Toby Abrams
tobyabrams
Toby Abrams
I moved to Israel from the states just as I turned 7. By 7.5 I learned two important things: firstly, that I was not in Kansas anymore and secondly, I learned simple Algebra: to buy something cost X in a hebrew accent and cost X+100 in an American Accent. Thus, I went through painful efforts ( including gargling water while trying to pronounce the Israeli “r”- Riesh) in order to get the accent right, which finally happened at around the age of 10.
I did not really feel like a tourist again till right before I enrolled to the IDF and went to France for my last 2 weeks of freedom. I traveled with one other friend- a native French speaker. We never received the same information she would receive the X’s while I always received the X’s+100, ugh! Now, although I hated it, I did learn to get around it: I learned to look things up myself, strike up conversations with locals, befriend them and then ask them for unique info and slowly but surly I learned to get closer to my X.
This art was mastered after my 2 year army service when I went to travel around South America. I was there for 9 months and cant say that I reached X entirely though I think I got pretty close. I learned to see beyond the check list of the tourist information pamphlets, the “Shlonley Shlanet”, and SHfrodders” text books and see things that are less touristic but not in the least less unique. I saw much more that way, I saw deeper, I made friends and I have damn better pictures!!!!
I have been a tour guide in Israel for 8 years now. Being a tourist by definition is not being a local (thus getting X) and that is ok cause you will always be a tourist outside your home town, but being a traveler has its own beauty to it. An innocence. A freshness.
Together with my experience as a tour guide and my personal passion for exploring new sites, seeing new things and people I would like to show you what there is to see beyond the Holy sites- known to the travel agencies. I want to introduce you to an Israel that is not on the news, to a great place that has been inhabited ever since the Homo Erectus left Africa till today!
Israel holds a story is more than you can learn in one life time. Sites that you cant see enough of, Cultures that cant get enough of it, and just happen to fight over it.
Come taste it. Come feel it. Come see it.
Allow me to introduce you:
“Israel, I would like you to meet
. now, follow me
”