
of Saturday. You need to plan for Shabbat in advance because during
this time, you'll find food only in hotel restaurants and some
restaurants outside, you will be able to exchange money only at
the hotels and will find it hard to find taxis.
13. SHOPS
Stores are open daily, Sunday through Thursday from 9 am to 7
pm although some close for a midday break between 1 pm and 4 pm.
On Fridays and eves of major Jewish holidays, shops are open in
the morning and close early in the afternoon.
Predominantly Muslim areas remain open on Saturdays but are closed
on Fridays.
And, of course, Christian-owned businesses (mostly in Old City
and Nazareth) close on Sunday.
14. WHAT
TO BUY
Israel is the world's largest producer of polished diamonds. Israeli-made
leather goods are of very high quality and design, and there is
a notable fur trade. Armenians in Jerusalem produce pottery decorated
with beautiful floral designs. Other gifts include art, Judaica,
fashion, crafts, olive-wood carvings and hand-blown glass from
Hebron, as well as embroidery from Yemen, Bethlehem and Gaza.
If you purchase goods with foreign currency exceeding $50 at
shops listed by the Ministry of Tourism are entitled to a discount
of at least five percent off the purchase price at the shop and
a VAT refund at the port of departure. To obtain the refund, you
should pick up an invoice or receipt from the shop indicating
the amount of VAT paid. This invoice and the goods purchased should
be placed in a transparent bag and sealed. The seal may not be
broken until departure.
Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport or the Haifa Port, refer to
the Bank Leumi official in the departure lounge. The official
will open the sealed bag, verify the contents, stamp the invoice
and refund the VAT in US dollars minus a commissions. At other
departure points, the customs official will stamp the invoice
and the refund will be sent to your address, as indicated on the
invoice.
15. USA EMBASSY
AND CONSULATES IN ISRAEL
71 Ha Yarkon St. Tel Aviv (Phone: (03) 517 4338)
Consulate: 18 Agron St. West Jerusalem (Phone: (02) 625 3288)
Consulate: 27 Nablus Rd. East Jerusalem (Phone: (02) 628 2231)
Consulate: 12 Yerushalayim St. Haifa (04) 867 0616)