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We all would love to help you with resturant recomendations - when asking please specify which US hechsherim you eat - so we can give suggestions you would eat in!

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Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat

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Hatzolah AND Ambulance 101 or 1221
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Drivers - Yisroel - Executive Drives - 972-58 411 1671 - see page 654, post 9800 for review

Misc. Reviews
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Activities

Jerusalem Area

Begin Museum- outside the Old City
Caliber 3- Shooting Range in Gush Etzion
Ramparts Walk- on top of the Old City walls
Tzomet Institute - Alon Shvut
Kotel Tunnel Tours/Old City Jewish and/or Muslim Quarter Tours (PM satturn if you want a private tour)
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Churva/Ramban
Machon Hamikdash
Burnt house
Gichon
4 Sephardi Shuls
Old Yishuv Court
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2048 - Tlv - Incredible fun experience! Active Activities in each room. cool team game, electrifying, challenging and especially fun!
Time Elevator in Jerusalem- Don't waste your time.
City of David (Ir David)-Amazing-you must take a tour to fully understand the site.
Segway tour-interesting way to waste a few hrs-NOT an absolute must do
Biking - Beatiful trails in the valleys outside of the city. PM Drago if interested.
http://tmsifting.org/en/visitor-and-volunteer-information/
https://www.patbamelach.com/
https://www.galita.co.il/en
Yad Vashem
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FB group with many ideas of activities
https://www.facebook.com/groups/kidsdaysoutisrael

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The suitability of the area around the separate beach area varies.

Separate Areas for Men and Women:
Tveria - Kinar Hotel
Tveria - Chof Menachem
Tveria - near Chamei Tveria
Yam Hamelach - International Beach
Yam Hamelach - Chamei Zohar

Men: Mon, Wed, Fri - Women: Sun, Tues, Thurs
Akko X2
Ashdod
Ashkelon
Bat Yam
Chaifa X2
Hertzilya (only in the summer?? BZ only??)
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Men: Tues, Fri - Women: Mon, Weds
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Chadera '
Men Morning: Sun, tues, thurs  - afternoon: Mon, wed, fri
Women Morning: Mon, Weds, Fri - Afternoon: Sun, Tues, Thurs
« Last edited by Euclid on October 03, 2023, 11:46:22 AM »

Author Topic: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread  (Read 2284389 times)

Offline Dan

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9280 on: August 14, 2017, 11:32:47 AM »
Yup, I'm sure you all know better than Rav Belsky did.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline yitrap

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9281 on: August 14, 2017, 11:37:10 AM »
Rabbi Belsky Z"L said OU israel is the same as OU USA
Without getting involved (Ha!)

You personally heard him say that or you heard from someone?

Offline aygart

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9282 on: August 14, 2017, 11:41:27 AM »
Yup, I'm sure you all know better than Rav Belsky did.
Well, considering how what they posted has been full of substance it looks like they may. I mean look at all the differences they wrote between them. ::)
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline HKFS

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9283 on: August 14, 2017, 11:53:36 AM »
How so?

The motivation and potential for kashrus fraud are both much higher in Israel.

OU in the US encompasses various different streams of Orthodoxy. OU in Israel is pretty much an exclusively MO institution, with MO staff, MO values and MO ideas about kashrus.

Yup, I'm sure you all know better than Rav Belsky did.

Rav Belsky's declaration was made after "scandalous"  revelations that OU Israel's kashrus seemed to be operating at Rabbanut level standards.

Around the same time of his declaration, the person most capable of ensuring that from that point forward "OU Israel is the same as OU USA" announced that he no longer worked for OU Isreael and would no longer comment on there kashrus operation.
The oilam who cared took notice and remained unconvinced.

Offline moish

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9284 on: August 14, 2017, 11:55:21 AM »
R' Krakowski is the head of OU Israel today and is not MO

Offline HKFS

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9285 on: August 14, 2017, 12:08:14 PM »
R' Krakowski is the head of OU Israel today and is not MO

https://www.ouisrael.org/staff/

Offline aygart

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9286 on: August 14, 2017, 12:14:23 PM »
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline henche

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9287 on: August 14, 2017, 12:15:26 PM »
https://www.ouisrael.org/staff/

eh, no different than OU non-kashrus staff in the U.S.

The OU is MO, other than the kashrus arm.

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9288 on: August 14, 2017, 12:17:14 PM »
Where is the kashrus divisions website?

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9289 on: August 14, 2017, 12:39:04 PM »
Where is the kashrus divisions website?
You have been speaking so confidently about how they are different yet you link to the non-kashrus portion?

https://oukosher.org/faqs/ou-israel/
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9290 on: August 14, 2017, 01:57:27 PM »
You have been speaking so confidently about how they are different yet you link to the non-kashrus portion?

https://oukosher.org/faqs/ou-israel/

In response to a claim that R' Krakowski is head of OU Israel. 

I get it that in theory there can be separate kashrus devision with different hashkafos.  I just pointed out that it didn't stat that way and there is no indication that there is a robust kashrus arm of the OU in Israel which is independent of OU Israel.  R' Krakowski was brought in in an attempt to patch over a public relations episode.  Prior to that, OU Israel kashrus was an attempt by OU Israel to capitalist on the OU name to bring in money.  What it's purpose now is not so clear and their standards and operations are not very transparent.  Almost everything in Israel that bears on OU also bears another hechsher.  Israeli consumers and American ones living in Israel will in most cases judge a product by it's other hechsher.  There is no readily apparent need for the OU to affix it's symbol on products intended for the Israeli market so it would seem that their primary purpose is still to bring money in for OU Israel.

