Israel Local Customs

  Succot Four Species market in Bnei Brak
by iblatt
 
  • Succot Four Species market in Bnei Brak
      Succot Four Species market in Bnei Brak
    by iblatt
  • Scrutinizing a citron; 4-Species market, Bnei Brak
      Scrutinizing a citron; 4-Species market,...
    by iblatt
  • Examining the myrtle; 4-Species market, Bnei Brak
      Examining the myrtle; 4-Species market,...
    by iblatt
  • Four-Species market, Bnei Brak
      Four-Species market, Bnei Brak
    by iblatt
  • Boy with palm branch, 4-Species market, Bnei Brak
      Boy with palm branch, 4-Species market,...
    by iblatt
 

Most Viewed Local Customs in Israel

1.

Religious Holidays   Jerusalem

Religious Holidays, Jerusalem

 21 Reviews  Good Friday, the day on which Jesus was crucified, according to the Christian belief, is a festive day in the Old City of Jerusalem. Pilgrims from every continent flock to the Via Dolorosa Church of... 

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2.

Language   Tel Aviv-Yafo

Language, Tel Aviv-Yafo

 1 Review  The people speak hebrew or Arabian. They don't speak english or good english everywhere. Learn some words in hebrew and arabic, it will help you. A few examples: toda means thank you in hebrew.... 

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3.

Panorama Shopping Mall   Haifa

Panorama Shopping Mall, Haifa

 1 Review  Go to the Panorama Shopping Mall. They have excellent Israeli items as well as the usual wares. The Panorama Center was established in 1986. It is located in the heart of the Carmel, adjacent to the... 

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4.

Tradition   Jerusalem

Tradition, Jerusalem

 36 Reviews  In Jewish Orthodox synagogues men and women sit separately, usually the men in the hall and the women on the balcony, although other arrangements also exist. As the Wailing Wall also serves as a place... 

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5.

Israeli Currency   Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israeli Currency, Tel Aviv-Yafo

 1 Review  The Israeli Currency is NIS = New Israeli Shekel, in in short as we say Shekel. From time to time im updating here the Currency rates just to give an idea of the aprx current rate: If you must have an... 

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6.

Local Food   Tel Aviv-Yafo

Local Food, Tel Aviv-Yafo

 2 Reviews  Every year since 1996, at the end of May the "Taam Hair" food festival takes place. The location is at Ganei Yehoshua (huge park), just near the exhibition center. For a few days, the most famous... 

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7.

Weather   Tel Aviv-Yafo

Weather, Tel Aviv-Yafo

 1 Review  Here is some information about the weather in Israël. I went in august, when a heatwave was there. The temperature in Tel Aviv was then about 38 degrees Celcius, this is not normal for the end of... 

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8.

Independence Day   Tel Aviv-Yafo

Independence Day, Tel Aviv-Yafo

 3 Reviews  This photo was taken in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on the eve of our Indepence Day (26.4). It shows part of a fireworks display and people watching it. We were celebrating 56 years since Israel was... 

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9.

Mimouna Celebrations   Tel Aviv-Yafo

Mimouna Celebrations, Tel Aviv-Yafo

 1 Review  The Mimouna is unique to Moroccan Jewry, and its festivities are celebrated by Israel's Moroccan Jewish community immediately following the conclusion of Passover. The community opens its doors to all... 

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10.

Phone Calls   Tel Aviv-Yafo

Phone Calls, Tel Aviv-Yafo

 1 Review  Making a phonecall? Buy a phonecard at the local store. Just put it in and dial the landcode, arecode without a zero and the number. Calling in Tel Aviv? Area code is three. Furthermore just dial the... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Sunsets over Jerusalem and Sinai

by Kuznetsov_Sergey

I was lucky to fill up my collection of beautiful sunrises and sunsets over the great places all over the world. This time it was a very picturesque sunset over Old City of Jerusalem which I admired from the Mount of Olive. You can watch my 6 min 56 sec HD Video Sunset over Jerusalem out of my Youtube channel.I watched another magnificent sunset while I was strolling the Marina and Lagoons in Eilat. The sun was falling over the Eilat’s Mountains making the area wonderful. You can watch my 3 min 01 sec HD Video Eilat Beaches and Promenades in the evening out of my Youtube channel.

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Singing and dancing in Israel

by Kuznetsov_Sergey

What can tell more about local customs than local people singing and dancing? I enjoyed Jewish singing and dancing in Jewish Quarter in Jewish Passover in Jerusalem.You can watch my 3 min 25 sec HD Video Jerusalem Singing and dancing in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City.I also enjoyed Jewish children singing on Jaffa Square:4 min 39 sec HD Video Jerusalem Jaffa Square Children singing out of my Youtube channel.I enjoyed people dancing (most of them were tourists, I think) in Mamilla:3 min 16 sec HD Video Jerusalem People street dancing in MamillaAnd finally - street dancing in Eilat:2 min 27 sec HD Video Eilat Beaches and Promenades part 5 out of my Youtube channel.

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Holocaust Remembrance Day

by iblatt

Once a year, on the 27th of the Hebrew month Nissan, a week after the end of Passover, Israel observes a day of remembrance for the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremonies are held all over the country. Holocaust survivors tell their chilling, hair-raising stories, and light torches in memory of those who perished. This is intermixed with readings and musical interludes.Bars, cafes and entertainment places are closed, but otherwise this is a working day, people go to work, shops are open and public transportation runs as usual. On the morning of Holocaust Remembrance Day a siren is heard all over Israel for 2 minutes, and the whole country stops its activity, stands still and remembers.

