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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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2048 - Tlv - Incredible fun experience! Active Activities in each room. cool team game, electrifying, challenging and especially fun!
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Segway tour-interesting way to waste a few hrs-NOT an absolute must do
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H/T Drago
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Sunrise tour of Masada, Ein Gedi, and Dead Sea aprx $70

Good summary of many hikes:
http://hikingintheholyland.com/

FB group with many ideas of activities
https://www.facebook.com/groups/kidsdaysoutisrael

Separate Beaches - AS OF 2022!
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
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Akko X2
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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 2283227 times)

Offline Emkay

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #10240 on: May 06, 2018, 07:11:10 AM »


Most hechsherim you run into on a daily basis here are on your run of the mill modern orthodox - "yeshivish" Jews list of things they eat.


Same can't be said for Israel.

And in Israel you have many more hechsherim that some people hold and their neighbor doesn't even though they may be from same type of community. It gets complicated real quickly.

What everyone does doesn't make something less complicated from a halachik point of view.  How do you know "input hasgacho of choice here" is any good? Do you know their shitos across the board? Do you know what they hold in regards to slight complications in bishul akum? Or what they rely on to kasher chocolate factories? Or  a full list of other hechserim they will rely on? Or what the standards of the masgiach they hire by the event is? Or the other million questions.
I imagine not, and you are relying on a holy and knowledgeable bearded man to relay accurate info which you lean on.
So why can't you have the same for hasgachos in Israel? Find a knowledgeable and trustworthy rav in Israel to ask all your questions to.
Don't point to crowd ignorance and tell me that's what makes it complicated.

Offline sky121

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #10241 on: May 06, 2018, 07:32:50 AM »

What everyone does doesn't make something less complicated from a halachik point of view.  How do you know "input hasgacho of choice here" is any good? Do you know their shitos across the board? Do you know what they hold in regards to slight complications in bishul akum? Or what they rely on to kasher chocolate factories? Or  a full list of other hechserim they will rely on? Or what the standards of the masgiach they hire by the event is? Or the other million questions.
I imagine not, and you are relying on a holy and knowledgeable bearded man to relay accurate info which you lean on.
So why can't you have the same for hasgachos in Israel? Find a knowledgeable and trustworthy rav in Israel to ask all your questions to.
Don't point to crowd ignorance and tell me that's what makes it complicated.
Honestly, I think a lot of peoples Ravs here in the US aren't familiar 100% about all the hechsherim.

Meanwhile you seem to be getting 'defensive' about it.
 Why is it so crazy a thought that the ways of a certain place might make it harder to know which hechsherim you follow versus another?




"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline Abey

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #10242 on: May 06, 2018, 09:31:56 AM »
Going to take my 5th trip to Israel in the past 11 years and still no clue which restaurant hashgochas are good and which are not. So much simpler in the US...
2 jews 3 opinions....only more so in israel

Offline aygart

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #10243 on: May 06, 2018, 10:29:22 AM »


Honestly, I think a lot of peoples Ravs here in the US aren't familiar 100% about all the hechsherim.


That would be a reason for it to seem less complicated.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Dan

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Re: Israel Master Thread: Things To Do, Places To Eat
« Reply #10244 on: May 06, 2018, 05:42:59 PM »
Is it really? There are many times more hechserim in the US then in Israel. There are roughly 10 standard ones in Israel.
Do you not have access to a single Rav in Israel that you trust and will listen to whatever he says?
Every city has their own rabanut mehadrin. Are they on a level of the OU in the US?
Beit Yosef?
I never spent time in Israel other than short vacations here and there, why would I have a Rov there?

Never have any issue when I go to Chicago, LA, Miami, Toronto, etc. The major hashgochas are all acceptable and life is simple.
« Last Edit: May 06, 2018, 05:46:21 PM by Dan »
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Offline Dan

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10245 on: May 06, 2018, 07:11:46 PM »
Any wineries worth doing with kids?
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Offline sky121

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10246 on: May 06, 2018, 07:45:04 PM »
Any wineries worth doing with kids?

I was told Psagot winery but never went so can't tell you for sure.
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline Dan

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10247 on: May 06, 2018, 10:37:42 PM »
Pro tip: Always cross check with the Kashrus agency, especially in Israel.
So crazy:
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Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10248 on: May 06, 2018, 11:49:52 PM »
I was told Psagot winery but never went so can't tell you for sure.
Definitely nothing for a kid to do there
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline Buruch

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10249 on: May 07, 2018, 02:45:12 AM »
So crazy:

Ya, you can't trust any merchant here.
We were in the shuk and asked a guy what the hashgacha on his eatery was, and he says badatz. I asked if I can see the certificate, and he says "actually we're not certified by badatz, but we keep all their chumros".

