{"id":504,"date":"2013-09-19T18:30:48","date_gmt":"2013-09-19T18:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelcake.site\/?p=504"},"modified":"2025-04-10T13:04:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T13:04:47","slug":"my-top-ten-experiences-in-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/my-top-ten-experiences-in-israel\/","title":{"rendered":"My Top Ten Experiences in Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"

In no particular order:\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1.Shabbat Dinner with an Israeli Family<\/b>
\n<\/b>
\nAfter more or less getting chased off the market by an Orthodox Jewish man blowing his \u00e2\u20ac\u0153you better close your shop, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Shabbat\u00e2\u20ac\u009d horn, we headed to our Israeli friend\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s home. There, we were welcomed with an elaborate and delicious Shabbat dinner. We learned about the traditions and rituals that come with it.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re heading to Israel: get yourself invited to a Shabbat dinner for a beautiful cultural exchange.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"announcing<\/a><\/p>\n

announcing shabbat<\/p>\n

\"Shabbat<\/a>
Shabbat dinner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Bicycling in Tel Aviv<\/b>
\n<\/b>
\nDefinitely the best way to explore the city\u00e2\u20ac\u201despecially during Shabbat when traffic drops dramatically. Tel Aviv is flat, bike-friendly, and full of long cycling routes that take you through the city’s highlights or tucked-away alleys.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cruising the quiet streets and beach promenade while the warm sun kisses your shoulders and the wind gives you a free restyle\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think of a more pleasant way to explore a big city. Stop wherever looks interesting for a snack, a drink, or a power nap.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Tel<\/a>
beach boulevard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Tel Aviv\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Hip but Laid-back Nightlife<\/b>
\n<\/b>
\nThink semi-spontaneous rooftop parties, clubs that welcome you in flip-flops, and underground bars with retro Ms. Pac-Man machines. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s my kind of night out. <\/span>Everyone\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s doing their own thing\u00e2\u20ac\u201dno one cares what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re wearing or who you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re with. I mean, how many clubs let you in with a huge backpack?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"clubbing<\/a>
clubbing in backpack<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Daily Doses of Hummus, Falafel and Charcoal-Grilled Meat<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Not a single day passed without me eating at least one of these. Usually all three.
\n<\/span>And here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the thing: I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> usually a big hummus or falafel fan. But I quickly realized the stuff I knew back home was just the ugly stepsister of the real deal. And don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even get me started on the grilled meat\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/span><\/p>\n

\"hummus<\/a>
hummus and falafel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5. Wandering the Streets of Jerusalem\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Old City<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s packed with tourists. But stray a little, and you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll find back streets perfect for the independent traveller. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s this unusual, calm, almost <\/span>charged<\/span><\/i> atmosphere lingering through the old city\u00e2\u20ac\u201das if the weight of a millennia-old history book is pressing softly on your shoulders.
\nI skipped visits to most churches and monuments. Just walking those silent, ancient streets impacted me far more.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"<\/a>
quiet streets of the old city<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6. Watching the Religious Reaching Spiritual Bliss\u00c2\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Muslim, Jewish, Christian\u00e2\u20ac\u201dpeople from all three religions have sacred sites in Jerusalem.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Christians flock to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, said to be the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. Jews pray at the Western Wall. Muslims revere the Dome of the Rock.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watching pilgrims in tears, sliding notes into the cracks of the wall, or singing and swaying in spiritual ecstasy\u00e2\u20ac\u201dI spent hours just observing. I was truly moved by how deeply and positively people were touched by their faith.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"pilgrims,<\/a>
pilgrims at their point of arrival<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"prayer,<\/a>
emotions running high at J.C’s tomb<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"secret<\/a>
secret messages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

7. Crossing Into Palestine and Back<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

A bizarre, intense, and honestly uncomfortable experience. Think armed guards, barbed wire, endless cameras, invasive passport checks, towering concrete walls, and narrow gated corridors. It wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t <\/span>fun<\/span><\/i>\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbut it was important. An eye-opener.<\/span>
\n<\/span>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not going to get into politics on this blog\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbut suffice it to say, it left an impression.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"on<\/a>
on my way to Palestine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So on a lighter note:\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

8. Floating in the Dead Sea<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

A big tourist clich\u00c3\u00a9? Absolutely. Still weirdly magical? <\/span>Also yes.
\n<\/span><\/i>I tried going underwater\u00e2\u20ac\u201dcouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. Floating feels like a trick of physics. And walking barefoot on salt instead of sand? Very cool.
\n<\/span>But the best part is smearing yourself in mineral mud and acting like a kid again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"dead<\/a>
dead sea float<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"salt<\/a>
salt beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"natural<\/a>
natural mud bath<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

9. Talking Politics over Beers and Nargileh<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0At some point in Israel, politics will come up. And when they do, be ready for some of the most fascinating and surprising conversations you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve ever had.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Making new Israeli friends added so much depth to the trip. The beers helped, of course. As did the double apple-flavored nargileh (hookah). <\/span>Smoking nargileh is a big part of local culture\u00e2\u20ac\u201dso when in Rome\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/span><\/p>\n

\"new<\/a>
new friends, nargileh and beer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10. Learning, Learning, Learning (and Getting Confused)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I could throw in another tourist attraction here, but what really set this trip apart was how much I <\/span>learned<\/span><\/i>. About conflict, about people, about faith, about peace, about belief, about history\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 about the human race.
\n<\/span>It was overwhelming, confusing, emotional\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand unforgettable.<\/span>
\n<\/span>If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re visiting Israel, bring an open heart and an open mind. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll need both.<\/span><\/p>\n

What I Wish<\/em> I Had Done in Israel:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stayed at a kibbutz, had a drink at the underwater restaurant in Eilat, danced at a secret desert psy-trance party, and explored Galilee\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthe legendary land of milk and honey.<\/span><\/p>\n

I guess I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll just <\/span>have<\/span><\/i> to go back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you been to Israel? Would you ever go?\u00c2\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

The post “My Top Ten Experiences in Israel<\/a>” first appeared on Travel Cake<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In no particular order:\u00c2\u00a0 1.Shabbat Dinner with an Israeli Family After more or less getting chased off the market by an Orthodox Jewish man blowing his \u00e2\u20ac\u0153you better close your shop, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Shabbat\u00e2\u20ac\u009d horn, we headed to our Israeli friend\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s home. There, we were welcomed with an elaborate and delicious Shabbat dinner. We learned about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[120,103,28],"tags":[43,111,44],"country":[183],"class_list":["post-504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-israel","category-lists","category-middle-east","tag-israel","tag-middle-east","tag-top-things","post_format-post-format-image","country-israel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=504"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4346,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504\/revisions\/4346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=504"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=504"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=504"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=504"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}