When are you next visiting Israel?

[GiraffeInABath]

I have one week of annual leave in April and considering going to Israel. Would be the usual (for me) of base in Tel Aviv to relax/catch up with friends and visit Jerusalem/the Kotel for a day. I feel
guilty/embarrassed for saying this but… I’m scared? I have friends who made Aliyah and I feel a huge hypocrite/privileged (not that the U.K. is particularly safe right now) for being anxious about visiting Israel when others are living there and activity as reservists. I haven’t visited since august 2023, I know there’s always been risk but 7/10/23 really shook me, as it has so many of us.
I know Israel needs tourists and what is the point in a Jewish state if I won’t visit it? Am I being completely ridiculous? Would you visit Israel in the next few months?

I have thought about this but am not sure is travel insurance is available? I have heard of others going and have assumed that they have just gone without it.

DH was meant to go last month to visit his father's Z"L grave on his 10th yahrzeit, but his flights were cancelled. I'm not sure many airlines are flying, are they?

We had planned to take the children later this year but most of our friends who we would stay with have gone on reserve duty.

I’m in Israel now and it feels safe where i am in the centre of the country although we have had a couple of sirens. Only one airline is flying and that isn’t likely to change in the near future. You cant get travel insurance as its against foreign office advice to travel here at the moment. You can get health cover once you are here with one of the local insurance companies.

I’ve been volunteering helping on local farms to pick crops as there is a shortage of agricultural workers and have also been helping out in the local hotels which are full of families who have had to leave their homes in both the north and south because it is still unsafe there.

I’m glad i came but understand what people are reluctant

I've been reluctant to go for years now, and actually haven't been since my sibling's wedding almost 8 years ago. I've always been worried whenever there so I just don't enjoy it, so feels pointless going. I'm a massively anxious worrier though, unhealthily so.

My parents go regularly to visit my sibling and the grandchildren and will be going again in a weeks or so time. Lufthansa are meant to be flying there again now.

To be honest, I don't think it'd be any more unsafe to go now than it would've been a year ago. Just be prepared to possibly have to run to a bomb shelter.

I guess one thing to consider is what happens if you get there ok but the return flight is cancelled. Would you manage that ok in terms of having somewhere to stay and missing work?

I'd like to go sooner but have some restrictions. And as so few airlines are flying it's very expensive at the moment. That being said I fully intend to be there for Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut, if not before.

The security situation wouldn't stop me, I have DC, DGC and friends there.

As a PP said you can get health insurance once there.

Thanks for the answers- it makes me feel slightly better to hesitate. That’s another concern re if flights were cancelled- I have friends whom I could stay with but I worry about anti-semitism from my employer if I told them I’m stuck in Israel. I wouldn’t even feel comfortable telling colleagues of my destination, I’ve mentioned it previously and have been met with thinly veiled liberal left ‘concern’.

@Towerofsong Yom HaAtzmaut will feel extra special this year, I’m jealous.

Right, decision made that I will go. We need to support Israel and why have the Jewish state of us in the diaspora are too scared to visit but I also feel scared to voice my destination in the U.K.? Will take health cover with one of the local companies once there.
I might re-read ‘the Hope’ to build some pre holiday excitement!

I hope you have a great holiday in Israel. I miss being able to go to a restaurant and just order whatever because it's all kosher enough for me 😅 And weirdly, I miss the limonana from Aroma. They still do them, right?? 🥹

I do believe they do! Although my favourite is the hot choc with the melty chocolate at the bottom

I think the flight situation will ease off, I'm not sure why it hasn't already to be honest. However even in mid October there were still flights - the Israeli airlines were flying eg El Al, Israir and Arkia

easyJet have always been a bit prone to cancellation of flights and squeezing everyone onto another flight so that's definitely still a risk of and when they start up again to TLV.

The British government is advising against all but essential travel so to reduce the risk of needing to claim on your travel insurance and find it's not covered, an Israeli airline might be best.

Have a wonderful time, the temperature will be lovely in April!

Apologies, Arkia and Israir don't seem to be flying to the UK at the moment, just other European cities.

Only elal are guaranteed to fly. The alternative is easyJet or similar to somewhere in Europe, especially Cyprus, and then transfer to elal for the second leg to Israel.

Hope you have a good trip, Tower. Keeping fingers crossed for the things to improve. Today I booked easyJet flights from Luton to Ben Gurion for the end of March - beginning of April for my son and me. Hoping to treat him to the falafel at the Sarona Market. We're visiting family as my dad hasn't been well. Last time came back from there on October 2nd. Different era ...