Capital | Tel Aviv |
Area | 27 800 km² |
Population | 7 210 500 people |
Official language | Hebrew and Arabic |
Currency | shekel |
Climate | summer +38°C winter +10°C |
Recommended type of holiday | sightseeing beach vacation (Mediterranean, Red) therapeutic (Dead Sea) |
About country
Israel, slightly larger than Massachusetts, lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Egypt on the west, Syria and Jordan on the east, and Lebanon on the north. Its maritime plain is extremely fertile. The southern Negev region, which comprises almost half the total area, is largely a desert. The Jordan, the only important river, flows from the north through Lake Hule (Waters of Merom) and Lake Kinneret (also called Sea of Galilee or Sea of Tiberias), finally entering the Dead Sea 1,349 ft (411 m) below sea level—the world's lowest land elevation.
Sightseeing
There are plenty of sandy, well-equipped beach resorts where you can sail, surf, swim or waterski or just sunbathe either at Eilat on the Red Sea, along the Mediterranean or even in Tel Aviv minutes from the city centre. The waters off Eilat are rich in coral and perfect for some underwater sightseeing. Scuba or snorkel on underwater trails, take a submarine tour, or just marvel at the scene through the windows of the Eilat's amazing Underwater Observatory.
The Israel Museum, the country's principal collection of its archaeology and ancient art, houses some of the world's most impressive archaeological discoveries. These include the Dead Sea Scrolls, at the Shrine of the Book.
Traditions
The Bottom Line Israel celebrates most of its holidays on a lunar calendar, not a solar one. And they do other things differently, too.
Bethlehem, the little town where Jesus is said to have been born is the site of the Church of the Nativity, which is ablaze with flags and decorations every Christmas. On Christmas Eve natives and visitors alike crowd the church's doorways and stand on the roof to watch for the dramatic annual procession. Galloping horsemen and police mounted on Arabian horses lead the parade. They are followed by solitary horseman carrying a cross and sitting astride a coal-black steed. Then come the churchmen and government officials. The procession solemnly enters the doors and places an ancient effigy of the Holy Child in the church. Deep winding stairs lead to a grotto where visitors find a silver star marking the site of the birth of Jesus.
Christian homes in Bethlehem are marked by a cross painted over the door and each home displays a homemade manger scene. A star is set up on a pole in the village square.
Cuisine
Israeli cuisine comprises local dishes and dishes brought to the country by Jewish immigrants from around the world. Since the establishment of the State in 1948, and particularly since the late 1970s, an Israeli fusion cuisine has developed.
Israeli cuisine has adopted, and continues to adapt, elements of various styles of the Jewish cuisine, particularly the Mizrahi, Sephardic, and Ashkenazi styles of cooking, along with Moroccan Jewish, Iraqi Jewish, Ethiopian Jewish, Indian Jewish, Iranian Jewish and Yemeni Jewish influences. It incorporates many foods traditionally eaten in the Arab, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, as falafel, hummus, shakshouka, couscous, and za'atar have become essential dishes in Israel.