4 things you should know before traveling to Israel

 

Making a trip to Israel can be a life changing experience. Being able to reach out and touch actual biblical history, to see with your own eyes what Jesus himself saw when he walked this Earth is a wonderful, awe-inspiring thing that everyone should try to experience at least once in their life.

However, there are a few things you should know before buying that plane ticket and heading off. The Holy Land can be an amazing place, but you need to know what you should expect.

For as historically and politically important as Israel is, you might think it is a sprawling nation with endless expanses of desert and valleys. While there are plenty of impressive vistas and sights to see in Israel, the actual land mass of the country is fairly small. For an Canadian comparison, Israel is around the same size as Vancouver Island in British Columbia. 

When it comes to planning a trip however, this small size is actually not a bad thing! Israel is a compact nation, with so many incredibly important historic and religious sites tucked into one nation, you can accomplish a LOT of sight seeing in a relatively short period of time! Plan your trip right, and even a week in Israel can let you see an incredible array of locations. Consider going as part of a tour, this will smooth out the travel details and allow you to experience as much of the nation as possible with a minimum of logistics and fuss.

It's easy to think of Israel as a desert nation and pack nothing but a collection of t-shirts and sandals, however, this would be a mistake! Israel boasts an incredibly diverse climate. As you may already know, while it can certainly be very hot during the day, nights in arid climates cool down quickly and have the potential to get quite chilly. You'll also want to keep an eye on where you'll be staying or visiting. In the early Spring, you can find surfers and sun bathers in the beaches of the Mediterranean coast, while the north of Israel may be getting the first few flakes of snow. Be sure to pay attention and bring some warm clothes along with you just in case.

Bring extra supplies with you as well. The markets in Israel are a little different than what you might be used to in the West. While its possible to score great deals on some items and find relatively inexpensive meals if you look around, utility and convenience items such as toothpaste, deodorant, and batteries can get pricy. You'll want to spend your holiday budget on once in a lifetime experiences and treasured souvenirs, not toiletries you forgot to pack.

We live in tumultuous times, there is no denying that. We also have to recognize the unique threats Israel faces from Hezbollah and other rogue groups in the area. That said, Israel is by and large a very safe place to visit. Crime rates are low and the likelihood of a terrorist attack or act of violence effecting you while on vacation are miniscule. It may be a cliché, but you have a higher chance of being struck by lightning at home.

All major cities and tourist locations feature a heavy police and security presence. While it may strike you as unsettling to see soldiers on the street and police stationed on certain corners, remember that these are not forces responding to some immediate threat. Their job is prevention and observation, they keep the peace by establishing a presence in the area, similar to a security guard walking the rounds around a store. 

If you just go by what you see on TV, Israel may seem like a dangerous place, but it's important to remember that news coverage is always going to focus on the most spectacular and dangerous elements of any country. For the average Israeli citizen is safe and predictable. You can travel to Israel with confidence.