Visas and Passports to Israel

 

If you are a Canadian or US citizen, you do not need a visa to travel to Israel, but a passport valid for at least six months is required. Please note that if you have an Israeli passport, you must use your Israeli passport to enter and exit the country. 

Also, when entering Israel, you will receive an AL-17 form. Save this form until your departure. 

 

 

Local Time

Israel is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 10 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. At 7pm in Israel, it is Midday in New York. It should also be noted that Israel has its own dates for switching to daylight saving time, and during the autumn the difference between Israel and GMT may only be one hour.

 

 

Currency and Exchange Rates

 

The Israeli currency is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS).  Each shekel is divided into 100 Agorot.  The banknotes are in denominations of 20, 50, 100 and 200 Shekels. Coins are in denominations of 1, 2, 5, and 10 Shekels, and 5, 10, and 50 Agorot.  ATMs are widely available in cities and towns and are easily the best way to access funds conveniently. Traveler's checks are NOT widely accepted in Israel, yet if you feel compelled to bring them, you can exchange the traveler's checks (and cash) commission-free at post offices. Foreign currency may be exchanged at any banks and at many hotels. Most banks' operating hours are: Sunday through Thursday from 08:30am - 12:00pm and from 4:00pm - 6:00pm.

 

 

Shops

Shops are open daily from Sunday to early Friday afternoon, and certain shops may re-open late on Saturdays, after dark, for a few hours. Tel Aviv is always the exception when it comes to the weekend, and most cafés and restaurants are open for business all day. 

Restaurants & Cafes

Israel has experienced a real culinary boom over recent years, with a host of international restaurants opening in the cities – most notably in Tel Aviv. Some of the restaurants are kosher, meaning they adhere to Jewish food laws regarding the way meat is handled by butchers, they keep certain foods off the menu (such as pork or shellfish) and both dairy and meat products are never available in the same establishment. The majority of meals on offer at dairy restaurants will be suitable for vegetarian diners, although most meat restaurants will also have a fair selection of vegetarian dishes available. Having said this many of the trendier restaurants in the big cities, especially Tel Aviv, are non kosher, with a variety of options available.