Israel enjoys long, warm, dry summers (April-October) and generally mild winters (November-March) with somewhat drier, cooler weather in hilly regions, such as Jerusalem and Safed. During winter, there may be rain mainly in the north and center of the country, with much less, if at all in the northern Negev.

Israel time zone is 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) and 10 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (PST). Daylight Saving Time begins on the Friday before the last Sunday of March, and ends on the last Sunday of October.

The currency in Israel is the Shekel. Click here to review current exchange rates. Most places accept American credit-cards and ATMs are widely available, however, we recommend bringing some cash with you to exchange upon arrival as some smaller/remote areas will not have these services.

The official language spoken in Israel is Hebrew. Most of the Israeli’s working in the tourism industry speak English. Additionally, many of the locals also speak or have an understanding of English.

If you plan on bringing electrical appliances, please keep in mind that Israel uses a 230 volt electrical current. Therefore you may need to bring a voltage converter for certain appliances (laptops usually have this built in). You will also need an adapter to plug items into the wall (usually a two circular prong).

We have an action-packed itinerary and are constantly on the move. However, during those evenings when your program finishes early, you may invite your family/friends to visit you at your hotel (with the permission of your tour guide). You may also invite your friends/family to join you on your free nights out.  In accordance with Birthright rules, you are not allowed to leave your group under any circumstances.

Spending money:  you will be provided with two meals a day (breakfast and dinner).  Lunch is on your own and is usually a quick and inexpensive stopover to buy a sandwich, salad, fries etc.  You may also want to purchase souvenirs.

Tips: It is customary in Israel to tip your tour guide and bus driver at the end of the program.  The professional staff on the trip work around the clock to ensure the success of the program.  We recommend participants each bring $100 for 9-14 day trips and $70 for 7 day trips which will then be divided between your tour guide/bus driver/security guard and medic.  Altogether, we recommend bringing around $250-$300 to include spending money, souvenirs and tip.

You do not need any special vaccinations for visiting Israel. However, we do recommend you have an up-to-date tetanus shot. If you take any prescription medications you MUST make your counselors aware of these. We encourage you to include them on your carry-on luggage together with your prescription.

All meals provided throughout the trip and on the plane are strictly kosher under the hechsher of the Rabbinate in Israel. If you have any special dietary requirements such as vegetarian, lactose intolerant etc, please ensure you make your counselors aware of these and to also enter this information in your Birthright Israel application. To order a special meal for the plane, please send an email to info@israelonthehouse.com – please be aware that special meals ordered for the plane will not be kosher (with the exception of ELAL airlines).  If you do have a special diet, we suggest packing some snacks for the plane in the event the airline does not provide the special meal we have requested.

Israeli tap water is perfectly safe to drink. However, for those who prefer bottled water, your tourbus is stocked with large bottles of refrigerated mineral water that can be purchased at an extremely low price. We strongly suggest carrying a bottle of water to all activities as the weather can be extremely hot and the risk of dehydration (especially during the summer) is incredibly high.

We encourage participants to leave expensive/valuable items at home. Any personal items that you choose to bring are your liability and we highly recommend you take out travel insurance to cover any valuable personal belongings.

Depending on your location, there may be WIFI at your hotel.  We advise participants not to bring personal computers as we will not take any liability for loss or damage to such items. We recommend renting an Israeli sim card with a data package, as this is the most reliable way of keeping in touch.

Shabbat is a perfect time to rest and reflect on your experiences throughout the trip. Sachlav | Israel on the House ensure that nothing in the program will force or encourage participants to violate the rules of Shabbat or any Jewish holidays that fall within the trip. We also expect participants to be respectful of other individuals’ beliefs and levels of observance.

Birthright Israel has a set of rules which they expect participants from all trip providers to abide by.

* Be on time and participate in all program activities


* Listen to and respect your counselors  and tour guide


* No illegal drugs


* No drunkenness or excessive alcohol consumption


* No leaving the group without authorized permission


* No violent behavior, physical or verbal abuse of any kind


* No rudeness or bullying of other participants