While most people’s travel plans are currently being canceled or postponed, there’s no harm in planning for the next trip that you’ll be able to take once the world gets back to normal function.

One area that you may want to consider visiting is Israel. Especially if you’re a religious person, Israel could have some particular significance to you. Or, if you’re just a lover of history, the region of Israel can be a great place to explore and learn more about. So if this is something that interests you, here are three tips for traveling to Israel for the first time.

Understand Shabbat

Like most places, Israel is likely to have very different legal cultures and traditions than you’re used to. Arguably the best example of this is their observance of the Sabbath or Shabbat.

According to Anthony Grant, a contributor to Trip Savvy, most things around Israel are closed from Friday afternoon to Saturday night, which is when the Jewish Sabbath, or Shabbat, is. While you will likely still be able to go to a restaurant to eat, a lot of public transportation stops running during this time, so make sure you plan for this when nailing down your itinerary while you’re in Israel.

Learn Common Hebrew Phrases

Although many of the people living in and visiting Israel will speak at least some English, it’s always a good idea to learn some of the most common phrases that you’ll be using when visiting a different country.

Wendy Altschuler, a contributor to Forbes.com, shares that some of the best phrases you should learn in Hebrew, which is the official language of Israel, are:

‘Shalom’, meaning ‘Hello’
‘Toda’, meaning ‘Thank you’
‘Ken’, meaning ‘Yes’
‘Lo’, meaning ‘No’
‘Bevakasha’, meaning ‘Please’
With these phrases at the ready, you should be able to at least attempt to speak to the locals of Israel in Hebrew, even if you’re not able to have an entire conversation in this language.

Be Vigilant Against Violence

Just like with most places that you’ll visit around the world, there’s always a chance that some sort of violence could break out while you’re traveling around Israel. But while you can’t know when and where something dangerous will take place, you can create a plan to keep yourself and the rest of your group safe and ready for whatever may happen.

As part of this, Elizabeth Smith, a contributor to USA Today, warns that you should take extra precautions when you’re in the Old City or when visiting religious sites, especially if you choose to visit on a Friday, during the weekend, or over a holiday.

If you’re wanting to plan a trip to Israel, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare for your first adventure there.

Originally posted on April 8, 2020 @ 1:00 pm