Israel with kids

[zafferana]

We're thinking of going to Israel next Easter for 10-12 days, but we're not sure how many days to allocate to which destinations. We plan to visit Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. We will have our two DSs with us, who will be 12 and (nearly) 9. They're not really ones for dusty museums, although DH and I really want to see some of the museums and cultural sights.

We all enjoy eating out, walking and doing outdoorsy stuff. Does anyone have any insight into how we should divvy up our trip? Currently I'm thinking 3-4 days Tel Aviv, 4-5 Jerusalem and 2 Dead Sea. Does that sound about right? And are there any sights that you think we shouldn't miss? Many thanks.

Also - is it likely to be busy over Easter weekend? DH thinks not, since it's a Jewish country, but I'm thinking that Jesus was crucified just outside Jerusalem, so will it be full of pilgrims????

Zaff - Easter isn’t really a issue - Apart from anything else, many of the pilgrims or eastern orthodox who celebrate it at different times. But it is Passover from 8-16 April, which will make a lot of hotels more expensive And difficult to book. And flights will also be pricey.

Hezekiah's Tunnel is my must-do. Also Jerusalem is full of batshit weirdos (I'm allowed to say that because I used to be one of them) and massively overrated. If you're outdoorsy you should look into hikes in the desert (maybe base in Beersheva) instead of Jerusalem. It's very wow.

If you get the chance go to Ein Gedi, Sea of Galilee and Masada as well. I also recommend Hezekiah’s tunnel unless you’re claustrophobic - I also don’t think it’s a good idea to go if anyone in your group is a bit bigger as it is really really narrow in certain parts. When I went I loved the old city of Jerusalem the most. The markets are great too. I can’t remember the names of the ones I visited as it was a very long time ago now. Israel is magical!

Blind museum is a must. Need to book.

Passover will make food quite difficult

Yes the blind and deaf museums are awesome for kids.

My friends went to Jerusalem for Easter - it was crazy busy by all accounts, lots of pilgrims of which they were too. Also bare in mind many if not most restaurants will respect Passover in Jerusalem (tel aviv is more liberal but I would take specific advice)

Are you sure about this?

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel

Your plan sounds great in terms of days, but I would think carefully to avoid Passover - it’s a nightmare, to be frank. Think carefully about Shabbat, almost everything will close - you may want to spend that time at a Dead Sea resort or in Bethlehem, for example. If you were interested in a day trip from Tel Aviv - Haifa is a great one. It’s beautiful. In Tel Aviv, enjoy the food. There is an amazing place to eat by the Synagogue of Shuk HaCarmel. And in Jaffa, a restaurant called The Old Man and the Sea. Oooh and Sarona Market!! Sushi in Israel is better than Japan, Tel Aviv has the most restaurants per sq mile in the word. Jerusalem is my favourite city in the world - nowhere else can you be on such a diverse team! And Palestine is beautiful too, the stunning bustling streets, the churches, the hospitality. The servicees! If you need any help, PM me - I organize state visits there as part of my job, don’t mind slipping you some tips!

Unfortunately we have no choice about dates - our DC are off school from 1-19 April and if we're to do a 10-12 day trip within that period then it includes Passover! I will look into this though and thank you for mentioning that huge Jewish festival that I had completely overlooked.

I have another question: how easy is it for us to hire a car and drive around ourselves? Is this advisable or is it easier/safer to do a tour?

I've rejigged our itinerary on the basis of your info about Easter and Passover - so thank you! We intend to go to Jerusalem first, then to the Dead Sea, then finish in Tel Aviv, so we'll be away from Jerusalem before those two holidays.

Very easy to hire a car. Pick it up from Ben Gurion upon landing and enjoy, road quality is excellent - however, be aware that driving is mental in Israel. It's aggressive, fast, and people will cut across five lanes. I found it hilarious until I had our first baby and then decided public transport was the way forward. Finding a parking space is also a bit... hectic. Tours don't offer as much freedom, especially for children, and Israel is very easy to navigate. All signs are in English, Hebrew and Arabic (all three are official languages). You will not be able to take the car to Palestine, however, as it won't be insured. If you want to go, simply take a bus from the Damascus Gate bus stop and get tickets, very easy and cheap.

Just be sure to have full day plans that are booked for Shabbat (and have food and drink already purchased) - this is the hours between sundown on a Friday and sundown on a Saturday, almost everything shuts.

Also - the food will be Kosher for passover, even in supermarkets, so may be a bit more difficult!

Thank you @sergeilavrov, that's very helpful! We'd hoped to go to some sights in the West Bank so we'll need to take public transport.

The two Shabbats we'll be there I've planned to do a tour of Old Jerusalem, and the second one we're in Tel Aviv. I'll need to figure out the food, because I'm also wheat-free.

Wheat free will actually be easier over Passover, as Kosher for Passover foods cannot contain anything that can ferment and leaven. Just avoid anything that contains 'matza' meal and you'll be fine. Usually, food with wheat ordinarily inside is replaced with potato products. Israel is an amazingly health conscious country, with a lot of awareness of different dietary needs. Everyone will understand, particularly in Tel Aviv. A lot of foods also offer gluten free versions, which in Hebrew is "ללא גלוטן" - this will be quite large on the pack. Gluten free Israeli beer is also available, it's called Meidan (may-dan) and is pretty much everywhere if you want a drink!

Thanks again @sergeilavrov! I'm going to print off this post and keep that little bit of Hebrew so I can compare it to packets. I always take some gluten-free snacks with me for emergencies, but if Passover foods are more likely to be wheat-free that's great news for me. We're happy to eat Kosher too - we're very a 'When in Rome ...' sort of family. Trying the local foods is always a highlight anywhere we go!

It's years since I've been to Israel but I'd recommend, if you can, doing a sunrise walk up Masada (you start off before sunrise and by the time you get to the top, you see the sun rising over the Dead Sea). From what I remember there are 2 paths, one fairly easy, one harder. Once you've scaled that and come down again, the Ein Gedi nature reserve is a great place to cool down in (much more refreshing than a dip in the Dead Sea, which is like floating in warm honey - bearing in mind it's incredibly hot and humid there).

I'd also recommend the holocaust museum, Yad Vashem, which is just outside Jerusalem in a beautiful spot. Not sure how appropriate for kids but I just remember it being moving as opposed to horrific.

From what I remember Tel Aviv was mostly good for bars/eating out/the beach, but old Jaffa is a nice place to walk around for a few hours.

Hope that helps - Israel is a beautiful, complicated but very energetic country - enjoy!

So you're not bothered by the FO advice about safety in Israel then?

With respect, isn’t it up to them? No one is unaware of the troubles in the region unless they’ve lived under a rock.

So I have to start by saying that I live in Jerusalem with my husband and 3 kids ages 15,12,8 and I love Jerusalem. A few points to keep in mind -

-the first and last days of Passover are the hardest because everything will be closed like Shabbat. So thats Thursday April 9 and Wednesday April 15.

-You can make the Dead sea a day trip from Jerusalem if you dont want to stay down there. You can get to a beach with mud and float in the salt water 30 minutes from Jerusalem (Kallia Beach). For something really cool you can book a Graffiti Tour at the Dead sea where they have an outdoor Graffiti display. Interactive for kids.
On the way down you can stop at Genesis Land and ride a camel and bake pita.

-You can easily rent a car but because its passover book it now already. Waze works really well and can be programed to keep you on main roads etc.

-There are lots of interactive activities you can do at museums and historic sites like a Ropes Course at Ammunition Hill, Snappling the Walls of the Old City, a concert in Tzidkiyahu's Tunnel, water tunnel at City of David, tasting tour of the main market (hard on Passover so choose a day that is before).

-You can see lots of ideas divided by category on www.funinjerusalem.com and I'm happy to answer any more specific questions.

-Joanna

So you're not bothered by the FO advice about safety in Israel then?

No, not really. I read the info on the FO website and as we won't be going to any of the places that are advised against we've decided to go ahead. You can get caught up in terrorism just about anywhere these days, including in London, Paris, Madrid, New York - all of which are places we've either lived in or visited and yet no one has batted an eyelid. Do your research, ask the right questions and then go ahead if you're satisfied with the answers - that's how I live my life.

And thanks @ronconcoke and @funinjerusalem. We've decided to do a day trip to the Dead Sea, as I want to pack up and move around the minimum number of times - a particular ball-ache with two DC! The Masada day trip starts at 3am if you want to see the sunrise. It's good to see that your recommend it, as I've been wondering whether to do that one or the daytime trip instead.

Have an amazing time! I went to Israel 30 years ago and haven't forgotten what a wonderful holiday I had.