Hello, Peace, Goodbye: Shalom
Thank you: toda
Excuse me: Slicha
Please: Bevakasha
Bon appetite: Bete’avon
Yes: Ken
No: Lo
Where?: Eifo?
How much?: Kama?
Large: Gadol
Small: Katan
Cheap: Zol
Expensive: Yakar
Nice: Yafe
Good: Tov
Bad: Ra
Scenery: Nof
Road: Kvish
Street: Rechov
Guide: Madrich
Bathroom: Sheirutim
Hotel: Malon
Information: Modiin
River: Nahar
Car: Mechonit
Right: Yemin
Left: Small
Strait: Yashar
Here: Kan
There: Sham
Near by: Karov
Far: Rachok
I am a tourist: Ani tayar
Do you speak English?: Ata medaber anglit?
Fine: Beseder
I don’t speak Hebrew: Ani lo medaber ivrit
How much does it cost?: Kama ze oleh?
What is your name?: Ma Shimcha?
I want: Ani Rotze
I have: Yesh li
I don’t have: Ein Li
Taxi meter: Mone
Good morning: Boker tov
Good night: Layla tov
See you later: Le’hitraot
How are you?: Ma shlomcha?
I provide guiding services from the ports of Haifa and Ashdod. I specialize in passengers from cruise ships. My Rate is much more attractive than what you may buy on the ship.
Dear Ronen. My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and we both agree that your 8 days private tour was the best we have ever experienced. – Jim Layton
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Ronny. My friend in Israel. We had such fun on the tour. You do a great job of making everything pleasant and comfortable for all. You made the Holy Land real and live for us. Thank you. – Sam and Jill Biggs
Hi Ronen, We are still bragging about our pilgrimage tour to your wonderful country. It was our first private tour and we are so glad it was an excellent experience with you. Send our regards to your wife and your son. – Donald & Sara Finkel
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Dear Ronnie, We enjoyed our trip to Israel so much! It was all we expected and better! Thank you so much for a well-planned itinerary and for all the extras you provided. There were so many little extras that made this such a memorable tour! All this is due to your good organization and Knowledge. – Marty & Billy Sobol
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Dear Ronen, We have traveled many places with many great tour guides, but we believe you are the best! We have had our photographs printed and love sitting looking at them and remembering all the fun experiences we had. You exceeded all my expectations for a first time tour to Israel and I do not know how to thank you for your patience with our 3 kids. – Rob, Rhonda, Daniel, Sam and Ophira Schiller
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Hi Sergeant Ronen! Our trip to Israel was well planned, interesting, educational and most enjoyable. Thank you for arranging all the hotels. You are more than a tour guide and travel agent, you became our friend. – Lester & Alice Molen
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Dear Ronen
Just wanted to say how much we enjoyed our tour of Israel. You did a great job by helping us with the itinerary, by booking all the hotels and sharing with us your knowledge on this great country. All the best.
Jaime & Felicia Ashur
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Dear Mr. Ben Moshe
We have received some excellent comments after the trip to Israel which I would like to share with you. All you did was more than I could ever have anticipated. Your planning and timings were perfect, you were so knowledgeable and interesting at every site and you arranged so many little touches with all the activities, hotels and museums that I had not envisaged at all. The organization was very impressive. May god bless you and your family and all the people of Israel. Pastor T. Brown – Oklahoma.
Here we offer some suggestions about great Dead Sea Hotels.
Crown Plaza Hotel
The hotel houses a unique large freshwater pool with internal currents and is heated during the winter. The hotel’s Rosemarin restaurant serves three meals a day. The rich breakfast menu includes a salad bar with various cheeses and breads.
Lobby Carnival is the hotel’s dairy restaurant, serving an assortment of salads, sandwiches, toasts, pizza, ice cream, homemade cakes and a selection of hot, cold and alcoholic beverages.
Crowne Plaza Dead Sea offers a kosher Asian fusion restaurant – Sato Bistro – a culinary sensation of tempting dishes and amazing flavors.
The large and luxurious spa offers a fitness room, a heated pool with saltwater from the Dead Sea, two Jacuzzis, two sulfur pools, wet and dry saunas and two pressure showers. A wide variety of treatments are provided at the Spa.
The hotel’s entertainment staff offers a varied program of activities including shows, guest artists, games, workshops and more. Wireless High Speed Internet Access (WiFi) is available.
Archaeological digs
You can participate in an archaeological dig in Israel.
Banking
Each bank has different hours of operation. However, most banks are open Sunday – Friday 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
Bar and Bat Mitzvahs
Car Rental
Renting a car is more expensive than in North America or Europe. You’ll get the best deal if you rent for a week or a month. If you are more than four people you will probably need a van.
Cell Phones
Mobile telephones are widely used throughout Israel. There are three providers of service. Coverage is generally good. You can rent one prior to departure in the USA, upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport or via the concierge at major hotels in the large cities
Climate
For about eight months of the year Israel revels in warm and sunny weather. Winter rains fall between December and March, sometimes even in April, usually in storms of two or three days duration, with bright, mild intervals. It is difficult to state the average annual rainfall, for there are great variations, with northern Israel enjoying over 32 inches of rain every year, while the amount decreases as you travel south until in Eilat it is barely 1 inch.
Clothing
Modest clothing is required for most holy sites. For men – long pants and casual shirts. Women – skirts and blouses (with sleeves). Hats are recommended all year round.
Credit Cards
All major credit cards are accepted, even at the local grocer.
Driving
Speed limits are in kilometers: 50 kmh in the city, 80 on inter-city roads and 90 or 100 on highways. Seat belts must be worn in front and in back at all times. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed in the front seat.
Drinking
Minimum drinking age for alcohol is 18.
Electricity
Shavers, hair dryers, laptops, digital cameras and other appliances that are purchased in America are 120 volts at 60 cycles per second. Power in Israel is 240 volts at 50 cycles. Most hotels have converters in the rooms; batteries are widely available.
Entrance Fees
All of the National Parks, museums and Nature Reserves accept major credit cards. Average for entrance fees per person per day is $15.00.
Food
The Kosher kitchen is based on two main principles – firstly, only meat permitted by the Torah (Beef, Lamb, Deer, Turkey etc. and not Pork, Sea food, Camel etc.) and slaughtered by a licensed ritual slaughterer (Shochet) may be eaten, and secondly, there is complete separation between meat and milk. Most of the hotels in Israel are Kosher, so they will not offer you milk with your coffee after a meat meal. Not all the restaurants in Israel are Kosher. Should you want to feel “at home,” many American food franchises now operate in Israel: Burger King, Macdonald’s, Subway, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and more.
Gifts
Special gifts from Israel are: “Ahava” cosmetics from the Dead Sea, Olive Wood curving, Judaica, Diamonds and Eilat Stones, Archeological antiquities, ancient coins and Israeli art.
Health Insurance
Make sure that you have health insurance coverage.
Hotels
Accommodation choices are an important part of planning a trip to Israel. Boutique hotels, quaint B/B’s, country cottages and Kibbutz lodging are some of the suggestions. See recommended hotels.
Internet
Internet access is available in the Business Center of most major 5 star hotels as well as at Internet Cafes in the large cities.
Jordan
If you are interested in touring Jordan – from a day tour to Petra up to 4 day tourI can add it to your itinerary. Visas can be obtained on the spot at the border crossing near Eilat (Arava Crossing) and at the crossing in the Galilee near Beit Shean (Sheikh Hussein). To cross Alenby bridge (King Hussein) near Jericho you need a visa to Jordan from the Jordanian embassy in your country.
Laptops
If you plan on bringing your laptop or palmtop to Israel – fine. Most of the larger five star hotels have modular phone hook ups in the rooms. As for the smaller and out of the way hotels – use the hotel’s fax machine. Bring a long phone cord, as the phone jack may not always be conveniently located. Make sure that your charger is good for use on a 220-volt system and bring a plug adapter that will allow you to plug your gadgets into a standard Israeli wall outlet
Money
The NIS – New Israeli Shekel (or simply shekel) operates on the decimal system. American currency happily accepted in most places, but confirm the exchange rate used.
Newspapers
Newspapers in English language dailies: The Jerusalem Post and HaAretz. The former has inserts from the NY Times and the latter has an insert of The International Herald Tribune.
Passports
Passports are required for all foreign currency bank transactions.
