A Trip to Israel: Top 5 Things to Do

1. FOOD, FOOD, AND MORE FOOD. Israel is known for its variety of different cuisines. For the majority of the time, my mother and I tended to either eat Halal (as it was Passover) or ate at restaurants serving Mediterranean foods. As the majority of the citizens are also Russian, there were many western cafes as well as places to eat Russian food.

2. Visit the Western Wall (located in Jerusalem): The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall is a holy site in Israel. Significant among Jewish followers, this wall is a site of prayer in which there are over thousands of people praying on a daily basis. As a tourist, I noticed that it was divided into two. A section for males and a section for females. This division allowed me to see the difference. I got to admire the religious clothes they wear, as well as how their praying differed.

3. If you’re Christian and/or Catholic, just down the street from the Western wall, is the birth place of Virgin Mary. Resembling a cave, this now; historic church honors Virgin Mary and her significance. The church itself is very challenging to notice, so prior to visiting it, it would be in your best benefit to research the exact destination.

4. If visiting Tel Aviv, one of the highlights is the town ‘Jaffa’. Looking over the sea, Jaffa is a mix of old as well as new and modern. It is filled with small cafes as well as souvenir shops. With many tourists, it is challenging to get around, and therefore it is beneficial to go in the mornings prior to when people start making their way over there.

5. The Dead Sea: This is a MUST DO when visiting Israel. The Dead Sea is known for its health benefits as well as healing properties, due to the amount of salt it is filled with. Within Israel and around the globe, there are two main companies that have access to the salt from the Dead Sea. Therefore, when visiting the Dead Sea, make sure to pick up some cosmetic products, if you’re into that sort of stuff.

If you’re interested in traveling to Israel, make sure to speak to the students who are Israeli at AISG!