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Folk Dancing: Join in the Circle!

by iblatt

Israeli folk dancing is a very popular activity in Israel. In many towns and cities, during the summer months, you can watch (and participate in) folk dancing in the town square or on the promenade in the warm evenings. You can see the young and the old (but mainly middle aged...) go through the dance movements, some are graceful and some are awkward, everything goes...Some people come for the fun, some for the exercise, some to show off their dancing ability and some lonely hearts to look for others. A caller, or DJ, runs the show. Most dances are performed in circles, some in rows. It's fun, it's an authentic Israeli experience, and it's free!!

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Ossuaries

by VeronicaG

As we approached Dominus Flevit on the Mount of Olives, we wandered by this necropolis containing several ossuaries. FYI: Ossuaries are "chests, buildings, wells or sites made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains*"I found it interesting to learn that a Jerusalem necropolis is made up of tombs placed in important areas surrounding the city wall. These tombs extend out in all four directions forming a ring and are situated outside the town limits, ideally located near quarries. I read that this particular necropolis is an example of a 'hewn' tomb. There have been about 1000 tombs such as this discovered in the last 150 years around the Holy City**.As you can see from my picture, a contemporary exterior protects this ancient burial site (pic #2). *wikipedia**See 'Jewish Funerary Customs, Practices and Rites in the Second Temple Period' by Rachel Hachlili

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The Golden Menorah

by VeronicaG

A golden menorah, weighing a half ton and containing 95 pounds of pure gold. It was crafted by a group using exact descriptions of the original menorah once standing in the Jewish Temple on Mt. Moriah, also known as, the Temple Mount.The menorah's home was originally at the Cardo, but was relocated to its new site near the staircase on the Western Wall plaza. It represents the dream of the Jewish people, which is to have a temple once again.

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Have a Falafel

by VeronicaG

Never having tasted a falafel, I was anxious to try this typical food item, which consists of an oversize pita, chickpeas or fava beans and lettuce. Finding it tasty, I ordered it a few more times during our travel through Israel.I sampled my first falafel in the Jewish Quarter at a small stand, costing me $6 including beverage. The chickpeas were rolled to form a small ball, then fried to create a crunchy filling for the pita.This was a quick vegetarian meal and conformed with the kosher rule*. A falafel is considered a fast food in Israel.FYI: *Dietary rules say pork, shellfish are forbidden. The serving of milk and milk products cannot be eaten with meat. Thanks, unaS, for explaining this better that I did originally!

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The Mezuzah

by VeronicaG

We noticed mezuzahs affixed to doorposts most places we traveled. The mezuzah contains two separate scriptures from the Torah known as Shema and Vehaya.Mostly of clay, but also of metal, they contain a piece of parchment with these scriptures* written carefully on them which are rolled up left to right and placed within. Both passages contain these words, "and you shall inscribe these words upon the doorposts of your house and upon yours gates." It is a sacred blessing.I purchased one for our own home, but as yet it is not hung up. Unfortunately, when I entered The Temple Mount the entire box was taken from me and I lost the parchment and scriptures with it. Only the mezuzah was returned to me--how disappointing!FYI: Shema--Deutermonomy 6:4-9 and Vehaya--Deuteronomy 11:13-21.

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Compare them

by unaS

Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are both large cities with very different 'atmospheres'.Jerusalem is the religious centre of the 3 major monotheistic religions. The atmosphere is permeated with it.Tel Aviv is the social and play centre of Israel (also Eilat). It is 'the city than never sleeps'. Beaches, promenades, clubs, bars, discos...whatever you enjoy.The comparison of the two would make a fascinating trip, I think.

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Eating "street food", the Falafel

by Martin_S.

Each country has its finger food and street food (or "fast" food if you like).....Here in Israel the most popular are schwarma and falafel. The Falafel is a pita bread split in half and then filled with falafel balls (made from ground fried chick peas), to which is then added salads, hot peppers (pilpel harief), hot sauce (schug), french fries (chips), tahina (ground sesame seeds) and onions (batzal). You then take this HUGE thing and try to fit it in your mouth to take a bite...try and imagine ME doing that with a mustache that gets in the way of sandwiches of any kind.In the photo you can see Hrvojka's reaction to her first Falafel.

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Local traditions and culture in Israel

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Local Customs: Cities in Israel
  1. Jerusalem Local Customs
  2. Tel Aviv-Yafo Local Customs
  3. Eilat Local Customs
  4. Haifa Local Customs
  5. Herzliya Local Customs
  6. Netanya Local Customs
  7. Nazareth Local Customs
  8. Akko Local Customs
  9. Masada Local Customs
  10. Lake Tiberias Local Customs
  11. Arad Local Customs
  12. `En Gedi Local Customs
  13. Ashdod Local Customs
  14. Ramat Gan Local Customs
  15. Mizpe Ramon Local Customs
  16. Ra`ananna Local Customs
  17. `En Boqeq Local Customs
  18. Bat Yam Local Customs
  19. Daliyat el Karmil Local Customs
  20. Zefat Local Customs
  21. Qiryat Shemona Local Customs
  22. Yeroham Local Customs
  23. Beit Jann Local Customs
  24. Nahariyya Local Customs
  25. Hadera Local Customs

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Popular Regions in Israel

Tel Aviv District Local Customs  Jerusalem District Local Customs  Haifa District Local Customs  Southern District Local Customs  Central District Local Customs 

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Questions and Answers

sisca_s712 profile photo

Q:  Shallom, I'll be in Israel for holiday on 16th feb i just wonder how is the weather so i could prepare for clothes since i come... 

Martin_S. profile photo

A: Hi and Shalom. First of all, welcome to Israel ^O^ Most places in Israel, even in the big cities are considered totally safe and all the public transportation is safe... 

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