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

Do the tour operators go to Eilat these days?

Used to be a popular destination on the 90s wasn't it? My aunt went there on holiday, my only memory of her trip was that the people were rude.

I mean this in an entirely harmless, curious, bamboozled way .... what on earth does looking super Jewish mean??

Is it build/colouring/features (?)

I've met some Jewish Americans and there a a tiny no of Jewish people here in NI and I've met a handful of Isreali people, and everyone has different looks.

I loved it. Tel Aviv is vibrant. Jerusalem feels (felt?) magical. I had planned to go back in 2024 but maybe not

Yes. Tel Aviv with work- not somewhere I would return . Everyone felt the same and used to fight not to go

I can't go again anyway as `I have a passport stamp from Beruit which may or may not have been deliberate.

It's wonderful. I'd go back in an instant

It's a beautiful country, with very welcoming people, which is also very vibrant and tolerant. It has a great gay night life in Tel Aviv, in a region where being gay could get you killed in neighbouring countries. I have stayed on a kibbutz too and it was idyllic. So safe that people never locked their doors, which is so sad given recent events.

Back in the 80s it was a classic gap year thing, to spend time on a kibbutz.
Nowadays I think it's more a thing which mainly Jewish teenagers do.
I certainly wouldn't have been keen for mine to go, even before all this.

I have also been overseas where Israelis are travelling (India, Bolivia, Nepal) and they seem to congregate with other Israelis in pubs or cafes and become loud, obnoxious and think they are the only ones that exist.

Can't think of any other nationalities that do this 🤔 😉😂

I worked on a kibbutz in the ‘80s, I loved it but I’m a different person now and wouldn’t go back, plenty of places I haven’t visited that I’d like to go see.

I have been several times for work, all quite short trips, came in to tel aviv but didn’t stay there. I was lucky to have a private guide tour of Jerusalem which was amazing. I found seeing the wall with guards on the way quite disturbing, as well as large groups of young conscripts with their large guns walking about the streets. Caesarea is a really interesting town with Roman remains and a great beach too. Some beautiful gardens around, and generally a very interesting country. I was entirely dealing with the Israeli population, and they are quite scathing about the Palestinians. Thankfully the friends I have made there are all safe at present, but do have friends and family in the forces, so worrying for them.

went when i was 12 this was in the 80s-mainly eilat didnt have much for kds but i liked snorkelling the red sea

was bored after a week

Been to both Israel and Palestine (West Bank) a few times

Israeli culture is quite different to British, especially in terms of manners. So can find the Israelis a bit rude and pushy, behave badly in queues etc. Abrupt and blunt I guess but fine if you get what you give. At the same time, generally very friendly and strong sense of humour.

Admittedly the orthodox community interactions I had weren't great, so I tended to avoid them.

Weirdly I felt like I saw so many beautiful women, similar experience in Copenhagen of thinking everyone around me (at some points anyway) was gorgeous!

I enjoyed myself, loved the food and the nightlife in Tel Aviv was amazing. Felt like a real vibrancy to it.

Architecturally, I'd say it leaves much to be desired! City wise anyway, they are just slowly concreting over everything and traffic was a fucking nightmare in places. But then Jerusalem, and some of the countryside was just stunning and so, so peaceful.

I was lucky enough to go on a trip in my 6th form (a good while ago). We toured round, and met some interesting people. I found some parts unbelievably beautiful including a desert fort and (I think) the Sea of Galilee. We went to Bethlehem too in Palestine. While we were there an assassination happened and the security was incredibly tight. I’m so grateful to the school for taking us somewhere so unusual for school trips.

Several times-I worked as a tour leader for a Palestinian organisation. It's an amazing country but incredibly tense. I have rarely felt so hostile towards anyone as I did at checkpoints and airport security as I looked after my groups and tried not to let them get split up. Tourists were manhandled, screamed at and deliberatly bamboozled by staff. The whole region needs turning off and back on again to reset. I took up smoking again during one particularly difficult trip.

Personally I wouldn't visit again, there's far nicer places to visit although I will admit to missing the food.

Do you want to go down that route? I think we all know there are some characteristics that come with Jewish heritage, that obviously manifest in different ways in different people, but that quickly migrate into becoming stereotypes and anti-semitic tropes.

My family have no known Jewish heritage, but my (London/British) dad quite regularly gets mistaken for being Jewish - his complexion and facial features mainly, and also being seen in a business context with a strong Jewish contingent increases the associations made by people to make the leap. I used to work with him, and a particular customer could never remember his name and always referred to him as 'the lovely Israeli gentleman', clearly trying not to describe him as Jewish for fear of being offensive. This current situation obviously makes being light-hearted rather poor taste, but it's still an affectionate running joke in our family that we sometimes call my dad 'the lovely Israeli gentleman'.