Offline Emkay

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10250 on: May 07, 2018, 03:10:52 AM »
Ya, you can't trust any merchant here.
We were in the shuk and asked a guy what the hashgacha on his eatery was, and he says badatz. I asked if I can see the certificate, and he says "actually we're not certified by badatz, but we keep all their chumros".
If you could trust them they wouldn't need hechserim.

Offline Dan

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10251 on: May 07, 2018, 07:29:02 AM »
Again, this stuff doesn't happen in the US.
Not sure why we're pretending that Israel isn't much for complicated for travellers.
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 aygart

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10252 on: May 07, 2018, 08:06:21 AM »
Again, this stuff doesn't happen in the US.
Not sure why we're pretending that Israel isn't much for complicated for travellers.
It doesn't happen in the US? Where have you been?
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Emkay

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10253 on: May 07, 2018, 08:24:41 AM »
Again, this stuff doesn't happen in the US.
Not sure why we're pretending that Israel isn't much for complicated for travellers.
Of course it does.

Offline as2

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10254 on: May 07, 2018, 08:52:59 AM »
It doesn't happen in the US? Where have you been?
Of course it does.
For real? Yes there are problems, but there are select kashrus organizations in every city and nationwide, that often recommend each other. When was the last time a local restaurant opened, and nobody knew if the kashrus was good? And a year later it was still open, and still nobody knew? That's not typical here in the US. If I have a local agency, I can rely on them for info when I'm in another state. In Israel it's a lot less clear cut. I'm not sure what you are sitting here pushing at, but either you're privy. To something we're not, or you are oblivious to reality.
Memories last forever, make them while you can.

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10255 on: May 07, 2018, 10:05:40 AM »
When was the last time a local restaurant opened, and nobody knew if the kashrus was good? And a year later it was still open, and still nobody knew?
Just look in the Crown Heights thread.

Even without that, let's go to a case comparable to @Buruch . An Israeli comes to the US and goes to NYC. He walks into a random coffee shop and asks them if they are kosher. The guy says that they are but when asked for a certificate hems and haws. Don't think that can happen?

You don't think there are small hechsherim in NYC that it is unclear whether or not to rely on them?
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Dan

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10256 on: May 07, 2018, 10:09:01 AM »
Just look in the Crown Heights thread.
What am I looking for?

Even without that, let's go to a case comparable to @Buruch . An Israeli comes to the US and goes to NYC. He walks into a random coffee shop and asks them if they are kosher. The guy says that they are but when asked for a certificate hems and haws. Don't think that can happen?
Where they say they are under the OK but they are actually under the Cup-K but happen to sell something that is OU?
No, I don't.

You don't think there are small hechsherim in NYC that it is unclear whether or not to rely on them?
Of course, and places like the CRC will tell you not to eat there. Pretty simple.
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.

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10257 on: May 07, 2018, 10:10:05 AM »
Any wineries worth doing with kids?
i went as a kid to yarden and really enjoyed
#TYH

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10258 on: May 07, 2018, 10:13:50 AM »
What am I looking for?
Where they say they are under the OK but they are actually under the Cup-K but happen to sell something that is OU?
No, I don't.
Of course, and places like the CRC will tell you not to eat there. Pretty simple.
There was discussed there about a certain restaurant which had some lack of clarity regarding the hechsher, then was open with no hechsher, then under the owner's hechsher or something like that. Maybe the real story ids more clear but that too requires research.

I've seen cases where stores claim they have a hechsher they do not. Especially when they are talking to a foreigner who they feel they can trick.

Many of them the CRC is more likely to tell you they are unfamiliar.
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Re: Things To Do In Israel Master Thread
« Reply #10259 on: May 07, 2018, 10:17:27 AM »
There was discussed there about a certain restaurant which had some lack of clarity regarding the hechsher, then was open with no hechsher, then under the owner's hechsher or something like that. Maybe the real story ids more clear but that too requires research.
They lost their hechsher due to a violation. I wouldn't eat there until they had another reputable hechsher. What's the big deal?
Same goes for Delice in LA. Nothing complicated about that at all.

I've seen cases where stores claim they have a hechsher they do not. Especially when they are talking to a foreigner who they feel they can trick.
Pretty ballsy to do it in writing. US kashrus agencies have pulled their hashgocha over smaller items than that.

Many of them the CRC is more likely to tell you they are unfamiliar.
They've told me not recommended before when I've asked. Easy peasy.
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.