Offline aygart

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9291 on: August 14, 2017, 02:23:35 PM »
In response to a claim that R' Krakowski is head of OU Israel. 

I get it that in theory there can be separate kashrus devision with different hashkafos.  I just pointed out that it didn't stat that way and there is no indication that there is a robust kashrus arm of the OU in Israel which is independent of OU Israel.  R' Krakowski was brought in in an attempt to patch over a public relations episode.  Prior to that, OU Israel kashrus was an attempt by OU Israel to capitalist on the OU name to bring in money.  What it's purpose now is not so clear and their standards and operations are not very transparent.  Almost everything in Israel that bears on OU also bears another hechsher.  Israeli consumers and American ones living in Israel will in most cases judge a product by it's other hechsher.  There is no readily apparent need for the OU to affix it's symbol on products intended for the Israeli market so it would seem that their primary purpose is still to bring money in for OU Israel.
You have your facts and history very wrong. OU Kashrus has always, both in the US nad in Israel, been a fundraiser for the OU organization. They have never represented otherwise. At one point OU Israel was one of the most respected hechsherim in Israel. This is within the last 20 years. Then R' Rubin chose to separate from the OU and make his own hechsher. Once he separated they needed to rebuild their infrastructure. Even these mistakes don't explain what the relevance of the MO OU Israel organization is to whether or not R Krakowski is or isn't the head of OU Israel Kashrus. Nor is it really relevant why they brought him in and what their previous issues may have been. The one and only question which is relevant is whether or not they are performing reliable supervision right now.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline HKFS

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9292 on: August 14, 2017, 02:46:31 PM »
You have your facts and history very wrong. OU Kashrus has always, both in the US nad in Israel, been a fundraiser for the OU organization. They have never represented otherwise. At one point OU Israel was one of the most respected hechsherim in Israel. This is within the last 20 years. Then R' Rubin chose to separate from the OU and make his own hechsher. Once he separated they needed to rebuild their infrastructure. Even these mistakes don't explain what the relevance of the MO OU Israel organization is to whether or not R Krakowski is or isn't the head of OU Israel Kashrus. Nor is it really relevant why they brought him in and what their previous issues may have been. The one and only question which is relevant is whether or not they are performing reliable supervision right now.

Are you claiming that Rav Rubin certified products intended for the Israeli market for the OU? At what point was OU Israel " one of the most respected hechsherim in Israel"? I was in Israel about 20 years ago and OU was nowhere to be seen.

Offline cholent

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9293 on: August 14, 2017, 02:55:20 PM »
Are you claiming that Rav Rubin certified products intended for the Israeli market for the OU? At what point was OU Israel " one of the most respected hechsherim in Israel"? I was in Israel about 20 years ago and OU was nowhere to be seen.
Rav Rubin worked for the OU before opening his own hashgacha. Rabbi Elefant from the OU, who is a tremendous talmid chacham as well as in a position to know, has assured me that OU Israel maintains the same standards as OU in the US
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9294 on: August 14, 2017, 02:59:21 PM »
Are you claiming that Rav Rubin certified products intended for the Israeli market for the OU? At what point was OU Israel " one of the most respected hechsherim in Israel"? I was in Israel about 20 years ago and OU was nowhere to be seen.
R Rubin's hechsher displayed the OU very prominently on every product he supervised including chicken for the Israeli market. At that point it was one of the most respected hechsherim, similar to R Rubin's current hechsher. Immediately after he separated, the OU needed to rebuild their infrastructure. That was about 20 years ago. As I no longer live there, I cannot tell you about their current standards, but what you are writing based upon their affiliation with the MO organization is simply rubbish. It always was that way both in the US and in Israel.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline henche

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9295 on: August 14, 2017, 02:59:34 PM »
Rav Rubin worked for the OU before opening his own hashgacha. Rabbi Elefant from the OU, who is a tremendous talmid chacham as well as in a position to know, has assured me that OU Israel maintains the same standards as OU in the US

Why did you need to ask Rabbi Elefant? Didn't Rabbi Belsky say it?

Offline HKFS

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9296 on: August 14, 2017, 03:01:28 PM »
Rav Rubin worked for the OU before opening his own hashgacha. Rabbi Elefant from the OU, who is a tremendous talmid chacham as well as in a position to know, has assured me that OU Israel maintains the same standards as OU in the US

Are you claiming that Rav Rubin certified products intended for the Israeli market for the OU? At what point was OU Israel " one of the most respected hechsherim in Israel"? I was in Israel about 20 years ago and OU was nowhere to be seen.

Has the same standards or maintains the same standards?

Offline cholent

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9297 on: August 14, 2017, 03:02:10 PM »
Why did you need to ask Rabbi Elefant? Didn't Rabbi Belsky say it?
I asked him before I heard what Rabbi Belsky said. But there is value in hearing it today from someone still involved
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

Offline cholent

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9298 on: August 14, 2017, 03:03:08 PM »
Has the same standards or maintains the same standards?
Maintains
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

Offline HKFS

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #9299 on: August 14, 2017, 03:06:03 PM »
Maintains
Fair enough. Never-the-less,

The oilam who cared took notice and remained unconvinced.