 Travelling and living in Israel |
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| Have you travelled or lived in Israel or are you planning to? Ask and answer questions on this thread, and discuss what you like and dislike about travelling and living in Israel. Originally part of "Geography question" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Mell Mell Post Count: 15453 Msg: #1 29 weeks ago, June 14th 2009 | Do you like Israel Yoav? | The impression I have of it is that it is a sunny, exotic place with things like kebabs and humos to eat. I havent been there yet, to confirm my preconceptions. I dont know yet when I will make it there. So many countries..... [Edited: 09:28 - Mell ]  yoavbo Yoav B Post Count: 28 Msg: #2 29 weeks ago, June 14th 2009 | Like every Israeli, I guess it's some kind of love-hate relationship. | http://www.roadjunky.com/article?c=Israel The guides here most accurately reflect how the country is like. But if you come to Israel as a tourist, it's a different story. If you religious, it's one of the most interesting places to see. If you're an atheist (like me), it could still be an intriguing experience. Israel is very different from Europe. People are warmer, louder, more to-the-point. In the cities, everyone is always in a hurry. The beaches are nice. It's a country of endless conflicts: Jews vs. Arabs, religious vs. not-religious, Russians vs. non-Russians, etc. For the outside observer I guess it could be interesting. Mell Mell Post Count: 15453 Msg: #3 27 weeks ago, July 1st 2009 | Blogs about Israel | Mell Mell Post Count: 15453 Msg: #4 27 weeks ago, July 1st 2009 | Is it safe to travel in Israel at the moment? What is your opinion, Yoav? Also, the same question to those who are travelling there at the moment. | Mel yoavbo Yoav B Post Count: 28 Msg: #5 27 weeks ago, July 2nd 2009 | It's definitely safe to travel in Israel, as it's been for the last four decades. | Statistically, the chances of getting hurt in a car accident in Israel are much higher than getting hurt in a terrorist attack. I don't know many traveler who would avoid a country because high death rates in car accidents (not that they're THAT high), so those fears are irrational. Besides, in the last few years, suicide bombings within the country's international borders have been reduced almost to zero, due to some security measures that were taken. Mell Mell Post Count: 15453 Msg: #6 27 weeks ago, July 2nd 2009 | Thanks Yoav :) | Israel is certainly going on my list of places to visit. I dont know when yet, but I would love to go there. I meet a lot of Israeli people when I travel, and am getting curious about where they come from. That list of places to go to keeps growing. Hope I live long enough to get through it. :) Mell Mell Post Count: 15453 Msg: #7 26 weeks ago, July 3rd 2009 | Is working in a Kabitz(dont know how to spell it) in Israel still a thing that backpackers do? I havent heard any talking about doing that for years. | anonymous Post Count: 15453 Msg: #8 26 weeks ago, July 3rd 2009 | I guess some people still do that. I have some Israeli friends who are working in a Kibbutz. | But mostly the Kibbutz is dead - most of those places stopped being a Kibbutz and others are in deep financial trouble. Actually I know more people who are originally from the Kibbutz but are living and working the city. yoavbo Yoav B Post Count: 28 Msg: #9 26 weeks ago, July 3rd 2009 | hey that was my post up there | Mell Mell Post Count: 15453 Msg: #10 26 weeks ago, July 5th 2009 | How did they get in such financial trouble? I thought Kibbutz life is simple and self sustaining. | [Edited: 09:22 - Mell ] yoavbo Yoav B Post Count: 28 Msg: #11 26 weeks ago, July 6th 2009 | Well, it has a lot to do with the economic story of Israel. | The Israeli economy went trough a tremendous change in the last few decades. During the 50's, shortly after its foundation, the economy of Israel was mainly state-driven. The ministry of finance would decide who get to build what, where and gave the appropriate funds. In that time, agriculture was a booming industry a major source of foreign currency. The Kibbutz was very much in-sync with the Israeli way of life. Moreover, the government had marketed it just as you said - simple and self sustaining. It was considered the best way to live at the time. However, during the 90's Israel went trough a massive process of reform and privatization. Technology became the dominant export field and the economy is driven by private investors, with the stock exchange playing a major role. Most of the Kibutztim didn't see that change and were left behind. The state stopped supporting agriculture, and today it accounts for less than 3% of Israeli exports. The Kibutzim mostly didn't manage their finances very well and are facing huge deficits. Some of them managed to get rich by selling or renting portions of their to real estate developers. Anyhow, the old-skool Kibbutz model is almost non-existent today. Mell Mell Post Count: 15453 Msg: #12 26 weeks ago, July 6th 2009 | Thanks for the informaiton, Yoav. :) | Number of Users: 3 | Number of Posts: 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
