Author Archives: Israelfortourists

Rigoletto Opera – May 15, 2014

Verdi’s Rigoletto will perform in the Amphitheater in Rishon-Le Zion city on May 15, 2014 at 20:30 pm.

The Opera includes full costumes, a Men’s quire (of the Israeli Opera house), the Israeli Symphony orchestra of RIshon Le Zion city; a unique ensemble set for the Opera.

Length – two hours!

A cast of 130 participants.

Watch Rigoletto on You Tube

  

Swan Lake modern dance ballet

Mathew Bourne’s world famous Swan Lake Ballet will perform in Israel on June 3-14, 2014 at the Israeli Opera house.

This modern  dance creation had been acclaimed world wide and offers a new reading to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s composition.  

Watch Swan Lake modern dance ballet group on You Tube 

  

Lana Del Ray- August 20, 2014

Del Ray will perform at the Ha’yakon Park, in Tel Aviv on August 20, 2014

Lana Del Ray is a New-York 27 year old singer, born by the name of Elizabeth Grant.

Her first famous hit was “Video Games”, in 2011.

Del Rey also features the theme song of Disney’s latest movie “Malefica” starring Angelina Jolie.

Lana Del Ray on You Tube

  

Brian Jonestown Massacre – July 2014

 

This will be Brian Jonestown’s second time in Israel.

They will perform at the Barbi club in Tel Aviv, this July.

The US band had been established in 1988 and being led by creator Anton Newcomb.
Their latest album “Revelations” is the reason for their world tour.

Brian Jonestown on You Tube

  

The bike Museum

The bike Museum is based in a communal settlement by the name of “Herev Le’et”, meaning a sword to be turned into a shuffle, in Hebrew. This settlement is located on route between Tel Aviv and Haifa, nearby the city of Hadera, reachable via route number 4. One of the inhabitants, Alon Wolf, established some four years ago a Bicycle museum at his back yard. Alon portrays himself as a bike lover, as of early age. He had collected renovated and re-made bicycles when he was much younger and had even hung them on the walls of his home… Years later, he had renovated an old barn in order to create a small private collection bicycles’ museum. Often Alon opens his private museum for tours and organizes bike-tour, something which is in combination – simply awesome. Alon paid attention to construct his museum on history pieces, as well as on contemporary ones. History is divided into telling the story as well as showing a variety of models. The museum easily reminds of the small and cozy small/private collection museums, spread around Amsterdam. It’s a true-lover’s collections place. Highly recommended.

  

The old train station in Jerusalem

One of the historic sites in Jerusalem is the old train station. These days it is called “The First Station“, as it has been shifted to a historic landmark combining bustling shops, restaurants and touristic commotion.

It is located at the crossroads of the old city and its newly built neighborhoods.

It is also surrounded by modern hotels, Night clubs and theaters.

Recreational activities are also set afoot at the station, such as Segway tours, Guided tours and Bicycle tours.

Young artists pose their craftsmanship and beautiful shops are offering fashion, to-die-for.

The site is visited on a daily basis by many locals as well as tours.

View “The old station” Website

 

  

Did you Know?

On Independence day, May 6, 2014 , the state of Israel will turn 66.

We all know a things about Israel; its history, about the Bible, places to go, the ethnic dishes, the great beaches….however, we thought that you may be interested in some other facts, pointing out the evolving state and its people.

Here we go -

o Did you know that at first, when the state of Israel was established, the leaders thought of naming it “Judea”. Others suggested “Zion” or “Kan’aan”.

o It was David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, who decided to use the name-”State of Israel”, so that all citizens could be called “Israelis”; instead of “Judeas” or “Jews”.

o What is Israel’s most favorite dish? Many will say it is the “Pfalafel”; meat balls made out of Humus or Ful. However in recent years, many people offer the delicious Humus, a dip used with Pitta or salad, originating in Egypt, thousands of years ago…
o Do you which city of the largest in Israel? Most people tend to believe it’s Tel Aviv, but it’s actually Jerusalem. In year 2014, the city inhabits some 800,000 citizens!

o Ha-Tikva is the Israel national Anthem. It has been used as of day one but it was acknowledged by law only in year 2004. Originally it had served the Zionistic youth movement and is based on the words by Naftali Herz Imbar.

o Israel began participating in the Eurovision song contest in year 1973. Singer Ilanit sang the famous song “Somewhere” which brought her fourth place.

o Later, in year 1978, Israel won the contest with Izhar Cohen’s song “ABA-NIBI”. Year 1979 won first place for group “Milk & Honey” with “HALE-LUYA”.
o In year 1998, Dana International won first place with “DIVA”.

o Year 2014 portrays a number of 8,107,000 citizens in the state of Israel, of which 75% are Jewish, 21% are Arab, 4% are “others” (non-registered newcomers, or citizens who prefer not to state their religion).

o Which animal is usually associated with Israel? The Camal… do you know why? Well, because Israel is partly a land of desert and the Camel is the desert’s ship. However, most contemporary parts of the country are non-desert ones, ad there ear many horses, dogs, cats, and a variety of other species in the land …

o Did you know that a special siren of one to two minutes is sounded in Israel, on the Holocaust Memorial day and on Memorial Day, by which the public in Israel stands at attention, in respect of the memory of the dead? It is customary that traffic stops and drivers step out of the cars, in order to stand attention during the sounding of the siren.

o Did you know that the world quality of life survey, published in October 2010, rates Israel the 15th (even ahead of Denmark!) in quality and length of living…

o Did you know that Israel’s start up firm, by the name of “Given Imaging” had developed a uniquely small video camera?

