Responsible tourism in Israel

It is difficult to separate politics from tourism when talking about Israel, because borders and occupied territories are at the heart of the conflict here, and travel involves borders. What we do believe at Responsible Travel, however, is that when done right, travel can be a force for good, promulgate peace, improve awareness of human rights and support the livelihoods of people that may have suffered through conflict. We believe that it is only by traveling there, talking with people from all sides of the divide and gaining perspective in situ, that we can get to grips with the decades of destruction and power struggle that have been happening in Israel and their occupied territories.

Respecting cultures

As Israel is a spiritual and religious land not only for Jews and Christians but also for Muslims, being sensitive to cultural traditions is very important when it comes to traveling responsibly here. Although Israel is, in general, very liberal in its attitudes to fashion, sexuality, popular culture etc. religious traditions still hold great sway. Therefore, it is important to dress appropriately in places of worship as well as in conservative areas, such as Mea She'arim in Jerusalem, one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city, and home to Orthodox Haredi Jews. These dress codes apply to men and women, and the rule of thumb being to keep as covered as possible. And at holy sites women, be they Muslim, Jewish or Christian, must cover their heads, so travel with a light scarf, that isn’t too hot, to cover your head and shoulders when visiting temples, mosques and other religious places. At Jewish sites, men may also need to cover their heads with a yarmulke cap.

Be aware that there are two national languages in Israel: Hebrew and Arabic. It is striking, however, how many tourist websites don’t offer an Arabic language option. Hebrew, English, French and Russian seem to be the most common, but Arabic rarely features.

Shabbat
It is important to understand the tradition of Shabbat, or Jewish Sabbath in Israel. This starts on Friday evening at sunset and lasts until early Saturday evening. A very holy day, it is observed by many people, businesses etc. Traditionally it means that work, using vehicles and cooking are forbidden, as is the act of switching electricity on and off. So, in short, public transport shuts down, shops and restaurants close, hotels have limited lift service, tourist attractions close and the whole place goes blissfully quiet for a day. Which is actually a wonderful thing to witness in this modern age. So don’t moan about it; just bemoan the fact that many other countries in the world don’t take time out for quiet contemplation every week. Or, of course, there is always the wonderful option of heading into Arabic quarters of, say, Jerusalem, where life goes on as normal.
 
What you can do
Make sure you pack modest clothes and a headscarf for women, before you come. Read up on cultural issues and etiquette not just within Jewish communities but also Arabic ones, before you visit. Also, learn some smatterings of both Hebrew and Arabic before you go, respecting the fact that there are two national languages in Israel, even if not always obvious in the world of mass tourism.

Be sensitive in your discussions around politics and religion and read up before you go. It is worth remembering that for many people going to Israel to visit religious sites, the conflicted borders are almost invisible. It is, for them, the Holy Land. Not Israel, not Palestine. And in fact, many vacations are sold as trips to the Holy Land for this reason. Don’t ignore security warnings. Never leave your bag unattended, and do what the security authorities advise. It’s not scare mongering. Israelis are resilient people, they love café life and good living, and this sense of joie de vivre means that it is easy to overlook the fact that it is still a country living in dangerous times. So be wary, and always follow local advice. It is very common to have your bags searched by security at shops, restaurants etc. And also sometimes cars are stopped and have their boots searched. Always best to carry your passport as ID.