NOTES FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS
Visas – Travel documents
Tourists visiting Israel needs a passport that is valid for at least 6 months, plus a return ticket. As for visas, visitors from the U.S, Canada, and many other countries are exempted.
Vaccinations
There is no need for vaccination for traveling to the Holy Land
Health and Accident Insurance
It's highly recommended to arrange for a Health Accident Insurance before you depart your home state, it should cover the dates of your planned trip taking into consideration time consumed in transportations and difference in time. We advice our dearest pilgrimages and tourists to seek for a comprehensive insurance package that covers hospitalization, prescheduled flights, bills settling and reimbursements.
You should bring all the medication you use or need and the quantity that covers the whole period of your stay. Pharmacies will not respect prescriptions from abroad, only pain relief pills such as Advil and Tylenol and similar can be sold without prescription. If you suffer from preexisting medical problem we recommend that you consult your physician to guide you for the appropriate steps.
We wish your visit will be prospered.
Currency
The Currency used in the Holy Land (Israel and the Palestinian Authority) is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS); the average exchange rate is NIS 3.5 – 4.00 for 1 USD, and 5.00-5.50 for 1 Euro. Bank notes are in denominations of NIS 20, 50, 100, and 200; coins are in denominations of NIS10, NIS5, NIS1 and 50, 10 and 5 agorot.
Banks are opened from Sunday – Thursday, working hours are from 8:30 – 13:30. Holders of international credit cards can withdraw local at banks which accept their credit cards. There are Automated Teller Machines outside most banks. Many ATMs will provide foreign currency, and you can see at the ATM if that service is provided.
Electricity
Electricity in Israel is 230 Volts, alternating at 50 cycles per second, you will need a voltage converter If your device that does not accept 230 Volts at 50 Hertz.
Time
The time in the Holy Land is GMT plus two hours. Summer time has the clocks move forward one hour in late March and set back in October.
Religious Holidays
The three major religions existing in the Holy Land are, Judaisim, Christianty represented by the Easteren and Western Churches and Islam which is following the Sunit faith. There are more three religions, the Druze, the Samaritian and the Bahai faith.
Valuables
We recommend that you deposit you valuables in the safe in your room or in the safety boxes in the hotel.
Calling Home
