Israel

• Machtesh Ramon – The 40KM long crater-like landform offers some breath-taking desert vistas.
• Rosh Haniqra – A a dazzlingly white coastal rock cliff formation on the far North Coast of Israel.

A large number of major attractions in Israel are located some distance from large towns and cities:

• Israel National Trail — a marked leisure trail (hiking or cycling) covering 940 kilometers from north to south.

• Jesus Trail, a hiking trail from Nazareth to Capernaum covering 65 kilometers that connects major Christian sites in the Galilee.

• Golan Heights Trail – tail across the Golan Heights from Mount Hermon in the north to Kibbutz HaOn in the south.

• The Nativity Trail, The path that Joseph and Mary followed to get to from the Galilee to Bethlehem

• Rappelling or offroading in the Negev

• Canyoning or Caving (Spelunking) in the Judean Desert and the North of Israel
• Visit Israel’s Parks and Reserves. Well maintained, brimming with beauty and history, these sites often come with interpretive material and maps in English and other foreign languages.

Hebrew is the official language of Israel, and is the most commonly spoken language. Until 2018, the Arabic language was also an official language of Israel, and it remains commonly spoken to this day. Around 20% of the population are Israeli-Arabs who natively speak Arabic; around two-thirds of whom also speak Hebrew as a second language.

English is the most popular foreign language. Israelis of all backgrounds study English in school from an early age as a compulsory subject, and as such it is commonly understood in Israel. Older people are generally unable to converse in proper English, so some knowledge of Hebrew will come in handy. All street and road signs (and many others) have English names, as well as the Hebrew and Arabic names.

Massive immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s brought a large number of immigrants who speak Russian; which is now spoken natively by around 15% of the population. Other commonly encountered languages in Israel, reflecting the diverse origins of Israelis, include Romanian, French, German, Polish and Spanish. Some of the older members of the population and some of the ultra-orthodox population speak Yiddish, an Eastern-European Germanic Jewish language – you might get by sort-of if you speak German. Foreign workers from China, Philippines, Thailand, and other Asian countries can be seen everywhere in central Israel. You can hear a mix of a dozen languages while on buses, trains or walking in transportation hubs, especially in Tel Aviv central bus station.

While speaking Hebrew Slang, words of Arabic origin are commonly used. For example: “Walla?” (Is that so?), “Yalla!” (Come on, let’s move!), “Sababa” (great), “Akhla” (good), “Sachbak” (friend), and many more. Street talk is also much affected by military jargon, which is second nature to many Israelis.

Foreign television programmes and films are mostly American, and almost always shown in their original language (usually English) with subtitles. Only children’s programmes are dubbed into Hebrew.

There is a wide choice for shoppers in Israel. There are also very animated Jewish markets (shuks) of tremendous cultural diversity, notably the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv and Machane Yehuda in Jerusalem. The best place to buy food is at these outdoor markets; the produce is cheap and fresh.

Tourists benefit from a zero rate of VAT (a tax on transactions) on many goods and services. In addition, when buying from souvenir and specialist shops displaying a Ministry of Tourism sign, especially jewellers and luxury good stores, it is possible to obtain a refund of VAT: when making your purchase, ask for a Tax Refund Invoice; then, when leaving the country, take the invoice to the tax refund desk at the airport or port for the VAT refund.

Money

The Israeli currency is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). Colloquially, it is called a shekel (plural: shkalim) or sha-kh. Each shekel is divided into 100 agorot. The common symbols for the shekel are ש״ח or ₪.

The following banknotes are in circulation: ₪20 (red, the older issue is green), ₪50 (green, the older issue is violet), ₪100 (yellow, the older issue is brown), ₪200 (blue, the older issue is red). Old notes can still be seen but are mostly out of use, for a short time the green ₪20 notes were made of polypropylene and are almost impossible to break or tear but these have since been replaced. From 2014 till 2017 the old notes have been replaced by the new series, but the old ones are still acceptable in most places. Paying with large notes for small charges is frowned upon.

Coins in use: 10 Agorot (copper), 1/2 Shekel (copper), 1 New Shekel (nickel), 2 New Shkalim (nickel), 5 New Shkalim (nickel), 10 New Shkalim (bi-metallic; copper core, nickel rim).

ATMs are available everywhere. Credit cards of all kinds are widely accepted. Note that the showing of the Visa logo by an ATM does not especially mean it takes all types of Visa cards, at the moment the ones with Chip-and-Pin technology seem to be only accepted by Bank Leumi ATMs.

You can get VAT refunds when leaving the country, though be prepared to queue at the airport. Additionally, VAT refunds are only available for individual receipts in excess of ₪400. Eilat is a VAT-free city for citizens as well as for foreigners, but being a resort city it is often more expensive to begin with.

US Dollars are accepted in some tourist locations, particularly Jerusalem, at a rough exchange rate of ₪4 to the dollar. If you are asked for dollars or euros outright, you are most likely being ripped off.

Costs

Living and travelling costs in Israel are almost on a par with Western Europe, North America and Australia, making it by far the most ‘expensive’ country in the Middle East region outside the Gulf area.

