Conference taveng::bagels

    I don't live in Israel, but I have visited as a tourist a couple
    times, and can give you my impression:
    
    There is only one beach I know of where you may be the only tourist.
    It's the one near Caesaria.  There is a picture of a couple running
    along the beach with the roman aquaduct in the background which
    they use for tourist brocures.
    
    The reason is, the beach is posted - No lifeguard, so no swimming.
    You will, however, see plenty of Israelis there, ignoring the sign.
    And unless it has been cleaned up a lot since I was there, you will
    see plenty of garbage on the beach.
    
    The beaches in Herzelia, near Tel Aviv, are crowded, especially
    on weekends.  So are the beaches in Tel Aviv, especially near the
    tourist hotels.  So are the beaches of Eilat.
    
    Remember, the number one industry is tourism, and many tourists
    want to go to the beach.
    
    You might find less of a crowd if you go to the Red Sea instead
    of to the ocean, and if you go on a weekday.
                                          
    As far as the Negev Desert, how far do you want to go?  You can
    rent a car and drive between Beersheva and Eilat, or go visit a
    kibbutz in the Negev.  Some parts of the Negev are very pretty,
    similar to the painted desert in the American southwest.
                            
    The most interesting things to see in Israel (besides the people)
    are historical sites.  It is a small country, but the history goes
    way back - very different from here in the U.S. where anything that's
    been around for 200 years is considered real old.
    
    Enjoy your trip!
    
    		Paul
    

    If you want to get a good deal on hotels, make sure you get
    reservations BEFORE you get to Israel. The same holds true for rental
    cars. If you go to a reputable travel agent who knows about Israel
    (several in the Boston area), they can get you some extremely good
    deals on hotels and car rentals. However, the price goes up
    significantly if you try to get a room or car when you get there. 
    
    I would recommend the beach at Natanya. It is a beautiful seaside
    town that has wonderful beaches. The Isrealis use this town as well
    as tourists. And aside from the fact that I have some relatives
    there, I think it has some of the nices beaches in Isreal. It is
    located about 30 KM north of Tel Aviv, with excellent bus access.
    As with any nice beach, it is crowded, but not overly so. There
    is plenty of room to stretch out, and the town has a beatiful square
    with many small restaurants and shop. It is very much like all the
    pictures you see of Europe, with open air cafes and pedestrian walk
    ways.
    
    Have a wonderful time,
    Jack

	There is a very nice hotel at a moshav at Shavei Zion, just north
of Acco.  It has its own little beach, the mosaic floor of a 4th century
church, and the nicest staff we encountered at any Israeli hotel when we
were there a few years ago.

					Aaron

> Anyone tellin' me any major music store in Tel Aviv?

I presume you mean record/disc/cassettes etc. The recommended stores are:

1. "Allegro" - Sheinkin st., near Allenby st.
2. "Beit-Hataklit" ("The record house") - Pinsker st., near Dizengof sq.

and for old/used records:

1. "Haozen-Hashlishit" ("The third ear") - Sheinkin st., more east
2. "Nostalgia" - Yirmiyahu st., near the north of Dizengof st.

I hope you get a map of Tel-Aviv, or just give me a call when you get here
and want to go to one these stores. I'll mail you my phone number(s).

Nitsan.

    My family and I are going July 1 until July 19th.  Our plans have
    changed and we are looking for an apartment in a religious area
    in greater Jerusalem.  We'll need two bedrooms and a kosher kitchen.
    
    Can anyone help?
    
    ___Av

    What is your top price? 

    Short term rentals are relatively expensiveas compared to lomg term.
    
    I'll look around Har Nof (where the Rebbe is) and see what I can
    come up with.
    
    Hope to see you when you're here...
    
    Cb.

    We found an apartment in French Hill.  We haven't been in Israel
    for 12 years, and things have changed.
    
    Are there any sights, events, special parks, etc that my children
    (ages 11, 8,6, 4, 2) would enjoy?  Of course we'll go to the Old
    City and the Holy Land Hotel, but are there some other kinds of
    things to which we can bring our children that will be fun for them?
    
    Also, what's the best way to deal with money.  Should I be bringing
    cash, traveler's checks.  Do I pay in US $ or should I convert my
    money?  What's the exchange rate?
    
    ---Av

    The exchange rate is currently around 1.60 shekels to the $.
    
    Right now the black market is generally not as high as the banks.
    
    Sometimes you can do better by paying directly in $'s. TC's are
    safer and almost accepted equally. The difference is marginal.
    
    If you are interested in organised tours I believe you'll find that
    there are more that cater to religious families than there were
    12 years ago.
    
    Jerusalem has plenty of parks. There are also several very nice
    swimming facilities with fancy sliding boards etc. that have separate
    sessions for men and women.
    
    There is a bus (I believe 99) for which you can buy an all_day ticket.
    Its route is a circle with stops at common sites of interest. This
    special ticket allows you to get on and off as you wish.
    
    Kibbutz Chafet Chaim has a park and swimming facility for the whole
    family. It's quite nice and one can spend an enjoyable day there.
    
    The Kol_Bo Shalom tower in Tel-Aviv has a wax museum and a small
    indoor/outdoor luna_park. It is nothing compared to any US
    facility, but kids still enjoy it.
    
    There are usually special events going on during the summer months
    and you'll have to check out the news papers etc. as it is a little
    too early yet.
    
    Hope this helps...
    
    Cb. (who_sent_you_mail_with_phone_number)