Help in Israel

Arabs You've said that you've had better dealings with Arabs than Charedim. Me too, in some

Bargaining I was not so good at this. You seem to have a knack for it. I've told you about

Beggars I don't know if you give them anything or not. I do, usually, just some of the agarot

With local buses, in Jerusalem, when I left, it cost NIS 4.50. That's the one time fair. There are two other ways to pay, but if you get these discounts, you can only use them in that given metropolis. Haifa has her own deals, as does Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva, both of whom have their own company. If in Be'er Sheva, be aware that the fares should be about NIS 1.60 less

1. If you buy a ticket, save it. On the bus, around 30% of the time, an inspector will obnoxiously come on and check to see if you have one that matches the driver's hole puncher.
2. After the ride, give the receipts to my family, they do stuff with them. The same holds true with...

Intra-City Buses

When you're going from Jerusalem, to another city, in the daytime, you have to consider the competition of cheruts. (intra-city taxis that split the price of the journey amongst the twelve or so riders) The cheruts will generally tell you they are a few sheks cheaper than buses. Quite often they lie about the price of buses, though. Know what you're paying for. When you ride the bus, there's not much you can do to save money.

* GET AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ID ($10, you can get it in NY, go to ISTA, International Student Travel Agency.) AND YOU WILL GET 10% OFF ON THE INTRA-CITY BUSES. When you buy the tickets on the bus, or the ticket window, show the card and say, "Lod (or any city your going to) studentit," and you get the lowered price. Not all of the routes have this. I know Jerusalem-Tel Aviv doesn't.

* Be aware of round trip tickets. They don't sell these on the buses, only at the window. You get some minute discount as well, but I was never able to get student and roundtrip prices at once. Ask, though.

3. There are direct buses to certain cities. Do not believe the lie that they cost ten sheks more. I fell for that the first time. Their only catch is that they don't come as frequently.
4. OK, if you want to rip off the bus drivers, you can save a few sheks by saying your destination to be a few stops before your actual stop, and then you "fell asleep." I did this accidentally a few times.

Buses vs. Sheruts.

Sheruts

* Claim to be cheaper.

5. Easier if going with a group of people
6. Often open to negotiation over prices.
7. Less likely to sleep past your stop, as the driver will generally tell you when your there.
8. Driver will often take you to a more specific place in the city, whereas the bus driver will only go to the bus stops.
9. I've never heard of a sherut bombing.
10. Guaranteed a seat, no standing room.
11. Often quicker, does not stop if sherut is full

Buses

12. More frequent (except for Jerusalem-Tel Aviv, which is almost 1440 minutes a day.) and follows a schedule.
13. Quieter.
14. Do not stop a few minutes at every bus stop, soliciting passengers.
15. Allowed more luggage room.
16. Easier to sleep in
17. You may feel safer in a bus, especially if it is you, alone, and a group in the sherut.

Coins Occasionally, you may get a half shekel that has Baron Rothschild on it, a shekel coin that

Food To be honest with you, I didn't like Pizza Hut so much. I liked Apple Pizza much more.

Holidays You've already been through the major ones, but let's see what you have to look

Chanuka -- For some reason, this is an eight day stop of just about everything in Israel. I

Purim -- First of all, Purim is two days in Israel. You have Purim, then Shushan Purim.

Pesach -- Obviously, most of the restaurants close. There is the one pizza place on King

Yom Ha'atzmaut-- If you want a wild party, go to the Mircaz ha'ir. Otherwise, just

Lag B'omer-- They burn EVERYTHING. All must go for the sake of the mongolim.

Shavuot-- If you (rolling eye symbol here) don't want to go to the Kotel for Shavuot,

Shva Asar B'tamuz -- OK, the three weeks is not that strong. Your classes will

Tisha Ba'av-- See above

Inflation During my trip to Israel, the Shekel started at a little less than 3.5 to the dollar, and

Insurance I'm not sure which policy you have, but be sure to check over it. It may need you

Kotel Get over it. Go there. Get it out of your system. This is a wall, that surrounded the temple.

Luggage Let's hope this doesn't concern you. Should you decide to stay for more than a year in

Medicine I've told you this before. If you need a certain medicine, use protectzia. If you have

Money

1. A real check is easier. Contact Melanie, or one of your own connecteens J . I say this, because it's a lot easier if the check is made out to them, and then cashed by them, because it's a lot easier to hold a homeowner accountable. As a matter of fact, contact my aunt, because she may (I'm not sure... this place might have gone belly up) be able to get better exchange rates on checks.
2. Then, there are credit cards. Fine, that's what I used. Obvious stuff. Careful with the numbers. Watch out when you're at a bank machine, etc. (If you have a debit card...there are a lot of stores that stupidly run it like a credit card, and thus don't take the deductions.)
3. If you do get a bank account, cool. Talk to the connecteens, you get a little bit of interest, and your own checks, along with a bank card. It may be easier, it's harder to have it stolen, but it's your call.

Newspapers If your Hebrew is as good as you say, then get Yedidot Achronot, or Ha'aretz,

or even Ma'ariv. Do read the news; this is the year you're in Israel. Follow what's going on around you. If you want English, try the JP, or Ha'aretz has an English translation, plus the Herald Tribune added in (which includes Dave Barry, btw.) For free, there's a sporadic called Your Jerusalem. Ask my aunt for her comments on this paper.