Small food kiosks (pitsutsiot) offer various snacks such as freshly roasted peanuts, sunflower, and melon seeds, soft drinks, cigarettes and candy. Take note that currently (April 2017) the price of a soft drink can is between ₪5-8 and a 0.5L bottle is generally one shekel more expensive than a can. Prices in tourist areas in big cities, especially tourist cities like Eilat can be up to ₪20 per 0.5L bottle, however often a small walk will reveal the more local places/supermarkets that will sell you 6 1.5L bottles for as cheap as ₪8.40. In fact, it is possible to buy a 6 pack of 2 liter “Ein Gedi” bottles for a preset price of ₪12.

Fast food wise, a shawarma in lafa should cost roughly ₪24-30 (drink not included), while a regular meal at a burger chain (McDonald’s, Burger King and the local Burger Ranch) will set you back at least ₪35 — and “free refills” are generally not offered anywhere in Israel. Lowest cost options are falafel in pita – it is more expensive in more tourist places than normal ones and more expensie in Israeli sites than Arab/Palestinian ones. Example for falafel pita: Eilat: promenade – from ₪22, bus station area ₪17, poor neighbourhood ₪10. Jerusalem: Arab quarter: ₪10-12, Bethlehem (Palestine) main square ₪5.

Restaurants generally are in a high standard of taste and style, a first course averages ₪15-25, a main dish about ₪40-60 (good meat can go from ₪60-100) and the desserts are usually ₪25-35. Soft drinks are somewhat costly and usually go for ₪10-12 for an average sized glass without refills.

Tipping

Outside of the food industry, tipping is not common.

Restaurants – Tip 10%-15%. 15%-20% is considered a generous tip.

Hotel staff – No tipping.

Tour guides – 10% – 15% of the daily rate.

Bartenders – Tip 10%-15%. 15% is considered a generous tip.

Hair – No tipping.

Moving – Tipping is optional (but often expected depending on the amount of work).

Food delivery – Tip ₪5.

Groceries delivery – No tipping.

Other deliveries – No tipping.

Handymen – No tipping.

Taxi drivers – No tipping.

Business hours

The business days are Sunday through Friday in Jewish towns, allowing for observance of the Sabbath (“Shabbat”) from sundown on Friday until nightfall on Saturday. On Friday, many shops will close at about 14:30-15:00 to allow ample time return home before sundown. Many shops, especially in malls, will re-open on Saturday evening, at about 19:00 in winter, and 20:30 in summer. Some shops, especially outside city limits or in tourist areas, as well as 24-hour convenience stores, remain open on Saturdays. In Arab towns, shops are generally open 7 days a week.

Remember that shop opening hours depend on how religious an area is. In religious areas like Jerusalem, you can expect virtually all stores, restaurants and even public transportation to be shut down on the Sabbath. On the other hand, stores will remain open oftentimes in secular cities like Tel Aviv or Eilat.

Shops in malls and on major shopping streets are generally open from 9:30 to 21:00 daily. Banks and post offices, as well as some smaller shops, stick to traditional business hours of 8:30-19:00, with a lunch break from about 13:00 to 16:00, so do check.

Markets usually open and close early.

Bargaining

Bargaining in Israel is prevalent. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult for foreigners to figure out when bargaining is expected and appropriate. A general guideline: Sales agents, high prices, or no displayed prices — bargain. Anything that looks established or corporate — don’t. Although pushing through a bargain or requesting some freebies with some cellphone companies and the like often is a possibility!

Bargaining in bazaars and rural markets is common yet subtle. Vigorous bargaining which is common in developing countries will likely get you nowhere and is improper. If you are given a fair price, don’t bargain for sport — it is frowned upon.

Bargaining in shops with sales agents is expected (for example, in an electric appliance store). Sticker prices are exaggerated for the purpose of bargaining. It is best to compare offers and figure out the true market price before purchasing.

Bargaining is improper in small mom and pop shops that sell low-cost items.

Bargaining with independent service providers (technicians, plumbers, movers, handymen) is common. It is not with non-independent service providers (hired employees).

In shops with displayed prices where you are not dealing with a sales agent bargaining is improper and will get you looks of bewilderment. This includes corporate shops (e.g. McDonald’s), most stores in malls (without sales agents), and pretty much all businesses a tourist interacts with (with the exception of travel agents): accommodation, transportation, food (including food stands in markets). Some entertainment venues and most activity operators (especially extreme sports) can give you quite a sizable discount if you only ask.

If you are bringing a large group of people to a club or a bar, it may be possible to negotiate a discount before arriving with the group. If you are already there, bargaining won’t get you anything substantial.

Prices in tourist traps such as the Old City of Jerusalem can routinely be haggled down to as low as 25% of the asking price. Usually it’s easier to make a deal if you are buying multiple items rather than a single item.

When buying larger items (e.g. electronics), it’s often possible to get a discount of about 3% for paying in cash, and additional discount depending on your haggling abilities.

Bargaining with taxi drivers over fare is possible, though rarely to your advantage. It is best to instruct them to use the meter (moneh) if they don’t already do so as required by law.

Since the online coupon craze started in 2010, many businesses have stopped publishing real prices, and you can get a completely different price simply by asking for a discount (“yesh hanacha?” – “Is there a discount?”) or bringing in a coupon you found on an online coupon site. It’s not unusual to get lower prices by up to 50%.

Souvenirs

Israeli wine, kosher products, t-shirts, diamonds. Almost needless to say, Israel is one of the best countries for purchasing Judaica and Christian pilgrim trinkets.

While it is legal to purchase antiquities from the small number of government-licensed dealers, exporting antiquities from Israel is illegal, except with a written authorization from the Israel Antiquities Authority.