jerusalem useful information

► Electrical appliances: The Israeli power supply is single phase 220 volts at 50 Hertz. Most power sockets in Israel have three pin holes, but many of them will work with double-pin European plugs. Visitors who want to use shavers, traveling irons and other small appliances may need both transformers and adaptor plugs.

► V.A.T refund:

The following are all the conditions which must be fulfilled in order to receive the V.A.T. refund upon departing from Israel.

Non-Israeli citizens are entitled to receive a V.A.T. refund if they do not hold an Israeli passport and if they are visiting Israel as a tourist.
When making the purchase, you must present your passport in order to be identified as a tourist
The goods must have been purchased in a store included in the V.A.T. refund program and the purchase amount in one tax invoice including V.A.T. must exceed NIS 400.
The goods are not food, drink or tobacco products.

How to claim your tax refund:

Upon arrival to the airport or the border terminal, look for VAT REFUND counter
Please present the purchased goods, the invoices and VAT refund forms, and your passport for inspections
VAT refund will be paid as requested either in cash, by bank transfer or by check to mail address

► Tips and Bargaining:

In Israel it is customary to tip primarily in restaurants. When the bill does not include service, a 10% tip should be added to the payment.

Bargaining is acceptable in Israel, but not everywhere. In the open-air markets, do not hesitate to bargain as it is part of the experience and doing so can lower the price. Storekeepers are legally required to display prices and for the most part are not open to bargaining. This is also true of restaurants and public transportation. Passengers are advised to ask cab drivers to turn on the meter, thus avoiding unnecessary haggling.

► Religious customs:

- Shabbat: Shabbat is the Jewish holy day of the week observed every Saturday.

Shabbat starts at sunset on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday evening. All public offices are closed on Shabbat, as are banks, most stores and businesses. In most cities, public transportation (trains and buses) do not operate on Shabbat.

- Observant men don't kiss or check hands with women - don't take it personaly :) , it's a sign of modesty to avoid unnecessary contact. The rule is that people of the opposite gender do not even touch each other, let alone shake hands, unless they are husband and wife, siblings, or children with parents and grandparents.

► Road distance chart:

Did you know?

- It takes 10 hours to drive from the north to the south

- The water temperature in the Red sea in December averages 24ºC (79ºF)

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