I’ve been twice with church groups, so emphasis was on biblical sites in Jerusalem and Galilee. We visited the West Bank, and Yad Vashem (the Holocaust museum) as well.

Thought provoking and meaningful. The security was oppressive, though. It’s so sad what is happening now.

I visited Israel about 15 years ago and it is probably the worst country I've ever been to in terms of the unfriendly and hostile locals. A stark contrast to Jordan where I went to afterwards.
This was Eilat so I'm not sure if other towns in Israel are any different, but I would never go back.

@Linning Thanks for your insight. I had a string feeling that it would be on the ‘dont bother’ list.

Thank you also for the emotional Labour involved in trying to justify your experience. The sheer, but predictable, audacity..

I've been to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, West Bank. Tel Aviv was fun. Jerusalem was fascinating. West Bank was tragic. I wouldn't go back until there is a better solution to the problems in the region, so I don't think I will be heading back any time soon. People were all extremely friendly. They always assumed I was Jewish, which I'm not.

I’ve been twice, spending time in Israel and the occupied territories. I would recommend it to everyone to visit (not at the moment) but when you start talking to locals in both places you get a real sense that they have so much in common; they want to work to raise their families with no conflict. The politicians and some faith leaders get in the way of that.

I will go back when when it is safe for do so, the economy needs tourism, particularly the Palestinian tourism economy, it was incredibly hard hit by Covid, they had no support from their government.

I am not religious in any way but being in Jerusalem and Bethlehem was incredibly moving.

Went a year ago, staying with US diplomat friends in Jerusalem, who introduced us to other diplomats and journalists, both US and British. Jerusalem was an amazing city - so many levels of history and so many different cultures coming together.
We were really struck by the hostility towards the Israelis that we encountered from the liberal, educated, tolerant Anglophones we met, none of whom one could describe as in the least anti-Semitic (in terms of having many Jewish friends back home). One friend had the job of visiting and negotiating for Palestinians who had been wrongfully imprisoned and told some horrific stories.
There is just so much anger and hatred on both sides, going back millennia.
What is happening now is so tragic as it polarises a very complex and nuanced situation into sharp black and white.

I went for work over 25 years ago, once on my own and once with a colleague. I found it a very uncomfortable experience and I’m not interested in going back. Even getting out of the country was made difficult and unpleasant.

Yes but many years ago and I was only 15. We had a school trip there. It was very interesting and an impressive place. We stayed for a while on a kibbutz which was a great experience too. Always thought I'd like to go as an adult but never got around to it.

No problem, I was traveling there solo so there is a small chance my experience may differ quite a lot from people on tours or in groups (or Jewish people of color), but yes a bit taken aback that I had to justify and defend my experience, though not surprise as people always seem keen to oppose and negate any differing experience to their own.

Glad though sad to see that the thread is pretty split half in half between people who loved it and people (of all kind) who felt unwelcome though as it further proves my point that not feeling welcome there is a definitely a theme, irrelevant of skin color and religion but also something that (in my case & experience) was further emphasized by it.

I have traveled to countless countries across the globe, solo, as a woman of color, and as a lesbian (who is not closeted), including in many places that are famous for being homophobic and/or racially biased (not to say racially prejudiced), and yet, 99% I would say I have felt at ease in each country so definitely don’t feel easily “persecuted”. The three countries I have been to that might (and are) worth seeing but whose officials (be it immigrations or anyone that has any kind of power to stop you or question you) are biased to the point it could ruin your experience, are 1- Israel (for me it was the worst because in this specific case, I was also not that impressed by the country. But again Jordan and Egypt are right next door and I personally think there is just much more there in terms of beautiful landscape etc… ) 2-Kazakhstan, most biased country by far, shocking since it’s a mixed race country and you would think open minded but frankly immigration wise; no. Not one bit, and they almost didn’t let me board my plane back as didn’t believe I was from the EU. 3- Turkey. I love Turkey (the country) and have been 3 times but won’t go anymore as everytime immigration is an absolute nightmare for me for similar reasons to Kazakhstan.

My experience doesn’t mean people shouldn’t go to those countries, but that people of color who travel alone should be aware as they may have a similar experience and it can be daunting, especially when it’s made very clear they aren’t “just checking” (which I am used to and fine with) and are more “hoping they’ll catch you because they have already decided you are guilty.” In the end I am still very aware that if they wanted to pin me for something they could. So while it’s all good to talk about how gay friendly Israel is (and it is) I am not going to stop mentioning the fact that they are very much biased in many aspect and that authorities (not locals) treat you poorly once they decide you could be guilty of something, and warn people of a similar background to go there with caution if they do, and to make sure they keep everything (absolutely everything) linked to their trip easily accessible until they leave the country (as yes they did ask to see my texts and emails also).