Shiksa in Israel

Who trusts random Taxi drivers?

Not the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.
Check out the sign that's in the front of their luxury lobby.

Think about that when you think about taxis in Israel.

p.s. I think it's more about getting scammed than being unsafe, but taxi info seems right for my safety category.

Slow for Inspection

Somehow I expected that we'd see more signs like this one - Slow for Inspection - while driving around Israel.
The only Inspection stops I recall are: entering Jerusalem, and entering the Airport. That's a heck of a sentence; hopefully it makes sense to you.

You know how you immediately feel guilty whenever a police officer is near? That's how it feels when you approach a checkpoint or see one of these signs. But it's just a feeling. Even if you're a shiksa you're not guilty so don't fret. The inspection is no big deal.

Don't believe me? CSJ and I arrived at a Jerusalem checkpoint half covered in Dead Sea mud, half dressed, and half wet...and the gun-carrying guard guy didn't even flinch.

Anyone ever have a real problem (for no good reason) at a checkpoint? Let me know.

Safety? How does it feel to BE in ISRAEL?

I can't tell you the number of times I've been asked about safety and how it feels to be in Israel? CSJ would say that's because I cannot count, but really it's because I cannot count that high.

Everyone I meet and speak to and already know asks that question.

The answer is simple: do not avoid Israel because you fear for your safety.

In 2006 there were 42,682 people killed in traffic accidents. That's more than the number of Americans killed in the Korean War and more than 10 times the number of Americans killed in Iraq (thank you, July US News and World Report).

I swear I am not trivializing the possibilty of unsafe conditions in Israel, I'm just saying you can be afraid of anything if you want to, or you can get out of your house, out of your state, out of your country and see this amazing world.

Did we think about our safety? Of course. Did we ever actually feel unsafe? No. Except maybe when I was parking the car in a tight spot in a dark underground parking lot with my sunglasses on.

Peace in Israel in 2009?

(from the NYTimes)...The Israeli and Palestinian leaders committed themselves on Tuesday to negotiate a peace treaty by the end of 2008, setting a deadline for ending a conflict that has endured for six decades.

if this news is true, and possible, it will no doubt change travel to Israel. obviously numerous other things will change as well but I'm focused on my mission to inform any/all independent travellers to Israel. so, yea! finally! I'll keep my fingers crossed but won't hold my breath

in the meantime, please note that travel in Israel is much safer than you might imagine. I have a "safety" post planned. stay tuned.