Has anyone been to Israel?

[Mooshamoo]

I was just wondering what it is like.

My friend went a couple of years ago and did a tour around the history sites. But he didn't see much.

Im really interested to know about people's experiences of Israel

Beautiful. I loved it. Great food wonderful historic buildings

Probably not on the top of the tourist list right now

I've been a few times. It's lovely. Beautiful beaches, great food, fab bars/nightlife. I have some work colleagues based in Israel too.

I've done a city break in Tel Aviv. Loved it! Beautiful city right by the beach, great food. Rio de Janerio vibes!

It’s brilliant. I used to go there for work. Amazing food, great beaches, good night life.

Yes but a long time ago. I spent 6 months of a kibbutz and then travelled around Israel and Egypt afterwards.
It was during a relatively peaceful period and I made a lot of Israeli friends but I came away conflicted.

I've never been.
The experiences of 2 of my friends, neither is Jewish or has any family connections to the area.
Friend 1 - one of their favourite places ever. Goes back often. Loves the culture, the food, the history.
Friend 2 - very well travelled, has been to dozens of places. Says Israel is the only place they would never ever go back to. Disliked it intensely.
I guess it's personal.

I loved it - amazing food, incredible history and very warm and welcoming people. I have briefly considered doing a secondment there but couldn't for personal reasons, and my heart breaks at the news 💔

Yes, but a long time ago.

I worked on a Moshav. It was hard labour and paid ok.

Israel is starkly beautiful. Lots of history and plenty to see. It is small and well serviced with buses.

I found the Israelis quite abrupt and not easy to get on with. At that time conscripts were issued weapons which were kept by their side, even off duty. I found it quite unsettling drinking in bars with people who had their gun with them.

We worked on the Lebanese border with a mix of Israeli and Lebanese people. The Lebanese Co workers were warm and very generous - always shared food and drinks with us.

It’s the best place in the world. Amazing beaches, so much history, brilliant nightlife and such a diverse range of people and cultures.

Climb Masada at sunrise, hike through deserts, wailing wall and so much more.

Yes I have been. The most disconcerting part of it is the security on the way out there. One time I was in a queue in the UK at the airport and the young woman in front of me was being asked who her father was and who her grandfather was. I was with a boyfriend and we were asked why we werent married. I have worked with lots of Israelis, some who have become friends, and they do have this abrupt exterior. Of course people are people when you get to know them. The country itself is beautiful, great food too. A friend of mine lived in Gaza for a few years and loved it too but said life is very difficult for people there. Supplies are often low which makes earning money heard and electricity and water are frequently cut off. It is hard to leave the Gaza too as you need permission but it is not always granted.

It's a really interesting country. Lots to see and do.

Foreign office have advised against travelling there yesterday I read

I loved it.
Stayed on a kibbutz. Lovely people, warm and interested to make my trip interesting. Great beaches and historical sites.
I feel so sad for all the innocents on both sides caught up in this current conflict.

I went a few years ago for a month. Organised it myself, used public transport and a variety of accommodation types. It was for birdwatching but I saw many of the main religious sites too. I felt very safe (flew El Al both ways, unbelievably stringent security) but there were several minor events while I was there. I travelled the whole length of the country, from the Golan Heights to Eilat. A memorable time.

Yes four times.
I was looking forward to going back in the next couple of years.

Really interesting - so much culture and history everywhere.

I’ve never been but have a friend in Tel Aviv and have been wanting to go for a long time- it looks like an amazing place. Obviously will not be making plans to go any time soon.

I have family there, so my perspective will be different.

Great food
Great scenery and contrasts between different areas
Great beaches
Public transport is generally excellent leaving aside that it doesn’t work from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday (sabbath)
If you are even slightly religious then Jerusalem, crossing over into Bethlehem etc is a special experience.

It is uncomfortably hot June-end August.
Israeli people are direct to the point of idiocy, whether it’s cuddling your baby, asking you where you got your haircut, honking and gesticulating on the roads (the driving is mad, and I’ve driven in some notorious places). It can get quite wearing.
There are obvious military presences basically everywhere - 20 year olds with machine guns in uniform chatting on the bus, shelters in most buildings etc.
Expensive to stay and sometimes to eat, esp in Tel Aviv, Haifa or Jerusalem.

Yes, a long time ago. Loved the country but also found it difficult.

This was where I discovered that apparently I look super Jewish. (I think my family used to be Jewish, but assimilated round about the time of my grandparents in the 1930s, and I was never raised to be Jewish or know much about it. So I was just a general British tourist.)

Afaik people in the UK don't see me as Jewish, but it turns out that people in Israel are ultra sensitised to this. Jewish people went out of their way to be friendly and helpful and kind to me. Palestinian people tended to be the opposite. It was all a bit weird, and if I ever visited again then I would stick to the Jewish areas just for this reason. Which is a shame.

We been several times as have a friend in Tel Aviv. We’ve also visited Bethlehem and Jerusalem - really interesting.

Not yet. But it's number one on my wish list. I'll go when I'm able 🙏

Of course.

It's home.

A fantastic country.

It’s fabulous. Tel Aviv is in my opinion one of the best cities in the world. Totally assimilated, incredible food, restaurants, markets, beach clubs, hotels, shops, galleries and museums. Much much more cohesion between Jews and Arabs than you would be led to believe. Just a very very cool, high tech, modern first world city. But eye watering expensive

jaffa is at the end of tel Aviv, mainly Arab residents I think but again, everyone mixing and a real Morocco kind of vibe. Undergoing a lot of regeneration and just has a wonderful laidback vibe.

Jerusalem is beautiful as you would expect but certainly much more religious and you feel the different cultures much more than you do in tel Aviv. people generally going about their business but you are conscious of the importance and understanding of the tensions

Haifa, also a great fun city. Excellent example of general co-existence with a big Arab and Christian community very integrated

Tel AVIV is an amazing beautiful cool fun young liberal 24 hour city. Love the cafe food cultures- You can go meet your friends for coffee at 11pm and chill. It’s not all about getting drunk all night like in UK. There are great bars pubs and clubs but the drinking culture is so relaxed compared to here. No binge drinking, literally will drink a gnt over 2 hours.
people direct yes, rude yes, but also met a lot of nice interesting people who were genuinely interested why 3 blonde British girls were visiting. Felt incredibly safe everywhere.