Police force - 100,
Ambulance - 101,
Fire service - 102,
Jerusalem Tourist Police - (02) 539-12-54,
Urban Reference Service - 106,
Information Service - 146,
telephone number certificates - 144 (free of charge from pay phone),
international telephony - 188,
current time check - 155,
tourist information office in Jerusalem - (02) 625-88-44, 629-60-41, 628-03-82,
Meteorological Service - (02) 966-88-55 (Jerusalem)
Customs Information Service - (03) 971-55-11
Ben-Gurion Reference Airport - (03) 972-33-44,
972-33-66 in Russian.
The Israeli code is 972.
City codes of Israel:
Jerusalem - 02,
Tel Aviv -03,
Haifa - 04.
Day off - Saturday, Friday - shortened working day.
Days of religious holidays Pesach (Jewish Passover), Shavuot (in the Christian tradition - Pentecost), Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), fasting Yom Kippur (Judgment Day), as well as Israel's Independence Day are considered non-working days.
The monetary unit is the new Israeli shekel (NIS), 1 shekel = 100 agoram (for 1 US dollar they give about 3.6 shekels). In circulation there are banknotes of 20, 50, 100 and 200 shekels, coins of 5, 10 agora, 1, 5 and 10 shekels.
Currency exchange - made in banks and specialized exchange offices. Most banks are open from Sunday to Thursday from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00. In large shopping centers, most shops, hotels, restaurants, travel companies, places of recreation and entertainment, credit cards of the world's leading payment systems are accepted for payment. ATMs are widespread. Mostly Georgians are engaged in currency exchange. Inexplicable but the fact.
You can import duty-free 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco, up to a liter of spirits, up to 2 liters of wine, up to 250 grams of cologne or perfume, gifts worth no more than 200 USD (including up to 3 kg of food), as well as personal items and items. use. The import of foreign currency is not limited. It is forbidden to import weapons, drugs, pornography and any materials that can offend the religion and national identity of the Israelis.
Some items of personal use (video equipment, diving equipment, hand tools) may be subject to a customs bond at the border. The deposit is refundable if these items are shown to customs when leaving the country.
Hotel classification.
Israeli hotels do not have a «star» classification: instead, there is a system of «classes». Since there are many hotels in the country of different world «chaines», their classification of tour operators is determined by themselves, based on their objective assessments. This means that when choosing a hotel in Israel, one should look not at the number of «stars», but at a specific list of services and room descriptions.
However, the service in hotels is quite clear - computers do not «hang», there are no overlaps and «transfer» there.
Those city hotels, which operators define as 4*, as a rule do not have pools, and in hotels of category «five stars» pools are most often available. And «fives», and «fours» are usually delighted with spacious numbers. Feeding in Israel is good everywhere, but in «fives», of course, the richest menu is
Please note:
When entering Israel for passport control, tourists receive a blue liner, which bears a stamp confirming the tourist’s entry into Israel. When registering with the hotel, it is necessary to present this liner as proof that the client is a tourist and therefore exempt from VAT.
When Israeli citizens and tourists share a room, the hotel may require a partial payment of VAT.
Network voltage in Israel is standard - 220 V. Most outlets have three contact entrances, but they are also suitable for European instruments. For electric shafts, road iron and other small household electrical appliances, an adapter may be required. It is not difficult to buy.
Standard check-in time (CHECK INN): on weekdays: 14.00 in downtown hotels and 15.00 in Eilat and Dead Sea hotels; on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, late check INN is possible (according to hotel rules);
Standard check-out time (CHECK OUT): on weekdays: 12.00 in downtown hotels and 11.00 in Eilat and Dead Sea hotels; on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, late check OUT is possible (according to hotel rules);
Each hotel has the right to set its own time CHECK INN and CHECK OUT, which is different from the usual time in Israel, as is usually reported on the reception desk.
Shopping.
Opening hours of shops and establishments: Sunday-Thursday 8:30-13:00 and 16:00-19:00, Friday and before holidays 9:00-13:00. The bazaars are closed at nightfall. Trade offices owned by Muslims are closed on Fridays and Christian on Sundays.
Israel is famous for its jewelry industry, especially diamonds and gold jewelry. It is also possible to bring cheap and high-quality wines, oriental spices and spices, as well as cosmetics based on minerals of the Dead Sea. The most famous brands are Ahava, Sea of Spa, Hlavin, Dead Sea Premier. In addition, local shops and pharmacies sell a lot of lesser known but often very effective cosmetics.
A good choice is also available in duty-free departure shops. In the boutiques of the Dead Sea hospitals, it is possible to buy serious drugs: creams and oils for treatment of eczema, flat lichen, etc.
The popular pharmacy action for Dead Sea cosmetics is called «1+1»: buying one product for its full price, for the second (not more than the first) you must pay only 1 ILS.