o Did you know that Yeshiva students who declare that their holy studies are their main path life (and who do not work) receive a draft postponement, and in actuality never join the army. This is an ongoing public debate in Israel and as for now, all attempters to change the situation have failed.

o Did you know that in recent years, all elevators built in Israel have special brail buttons for easy use for the blind?

o Did you know that both “Microsoft” and “Cisco” had established their R&D facilities outside the US- in Israel?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number of Hi-Tech firms, outside of Silicon Valley?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number of start-up companies in the Western world?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number of scientists and engineers per capita than any other country in the world?

o Did you know that US-Israel two-way trade exceeded $18 billion in 2000?

o Did you know that an Israeli start up firm, by the name of “Check-Point” had created the well known “Firewall technology”, currently used around the world, to secure corporate and personal networks?

o Did you know that The IDF does not recruit, on a mandatory basis, Israeli Arabs, and only a small amount of them chooses to volunteer to the army? However, many Bedouins choose to voluntarily join the IDF. In terms of Druze and Circassian men, a mandatory recruitment is adhered.

o Did you know that AOL’s instant message program was designed by an Israeli Software Company, by the name of “ICQ”?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number, except from the U.S., of a ratio of patents filed creations?

o Did you know that young girls, as of 18, who declare that they maintain a religious work style, get an immediate exemption from the army (the IDF)? They have the opportunity to join the National Service instead, doing various tasks in volunteer community work.

o Did you know that Israel produces more scientific papers per capita – 109 per 10,000 – than any other nation?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number of solar-power water heaters (per head) in the world?

o Did you know that Israeli scientists developed the first fully computerized, scanning device for breast cancer?

o Did you know that the “Baby-Sense” is yet another product that had been developed in Israel, and is used for preventing Sudden death in infants?

o Did you know that Israeli an Israeli firm by the name of “Tecnomatix” created the software that is used by many major car manufacturers to manage their production?

o Did you know that Israel is ranks as number two (1) in the world for VC’s, outside the US?

o Did you know that Israel is the largest immigrant absorbing country (per head of curse)?

o Did you know that Israel has one of the highest numbers in Museums per capita?

o Did you know that Israel is one of very few worldwide nations that has the capability to launch its own satellites into space.

o Did you know that in relativity to its population, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech industries in the world?

o Did you know that Israel has and still is sending her emergency forces to help local populations in times of national disaster? Some examples are Romania, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, and other places.

o Did you know that US-Israel has the largest number of startup companies, in absolute terms, than any other country in the world, save the US (around 3,500 companies mostly in hi-tech)?

o Did you know that many Israeli companies are on the US stock exchanges (126) after the US and Canada, with market capitalization of over $35 billion?

o Did you know that Israel is one of the most secure countries in the world –to do business with? English is the official business language.

o Did you know that the cell phone was developed in Israel by “Motorola-Israel”? Motorola had established its largest development center worldwide in Israel

o Did you know that in recent years, foreign entities invested more than $3 billion in the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange?

o Did you know that Twenty-four percent of Israel’s workforce holds university degrees, thus ranking third in the industrialized world, after the United States and the Netherlands?

o Did you know that Israel has been at the frontier of some of the major technological advances in recent years, including: the cell phone, most of the Windows NT operating system, the Pentium MMX Chip technology and voice mail (ICQ) technology was also developed in Israel?

o Did you know that Israeli bank-notes have brail writing on them so the blind can identify them?

o Did you know that Arab patients, from Israeli-hostile countries (such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia etc.) are being treated in the various hospitals in Israel, in discretion?

o Did you know that Israel has the fourth largest air force in the world (after the U.S, Russia and China), including an aerial immense arsenal?

o Did you know that glue on Israeli stamps is kosher?

o Did you know that almost one third of all Israelis are volunteers?

o Did you know that half of he youth population in Israel volunteer? Surveys show an increase of 13% in the last five years.

o Did you know that in July 2003 UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee declared Tel Aviv as “The White City” – the unique, historical, and architectural Municipal texture in the heart of Tel Aviv, to be a World Heritage site? With this declaration the international community recognized the architectural and urban qualities of Tel-Aviv-Jaffa as an attractive tourism venue on the world map.

  

Yom Hazikaron (Memorial day)

Yom Hazikaron is the name for Israel’s Memorial Day is an Israeli national holiday.

The holiday is watched on the 4th day of the month of Iyar (of the Hebrew calendar), consistently foregoing the next day’s commemorations of Israel Independence Day, Yom Ha-Atzma’ut, on the 5th day of Iyar, the anniversary of the Declaration of the State of Israel in 1948.

This holiday honors veterans and soldiers who gave their lives for the defense of the country or any of the Israeli security services who perished in the modern Arab Israeli wars, as well as fallen members of the Jewish Brigade, and of the various paramilitary organizations who fought for the rise of the state of Israel.

Yom Hazikaron also recalls civilians murdered by acts of terrorism. As of Yom Hazikaron 2008, Israel honors the memory of 22,437 people who were killed in the line of duty including non combat related deaths during military service, an addition of 132 since 2007, and 1,635 civilian terror victims.

The day incorporates many national services for fallen soldiers in which high ranking state officials and military officers are present.

The day begins the prior evening at 8:00 pm, precondition that in the Hebrew calendar days commence at sunset, with a one-minute siren in the course of which the majority of Israelis stand in stillness, (at attention); remembering the fallen in an exhibition of respect.

A two-minute siren is sounded the next morning, at 11:00, which marks the opening of the official memorial ceremonies and individual remembrance gathering which take place at each graveyard where soldiers are laid to rest. The day formally draws to a close between 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the official opening ceremony of Israel Independence Day on Mount Herzl, when the flag of Israel is raised back to full mast.