Israel

Travel tips for Israel: safety advisories, currency and cash vs. card, tap water, plugs, local phrases, food, and advice from travelers.

Cash and cards

Cards work almost everywhere. Israel is a highly cashless society where contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere, including small kiosks and markets, meaning you can rely entirely on your card or phone and rarely need cash.

Try the food

  • Hummus (חומוס): A creamy, rich dip made from mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic, often served warm with fresh pita bread.
  • Falafel (פלאפל): Crispy, deep-fried balls made from ground chickpeas and fresh herbs, typically stuffed into a pita with salad and drizzled with tahini.
  • Shakshuka (שקשוקה): Eggs gently poached in a simmering, spiced sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion, and garlic.
  • Sabich (סביח): A hearty pita sandwich stuffed with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, Israeli salad, parsley, tangy amba sauce, and tahini.

Say it in Hebrew

  • Hello / Goodbye: שלום (Shalom)
  • Thank you: תודה (Toda)
  • Please: בבקשה (Bevakasha)
  • Excuse me / Sorry: סליחה (Slicha)
  • How much is this?: כמה זה עולה? (Kama ze ole?)
  • The bill, please: חשבון בבקשה (Cheshbon bevakasha)
  • Yes: כן (Ken)
  • No: לא (Lo)

Essentials

Plugs
Type C / Type H
Voltage
230V, 50Hz
Driving
Right side
Tap water
Safe to drink
Emergency
100 (Police), 101 (Ambulance), 102 (Fire)
SIM tip
Pick up a local SIM card at the kiosks in Ben Gurion Airport arrivals, or install an eSIM like Airalo or Holafly before you travel for instant data.

Etiquette

Tipping in restaurants is expected and standard practice is to leave 12% to 15% of the bill, as service is rarely included.

Airports in Israel