Something Fishy's First Trip to Israel - Planning Thread

[skyguy918]

See the birds
https://natureisrael.org/Birding

... And, as mentioned, bird watching.

Birding is definitely something I can spend a week doing, but not sure my wife will be too interested. I'll look into the details and take it from there.

If you're going with the wife, and plan to do future trips anyway, don't bother with birding this time. Summer is relatively dead, compared with the abundance of migrating birds in winter and spring. Hula Valley is the main hotspot, though I'm sure on a dedicated birding trip there'd be other areas of interest.

An estimated 500 million migrating birds now pass through the Hula Valley every year.

[Dan]

Don't leave J'lem without having Falafel Uzi

[YitzyS]

Don't leave J'lem without having Falafel Uzi

Number 9 on the map...

[SOS]

Definitely need a Chevron/Kever Rochel tour

If you are renting a car go to kever rochel on a Thursday night, its open 24 hrs? then... and the parking lot is much emptier.
No need for a tour

[Dan]

If you are renting a car go to kever rochel on a Thursday night, its open 24 hrs? then... and the parking lot is much emptier.
No need for a tour

It's included on Chevron tours.

[SOS]

Visit Belz

Isn't he satmar

[SOS]

It's included on Chevron tours.

It's much quieter at night....
I enjoyed it more.. but to wach their own

[SOS]

But what about pretend Satmars like Fishy 

Also depending how satmar you are some people go to the kosel hakoten...

Past the turnstile by the security gate, so the Zionist's don't include you in the count of how many come to the kotel

No security gate there

[Dan]

So do Satmars go to Chevron?

[Joe4007]

So do Satmars go to Chevron?

As previously stated by @chff, there isn't a universal Satmar approach. Each person/family has their opinion as to what should or shouldn't be visited.

[Mikes@Micro]

I should be in Israel then. LMK if you need anything prepared.

There are many private, new vacation rentals in the area around Belz and Ramat Eshkol, etc. A few can be booked on AirBnb but most are more "heimish". Very dif experiance than a hotel which many seem to prefer.
In Tzfas I found the hotels especially underwhelming and sent time in beautifual Tzimmers. http://www.nofharashbi.co.il/gallery.htm check out the pics of this one. Notihing like Kabbolas Shabbos up there. (You should fit into the arizals mikva).

IsraelExtreme has many options of guided activities. Currently working on a list of things you can (but prob shouldnt) do on your own.

They have rental cars in his size? In my days most rentals were little go carts

They have many options, most spacious seem to be these odd shaped minivans. Prices much much cheaper with an agent. Many take the train to Yerushalayim and rent here.

Arab quarter tour with @satturn is fantastic!
Ramparts walk on the old city walls is a must do as well.

I have personally met @satturn and he is terrific. There is a guy Yankelowitz who does a very unique tour of as many gates to Haar Habayis as possible. DM for his number,
He would also know about SFs neeeds:

Maybe someone gives a Satmar approved tour of J'lem?

Definitely need a Chevron/Kever Rochel tour

Def agree that if you are going to daven, just go and daven. On your own. Skip the tour. Was there at 130am this past week: found some really sincere yidden sitting on the floor saying tikkun chatzos, couples on the way home from their weddings, etc..

Adding to my previous post, I'll note some specific recommendations. I made a list on this map (which is a picture of a physical map. Location on Google Maps is here.)

I'm sure others will have many other recommendations for other sites on this map. Here are mine, as labeled on the map:


4- Probably not much of an attraction anymore, but that was Rav Dovid Soloceitchik's house. Until last month, you were able to walk up and peak in the window to see him.

Excellent work!
OT: R' Dovid Zt"l moved to an apartment in Eli Hakoehen 19 a little before last chanuka. The Levaya started there  ע"ש.

[SOS]

 There is a guy Yankelowitz who does a very unique tour of as many gates to Haar Habayis as possible. DM for his number,
He would also know about SFs neeeds:

+1
Very interesting tour and person

[ExGingi]

Gotta do some research on the hachsheirim, but blind, Iraqi, Georgian, and Yemenite sounds like a perfect lineup. I'm not going to israel for their pizza .

I don't know any of those places, and while they definitely look very interesting, I doubt that anyone that really cares about Kashrus would eat from any of these places.

Na Laga'at lists Rabbanut Tel-Aviv as their certification. The standard for Rabbanut kashrus in EY is definitely below what anyone that is scrupulous in kashrus would accept. Starting with what they will allow as ingredients, through the level of supervision.

For the other places, I didn't see any Kashrus information on the website, which serves as an indication to me that a high level of kashrus isn't an important feature for them.

[Zalc]

The 2 unique experiences where I've had a better time than I expected:

Bullet factory tour: the chutzpa and ingenuity is amazing!

Beit Shearim: a cave where seemingly R yehuda hanassi's  extended family was buried...
we went with a guide who had much more info to add, but you can look it up.

PS there is a great chocolate factory that I forgot the details of.

[Ergel]

Bullet factory tour: the chutzpa and ingenuity is amazing!

Somehow, I don't think this would go over so well if he won't go to the kosel. Though it is really cool.
Dig for a day is fun too, but moreso if you are going with kids

[Shauly101]

how are you getting in there?

[AsherO]

how are you getting in there?

He's hoping (expecting?) borders will be open to foreigners by the time he's scheduled to go.

[Dan]

Somehow, I don't think this would go over so well if he won't go to the kosel. Though it is really cool.
Dig for a day is fun too, but moreso if you are going with kids

Dig for a day is great, but definitely save for when he's going with his daughter.
Better question is why isn't he going with his daughter? (She may be paying me off )

[Dan]

Def agree that if you are going to daven, just go and daven. On your own. Skip the tour. Was there at 130am this past week: found some really sincere yidden sitting on the floor saying tikkun chatzos, couples on the way home from their weddings, etc..

AFAIK, public chevron tours all include kever rochel, but CMIIW.

[Something Fishy]

Okay, can we please just assume that I'll be going to the Kosel, Kever Rochel, Chevron, and all other terrible, terrible places?

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming .