Air travel to Israel was considerably muddied up by the tragic events of October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza. Following Hamas’ shock attack in Southern Israel, international airlines around the world temporarily halted their routes to Israel, leaving a surprising lack of options for those wishing to make their way in and out of the country. With Delta announcing that it will be resuming its New York to Tel Aviv flight route on June 7 following “an extensive security risk assessment by the airline,” prospective travelers may want to know what other airlines are also planning their returns ..read more

A Jaffa boutique hotel, The Drisco, and its onsite restaurant, George & John, are the first Israeli establishments to be admitted to the Relais & Châteaux association that bands together luxury hospitality properties and top-end restaurants from around the world. “Finally, there is a place in Israel which adheres to our hospitality culture and a chef which serves gourmet food, while promoting seasonality, localism, and creativity,” says Relais & Châteaux president Laurent Gardinier. “It is about time that our organization will include representation from this area, and this makes u ..read more

Historically, the Tower of David at the entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem served as an imposing city fortress.  Nowadays, the still-imposing fortress has a much more welcoming role as the gateway between the modern city to its west and the most coveted ancient city in the world to its east. The interplay between modern and ancient recently got an upgrade in the form of the new, sleek Angelina Drahi Entrance Pavilion to the Tower of David Museum showcasing the history of the city.  The Tower of David at the entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem brings the ancient and new parts of ..read more

The city of Jerusalem debuted its new laser light show on March 18, blending sound and color in a celebration of its rich history. The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, aims to provide an immersive experience highlighting the city’s heritage and aspirations for peace. The show takes place along the Tower of David promenade, offering spectators a panoramic view of Jerusalem’s iconic landmarks. Through music and visuals, the show tells the story of Jerusalem’s cultural tapestry and the shared values that unite its communities. Minister ..read more

Four months into the war between Israel and Hamas, it might seem at first glance that everything here is more or less back to normal. People are out and about, restaurants are packed, shops are busy and, tfu tfu, schools are back in operation. But beyond this façade of normality is an Israel completely different than the one before the deadly attacks on October 7.  While tourism was more or less wiped out in the last three months of 2023, after the war broke out – just 180,000 people visited the country, compared to an expected 900,000 according to Ministry of Tourism statistics – it is b ..read more

When Guy Levy opened his new business a year ago, he didn’t describe it as a restaurant, vintage furniture store or live music venue. Rather, he named it Ivri – House for Hebrew Nostalgia.  A wise idea, given that the Ivri project has many facets, just like its creator. A graduate of Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in interior design, Levy’s forte is renovating period buildings to their former glory and furnishing the apartments in vintage style.  It was through one such project, a restoration of an Eclectic-style building from the 1920s, that he amassed a surplus of Israel ..read more

Tel Aviv is fully on the sustainability bandwagon! The city has a growing number of businesses bringing repurposed or upcycled merchandise to customers. Sustainable businesses strive to reduce their environmental footprint by using resources efficiently, minimizing waste, choosing ecofriendly practices and promoting social responsibility. Even though Tel Aviv is such an expensive city, its variety of sustainable businesses provide environmentally friendly products and services for residents and visitors alike. Here are three I visited. Limonada, 76 Nachalat Binyamin St. Jeanette Shine, owner o ..read more

Around the world there are quite a few mysterious sites that raise questions about how they were formed and for what purpose they were used.  Although Israel is small, and most of its corners are well known, one can still find mysterious and intriguing sites: stone circles in the Golan Heights, a Crusader fortress in the center of the country that has been closed for decades, round rocks scattered in the desert, and ancient rock paintings.  Here is a look at some of the special and mysterious sites in Israel, from north to south: 1. Dolmens in the Golan Heights Dolmens in the Golan H ..read more

A walking tour of bomb shelters is certainly not a usual tourist activity, but then again, Holon isn’t a usual city. This coastal municipality south of Tel Aviv was transformed in 1993 into Israel’s “Children’s City” boasting a magnificent children’s museum complex, children’s library, and other kid-friendly spaces – including about three dozen “story parks” themed to beloved children’s books. Unfortunately, Holon’s proximity to the Gaza Strip makes public bomb shelters a necessity. But they need not look grim and uninviting. Artist Rinat Luk Elhaik collaborated with Holon’s Security Departmen ..read more

Mordechai Tzion Tzidkiyahu founded Tzidkiyahu Deli in Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda Market (“the shuk”) in 1967. When he passed away earlier this year, his son – who continued and expanded the family business — asked street artist Solomon Souza to immortalize his father visually.  “That brought me back to the shuk,” says Souza, the 30-year-old British émigré who spent several years painting about 250 portraits of historical figures on the shutters of the market stalls. (Click here to read our article from 2015 about the project.) This market stall in Machane Yehuda’s Agas (Pear) Street now s ..read more