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

126.

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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127.

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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128.

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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129.

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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130.

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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131.

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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132.

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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133.

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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134.

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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135.

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

Independence day

by Sharon

Independence day in Israel is most times celebrated on May but can be before. Worth checking it as the holidays here are based on the Hebrew calendar which is based on the Loona (moon).If you're in Tel Aviv then i would recommend you to you go on the nigt of the Independence day to the main square of Tel Aviv - Rabin Sq.The celebrations there normally starts at aprx 19:00 and includs some ceramony, famous local artists performence, Fireworks and lots of happy people.Most of the young people (i.e. ages 20 - 35) would be normally celebrating in clubs and private parties so dont be surprised to see a majority of married couples with kids and teenagers.However if you're here in independence day and you dont know any Local that you hang out with then that will be a nice experience for you.

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RELIGIONS

by mtncorg

The array of religions and customs is truly amazing here. There is the big three - Judaism, Christianity and Islam, but then there is also Ba’Hai, Druze, and the multiple sects of Christianity and Judaism. Many of the people could be described as pretty fervent believers, so be respectful of their practices and beliefs - as they become known to you.

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BORDER AND IMMIGRATIONS

by mtncorg

Some borders remain closed between Israel and its neighbors - specifically, those with Syria and Lebanon. Those with Egypt and Jordan are well-known for the time it can take to cross. Within Israel, there are the multitude of crossings into this Palestinian sector and that. Ease of entry depends upon whom you are, where you might be going and what the present situation is. At the international airport at Ben Gurion, give yourself several extra hours when leaving. Again, the amount of delay depends upon who you are and what you have been doing. It took me almost five hours to clear customs after having spent time working in Palestine.

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Shabbat

by slometa

Don't forget about Shabbat, especially if you depend on public transportation and eating out (but the latter can be catered by Arabs). So, plan consciously what you do from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset . Of course also depends where you are - bigger or smaller city.

What's In Your Lunchbox?

by gilabrand

In my day, before school cafeterias in America offered hamburgers and pizza for lunch, children brought sandwiches to school. The two all-time favorites were peanut butter and jelly, and tuna fish with mayonnaise. In France, I’m told that jambon and butter is the sandwich of choice. In Israel, there is no question about the hands-down winner: chocolate sandwiches. When I first arrived, this combination of chocolate and bread struck me as weird and unappetizing. Actually, America went through a “fluffernutter” stage – marshmallow fluff and peanut butter sandwiches - so I guess it shouldn’t have shocked me so much. I always frowned on those mothers who took the easy way out and sent their kids to school with chocolate sandwiches instead of doing the motherly thing of standing there in your pajamas every morning chopping eggs for egg salad sandwiches and concocting all sorts of nutritious...

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Fit to be Fried

by gilabrand

One of the long-standing traditions of Hanukkah is eating latkes – potato pancakes. American Jews usually serve them with sour cream or applesauce. In Israel, this tradition has been largely replaced by eating jelly doughnuts – sufganiyot. The common denominator here is that both are fried in oil. The story of Hanukkah dates back to 165 B.C.E., when a band of Jews recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem from the Syrian-Greeks. When they entered the desecrated sanctuary, they found only enough pure oil to kindle the menorah for a day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days. To commemorate this miracle, fried foods are the order of the day (or rather, week). Sufganiyot go on sale sometime around the end of November, several weeks before the holiday. You’ll see them everywhere, in supermarkets, bakeries, street kiosks and open markets – big puffy rounds the size of tennis balls, sprinkled...

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Let It Spin

by gilabrand

A dreidel (“sevivon” in Hebrew) is a special top that kids play with on the holiday of Hanukkah. Traditionally, it has 4 flat sides, each with a Hebrew letter on it , standing for the words "Ness Gadol Haya Po" (A Great Miracle Happened Here). I grew up with dreidels imprinted with a different lettering. The miracle of Hanukkah took place in Eretz Yisrael – the Land of Israel, hence the word “po,” which means “here.” Dreidels made outside of Israel have letters corresponding with the words “Ness Gadol Haya Sham” (A Great Miracle Happened There), “sham” meaning “there.” Kids spin the top just for fun, or play a game in which you win or lose depending on what letter it falls on. The "pot" could be anything - pennies, candies, or whatever. When I was little, my siblings and I played with raisins. We were a large bunch (six kids) and I guess that was the least expensive option…The best is...

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Before the Wedding

by gilabrand

Hina: A pre-wedding ceremonyThis is a Yemenite custom, as far as I know, but in Israel, it has been adopted by people from other ethnic groups, among them Moroccan, Kurdish and Iraqi Jews. A few days before the wedding they have what is called a "hina" party - which is actually henna - the stuff that dyes hair kind of reddish and is used in henna tatooes. They make a paste of this henna and it is brushed on the palms of the bride and groom, leaving a yellowy-brown stain. Exactly what it's for, I can't say. Maybe good luck.The couple dresses up in traditional garb and the family dances and sings around them. At a Yemenite hina I attended, the women arranged candles in a big flat tray covered with sand, lit them and danced with the tray on their heads. The musical accompaniment was provided by the men, who beat out a rhythm on big square jerrycans that were once filled with gasoline....

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A Fruit to Dye For

by gilabrand

The pomegranate (rimon) grows wild in Israel. On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it is customary to make a blessing over this fruit, praying that our merits will be as numerous as its seeds. The tree itself is a bit on the scrawny side, but the crimson globes that ripen toward the end of the summer are lovely to behold. The pomegranate is one of the seven fruits symbolizing the Land of Israel, along with wheat, barley, grapes, olives, dates and figs. It was among the fruits brought back by the scouts sent out by Moses in biblical times, as proof that the land was fertile. Pomegranate-shaped adornments embellished the robe of Aaron, the high priest (Exodus 28:33-34) and the capitals of the pillars of the Temple (I Kings 7:18, 42). Often, the handles of Torah scrolls in the synagogue are decorated with silver pomegranates. The top of the fruit looks like a little crown. Eating a...

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Good For You And Tasty, Too

by gilabrand

The Middle Eastern chickpea dip called hummus is not a secret anymore. Now you can get it in the supermarkets all over the U.S. Even so, it can't compare to the authentic version you get here. In restaurants, it is served as in the picture: A big dollop on a plate with a little indentation in the middle for olive oil, then sprinkled over with parsley and a little paprika. Usually pickles and olives are served alongside it, with a plate of hot pita bread. You can also order it topped with whole chickpeas or with ful - a flat brown bean that people in the Middle East love (I like it, too), although I think it may be an acquired taste...Hummus can definitely be a meal in itself.You pull off chunks of the bread and scoop up the hummus. Made of ground chickpeas and techina (a sesame seed paste) it is not only tasty, but good for you - something that doesn't often go together. Another plus is...

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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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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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