Photography
Photography is not allowed in some museums and in some security-conscious facilities like the Knesset as well as in some “ultra-orthodox” neighborhoods. On the Sabbath, it is inconsiderate to photograph at the Western Wall and in “religious” areas.
Public Telephones
Public phones are plentiful and usually do work. Most of them operate today with a plastic credit card size phone card, available at post offices and your hotel newsstand.
Public Toilets
Known as WC, and available in most tourist locations. Be prepared with tissues in your pocket at all times. Also, be aware that some public toilets are staffed by attendants who ask for a “user’s fee”.
Safe: Most hotels have a safe in every room large enough for cameras, passports, and other small items.
Security
You and your bags may often be checked by security guards at public buildings such as shopping malls. Be cooperative — it is for your safety too. Do not leave your bag unattended – anywhere.
Shabbat
Taxes
There is 15.5% value added tax (VAT) on most goods and services in Israel. At retail stores, this tax is always already included in the price. Upon making a purchase of $100.00 or more at a gift store that has an agreement with the VAT authorities, you should fill out a form at the store and have it stamped there. You will be eligible, upon presenting the form and the item, for a 15/5% refund at the airport prior to departure. Do not pack these gift items in your luggage. They should be kept in your hand luggage along with the special VAT formed that you receive from the merchant.
Telephones
Direct dialing from your hotel room overseas is not cheap. Phone credit cards accepted. For calls within Israel, you’ll do better making calls with a TeleCard plastic card from a pay phone.
Tipping
It is accepted practice to tip restaurants, your tour guide and tour bus driver.
10 – 15% is a good bet.
Water
Although water in Israel is of good quality and suitable for drinking, you may not be used to the high mineral content. Bottled natural spring water is available everywhere – expensive at your hotel, more reasonable at the supermarkets.
Weights and Measures
Metric system used exclusively. A kilometer is a bit over a 1/2 mile – (0.62 miles). A kilogram is equivalent to 2.2 pounds.
RONEN BEN MOSHE
P.O.B. 720 HAR ADAR, 90836 ISRAEL
TELEFAX: 972 – 2- 5333972
MOBILE: 972 – 52 – 7271972
EMAIL: info@israeltours.biz
Shalom,
My name is Ronen Ben Moshe (Ronny). I am a native Israeli – “Sabra”. I have a master degree in Middle Eastern studies from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. I’m married to Sharon and have a wonderful boy, Eitamar.
I’m an official tour guide in Israel since 1994 and I want to invite you for an unforgettable visit to the Holy Land where history follows you wherever you go.
I specialize in individual, tailor-made, personal & private tours of Israel. Write your own itinerary or use my extensive local knowledge to give you an insight into the diversities of my country. In addition to visiting the traditional sites, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the different cultures, colors, and tastes that create the excitement of Israel. I can assure you of unlimited VIP treatment coupled with high quality, creativity and personal service.
I am a tour guide with my heart and soul and I love to show travelers new exciting places, give information about history, culture, customs, and traditions of the people and the sites. I always try to combine knowledge, information, and lots of fun.
My tours are catering to the needs of tourists and visitors to Israel, who want a private and attentive sightseeing experience. Small numbers mean better tours.
No tour is locked in – it’s up to my guests to decide if the tours proceed as originally planned, or are changed mid-stream. I provide luxury extras to ensure that every tour with me is a pleasure. Custom tours are easy to arrange, as I am not locked into a formula, or worst of all – a timetable.
The tour should suits your:
* Wishes
* Special Interests
* Photographic requirements
* Shopping targets
* Dates
* Time
* Pace
* Budget
Spend your vacation in the Holy Land with me, experience Israeli hospitality at its best and discover the Hidden country. Let me help you enjoy the holiday / vacation / tour you’re looking for in Israel.
Accommodation choices are an important part of planning a trip to Israel. Boutique hotels, quaint B/B’s, country cottages and Kibbutz lodging are some of the suggestions. You can handle all the bookings yourself or I can help you arrange your trip accommodation that will achieve the best custom designed itinerary. You can add a tour to Petra to your visit to Israel.
A luxurious and comfortable authorized Mercedes Viano van is waiting for you.
Looking forward to see you in Israel!
