ISRAEL
BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

Israel is the only Jewish country in the world—and within it lies an incredible amount of history, culture, and diversity. It’s home to smaller communities and traditions found nowhere else. Everywhere you turn, there are new colors, experiences, and stories to explore.

OLD BUT NEW,
AND FILLED WITH CHARM AND HISTORY

Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art
Located in Jerusalem, this museum is a gem hidden in plain sight. I must have walked past this building multiple times without ever stopping in. The synagogue inside is over 300 years old—originally built in Conegliano, Veneto, Italy, then dismantled, transported, and reassembled in Jerusalem in 1951 (which is unbelievable on its own) so reminiscent of the synagogue route in the Israel Museum!

Fun fact: The synagogue is small, but so charming! It is still in use today for Shabbat services. It houses the world’s oldest known Torah ark curtain, dating back to 1572.

TOWER OF DAVID MUSEUM

Tower of David Museum
The Tower of David has always been one of my favorite places in Israel. The site’s foundations date back to the 2nd century BCE, rebuilt and expanded by Romans, Crusaders, Mamluks, and Ottomans, each leaving their mark. 

I love the Night Spectacular light show—it’s a must—but exploring the museum during the day lets you appreciate its full magnitude. The newly renovated exhibits tell the story of the Old City in a hands-on and very accessible way.

Fun fact: The Tower of David has nothing to do with King David.

EXPLORING ISRAEL’S
CULTURE & DIVERSITY

Hagop’s Jerusalem Pottery (Armenian Quarter)

The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian. Hagop’s is a fourth-generation Armenian pottery workshop where you can experience the beauty, detail, and tradition of Armenian ceramics firsthand. We participated in a beautiful hands-on workshop and learned about this family’s history and connection to the Old City.

Fun Fact: The blue-and-white street signs in the Old City, featuring Hebrew, Arabic, and English, are a famous legacy of the Armenian community.

DRUZE TOWN

Beit HaTzva’im – The Painted House in Daliyat al-Karmel

The most famous Druze artist in Israel, Sam Halaby, began painting the walls of his parents’ home after they passed away, using art as a way to cope with grief. His creativity took on a life of its own. He didn’t stop until every square meter—walls, floors, ceilings, appliances, furniture, even the clothes in the closet—was covered in his magical artwork.

When he saw my husband, he told him his shirt was “plain and boring” and painted that too! Some of the pieces include real 3D tree branches he found in the nearby forest; he says that by painting them, he “brought them back to life.” The same goes for the painted balloons hanging from the branches.

Fun fact: Right nearby, Mamtakei Daliyat al-Karmel sells delicious kosher Druze sweets. You probably don't even know that Druze sweets exist, but once you taste these, I promise you will never forget them.

THE SALTIEST CAVE IN ISRAEL!

Malcham Cave (Melech’s Cave) – The World’s Longest Salt Cave

Malcham Cave is the longest salt cave in the world, stretching about 11 kilometers (Unbelievable that this too is in Israel!!!). Because the cave is made entirely of salt (100% NaCl), its formations can shift each season after rainfall. The Dead Sea has always mesmerized me, and visiting this cave feels like discovering one of its hidden treasures.

The drive alone is incredible—the stark cliffs set against the bright turquoise water of the Dead Sea, with crystallized salt visible at the shoreline.

Exploring the cave involves crawling and climbing, but once inside you can truly appreciate the scale and uniqueness of being in a salt cave. There are countless stalactite and stalagmite formations, all created purely from salt.

Fun fact: The walls of the cave are entirely made of salt--you can actually lick them! While typical limestone caves take hundreds of thousands of years to grow stalactites, the salt stalactites in Malcham grow nearly 20 inches in a single year.

Book this incredible experience at Israel Extreme and mention “Camp Lisa” for a special discount.

DIG IN, TASTE IT, TOUCH IT

Meshek 48

I absolutely love the Gush Etzion area. There are so many beautiful workshops and hands-on activities throughout the region.

Meshek means “farm” or “workstead,” and the “48” is in honor of 1948. Here, it’s all about coming together to create something wonderful. We took part in an incredible pizza-making workshop. In their garden, we tasted cucumbers as fresh as they come. The kids loved it—fun, interactive, easygoing, and delicious.

Fun fact: Corn is the most popular pizza topping in Israel.

BIBLICAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Biblical Museum of Natural History

This museum invites you to step back in time and see the animals that inhabited the Land of Israel during the biblical eras. Many biblical animals are native to this region.

The guided tour includes sections on:

• Shofars

• Kosher animals

• The Hall of Kashrut

• A full hands-on experience where you can hold and interact with animals mentioned in Tanach

• Fun facts: Leopards lived in Israel until 2004. Giraffes are kosher—but extremely expensive and not particularly tasty. Kosher grasshoppers are technically pareve.

THE HISTORIC BURMA ROAD – BUT JEEP IT

The Hidden Valley Tours Israel

The Burma Road, overlooking Highway 1, winds through the lowlands of Judea. It wasn’t built by strong fighters—it was built by ordinary, often physically weak people who pushed through unimaginable conditions. Not all jeep tours in Israel are created equally- this one serves a very strong connection to 1948, the year the State of Israel declared its independence.

Mickey Marcus (if you don’t know him, watch the movie), an American Army veteran, became Israel's first modern general. He played a crucial role during the 1948 Siege of Jerusalem by overseeing the construction of the "Burma Road." This vital bypass provided essential supplies like food, water, and ammunition to the Jewish residents of Jerusalem who were under siege.

Driving through the area, you’ll see classic vegetation: vineyards, olive trees, pine forests, and carob trees—the landscape of ancient Judea.

Fun fact: The Judean Desert is the smallest desert in the world.

BEST RESTAURANTS IN AND AROUND JERUSALEM

Harim Bakery
Located on the outskirts of Jerusalem, this bakery produces pastries so beautiful you almost don’t want to eat them—and once you do, they taste even better. Lines here resemble the ones you’d see outside trendy New York bakeries, despite it not being in the center of town. It’s simply that good.

Offaime Farm Café
This spot offers the best quiche, the best salads, sandwiches, and pastries. The atmosphere feels authentically local, and everything on the menu is thoughtfully crafted. It all tastes as wonderful as it looks—if not better.

Machneyuda
This is the restaurant that put Jerusalem’s food scene on the global map. This iconic spot is still the same small, intimate space it was when it first opened. Every dish is beautifully designed, meticulously crafted, and bursting with flavor.
The polenta remains my all-time favorite—an absolute classic.

Janjariya – Jerusalem (Ramban Hotel)
A heavily spiced, bold-flavored kosher meat restaurant run by the Machneyuda Group, led by Chefs Uri Navon and Assaf Granit. Every dish tastes like nothing you’ve ever had before—deep Jerusalem influences, vibrant spices, and creative chef-level execution (Isn't kosher).

CONCLUSION

When I arrived in Israel for this trip, I never could have predicted that my trip would end with all the live hostages returning home. Since all the live hostages are home, the vibe in Israel Baruch Hashem has changed. The word of the year chosen to describe Israel is Habaita-  returning home. This word transcends to all of us. The best time to plan your trip to Israel is now, and including a few chessed activities is the best way to feel you’re home too!

Summer is around the corner, so if you’re feeling ready to plan your next great adventure in Israel (or anywhere), let’s get in touch and start planning!

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