Passports Carry it with you. Soldiers will ask for these things at random. Don't let your

roommate steal it. I hope you never have to do this, but friends of mine have claimed to have needed money while travelling abroad, so they sold it, ala Trainspotting. They made around a thousand dollars, reported it stolen, went to the American consulate, spent $20, I think, and in two weeks, they got a new one. Don't do this unless some unforeseen emergency needs you to temporarily commit a felonious selling of your most valuable document.

Photos I had a heck of a lot of photos developed last year. If you are taking photos, and using a

standard camera, film was around 15-20 NIS for cheap stuff, 28 shots. When you develop, it's weird, but you really don't save, in most cases by waiting a few days. The hour process is almost the same price. The half hour is expensive, but the hour is ok.

When you develop, make sure to ask what you get. Nearly everyplace gives you a gift.

Generally, it's your choice of an enlargement, doubles, or a photobook, and since the book is the cheapest, they'll give you the book if you don't specify.

If you ever need an official photo taken for ID or something like that, DO NOT use the stores.

Use the machines. The machines cost 10, and there's less pressure, the stores cost around 20.

Prices

You know how when you're in an American mall, all the prices have been, fairly, or unfairly, fixed? OK, perhaps not with clothes, but with toys, food, and just in general. In Israel this isn't the case. Schwarma costs 20 NIS here, 17 next door. Equal customers at both. Perhaps it's shows that in an economic condition such as Israel, Darwinian economics, and the capitalist mentality are not needed to succeed. To me, it shows Israelis are stupid.

Keep your gorgeous head (head, face, whatever) about you. Shop around. Just because it's X here, doesn't mean that it's not 1/2 X next door. You can casually mention this to the higher priced business, esp. if it's either a service, or a chupchick type place.

Protectzia

Protectzia is what the State of Israel runs on. In America, you tip the guy to get something. In Israel you indicate that you know somebody. In Israel, people do things because they know that you know somebody who knows something. Find out what your friends and neighbors do. Don't be afraid to namedrop. That's what people do in Israel.

Radio

Every Legal radio station, just about, with the exception of Gimel, plays American songs. But only (I forgot the frequencies) Radio West (awful station) and Arutz Sheva have English programming.

Restaurants Assuming that you are trying to keep kosher, always ask or look for a teudah.

Ask them for it. Not all of the Huts are kosher, nor Burger Kings, etc. If you go to a place that is local, and you go with a group, check, and recheck the bill. They will try to screw you. Amazing how often they "make mistakes." Check what's on the bill. Check the prices and see how they correspond. Check their math. Count the change. Repeat. However, whereas tips are not expected in taxis, you do give them in restaraunts.

Rosenbergs

Mi casa su casa, y mi familia su familia. There are seven Rosenbergs. You've been to their house, you've met some of them. Let's go through the list. If you need photos to identify them, I may be able to provide that. Remember, their number is (02-676-6977)

If you are going to spend a Shabbos there, fine, Thursdays is there pasta night, which I always liked, but don't spend chag there. Well, most of them are over by this point, but don't go there for Seder. Find somebody else to go to.

Signs You probably noticed this a lot last year, as you explored the country. Whoever makes the

signs in English enjoys their transliterational powers.

Beit Shan, Bait Shan, Bate Shan, Beit Sean, Shawn, Sha'an, etc.

Tiberius, Taveria, Tuveria, Taverius, etc.,

Sefad, Safed, Tzfat, Tzefat, Zefat, Zefad, Sfat, Zfat, etc.,

Jerusalem, Jeruzalem, Jurusalam, Jerusalaim, etc.

So, two things. First of all, if you get board on a long bus trip, you can count the spellings. More importantly, go by the Hebrew. You don't want to get, say, Ramallah, and Ramleh

mixed up.

Smoking

Oh, I KNOW, that the girl who I am constantly thinking about is killing herself by intentionally breathing in CO or tar. Please tell me you're not. However, if you, or somebody in your group picks up a nargilla, cool. These things really have little tobacco. They can look cool, and they taste decently, but do not expect them to give you cigarette, not to mention, bong quality hits. (If anybody mentions putting alcohol in the base, please do not be around guys...this will make you drunk.) However, you have noticed by now, that people smoke everywhere. Actually, it's not as bad as I thought it would be but, it's still a lot. Just avoid the temptation. Please.

Taxis

Taxi drivers love Americans. Because, they screw Americans. Let's go over the fare system. First of all, understand that the prices double at night, immediately after the buses stop running. The last bus is generally at midnight.

* There are two ways to pay for a cab. One is a settled upon price, and the other is with the meter. Determine it in advance. Taxis are cheaper in Israel then they are in, say, New York, but they aren't especially cheap. NEVER PAY MORE THAN 40 SHEKELS FOR A CAB RIDE IN THE CITY, UNLESS YOU SEE THE METER GO THAT HIGH. No fair should be ever more than that, and only a ride to Gilo, at night, should ever be more than 30.

4. A "Special," a direct taxi to another city, is very expensive. Very expensive. Try to avoid these unless it is an emergency, they easily go over a few hundred shekels.
5. Taxi drivers do not expect tips.

There is a trick with the credit card phones. This may not be true anymore, but

Local Three things to remember.

Torah Tidbits Have you seen these? In just about every shul in Jerusalem, these are

VISAs Let's say your Visa's about to expire, and you don't have time to go to the embassy. Fine,