By Deena Levenstein
Israel has been in the news more than usual the last couple of months and yet it’s one of the five happiest countries in the world. How does that make any sense?
Israel has always been, and remains, a complicated place. But a lot of us Israelis often ask ourselves, how do we get across how normal day-to-day life actually is here?

“Despite a complex political situation that seems to live in the headlines of international media, everyday life is astonishingly normal… There is a thrumming, modern and future-forward element that takes many visitors by surprise,” Patricia Schultz wrote in her recent article on travel to Israel.
That’s the thing about Israel and her people which you need to experience first hand in order to get – many of us are working feverishly on setting the ground for the future of our dear little country. From innovative artists to hi tech entrepreneurs, we’re working on building, on fixing and on creating a beautiful society.

In Schultz’s article, Joe Yudin, founder and CEO of Touring Israel, makes the point vis a vis the booming local culture of wine and cuisine:
“I specifically see a huge change in culinary and wine tourism. Twenty years ago you really had to look hard for a great meal and a superb Israeli wine.”
Not so anymore, said Yudin. “There has been a huge upswing in quality restaurants and wineries as a result of Israelis returning home from long trips abroad and melding that experience with local, ancient traditions.”
Israel is an inspiring enigma which you’ll begin to understand, and definitely begin to fall in love with, once you start experiencing it for yourself.
Israel is waiting for you!
Subscribe to our newsletter
you may also like
-
33 Flavors at the Mahane Yehuda Market – Part II
Read part I of 33 Flavors at the Mahane Yehuda Market here By Deena Levenstein We walked through the seemingly secret…
June 24, 2015 -
What’s new for kids in Tel Aviv
A local mom shares four new things to do with kids in Tel Aviv.
August 25, 2015 -
Jesus’ Last Passover Seder
This large, mostly empty room with decorated pillars and and arched ceilings, sits on Mount Zion, just outside Zion Gate. We sat in the cool space and discussed Passover, archaeology and the story of the Last Supper.
July 31, 2015 -
City of David – Of Kingdoms and Water – Part I
It was a cold and sunny winter’s day in December and it was a morning of storytelling – of King David’s conquest of what was then a Jebusite city, about how the Jebusites lived (how the women carried the water in jugs from the Gihon Spring), about the downfall of the Kingdom of Judah (fighting the Babylonians was a lost cause and Prophet Jeremiah said so), about King Hezekiah’s one last attempt, 2,700 years ago, to save his falling kingdom (it’s a miracle that they succeeded in creating a system to redirect the water into the walled city of the time) and more.
January 5, 2015 -
5 creative shops in downtown Jerusalem
From a muffin boutique to a make-your-own perfume shop, these 5 stores offer a unique and authentically Jerusalem experience.
September 4, 2015 -
Sunrise At Masada
By Joe Yudin, CEO of Touring Israel In case anyone misunderstood my last blog post about my reservations for having a…
March 29, 2016 -
Tu B’Shvat – If You Can’t Plant a Tree, Hug One
By Deena Levenstein While in certain parts of the world this season is known for bare trees and grey skies, Israel…
February 2, 2015 -
Passover In Israel
By Joe Yudin, CEO of Touring Israel Passover in Israel is indeed a unique experience. School is out not for one…
April 20, 2016 -
The Picturesque Town of Zichron Yaakov
A quaint town with stunning photo ops at every turn, Zichron Yaakov provides a peek into the lives of the early Jewish pioneers and their struggle for independence.
October 30, 2015