Israel Tours during the Jewish Sabbath

[cruisingfreak]

I've been booked for a while now on the Royal Princess, doing the Holy Land cruise, for next June 2009.

 

I just found out today, from someone who just joined our Roll Call, that we'll be in Israel on a Friday & Saturday. This is the Jewish Sabbath.

 

What happens now with doing the 2 day Israel tours through Princess? I heard that they won't stop at any Jewish sites. Is this true? Will any Private tours, make this stop?

 

Minette

[smeyer418]

I've been booked for a while now on the Royal Princess, doing the Holy Land cruise, for next June 2009.

 

I just found out today, from someone who just joined our Roll Call, that we'll be in Israel on a Friday & Saturday. This is the Jewish Sabbath.

 

What happens now with doing the 2 day Israel tours through Princess? I heard that they won't stop at any Jewish sites. Is this true? Will any Private tours, make this stop?

 

Minette

 

looked for the Wailing wall and this is what I found..

 

http://www.essortment.com/all/wailingwall_rsef.htm

 

 

open on Saturday NO PICTURES....

[cruisingfreak]

looked for the Wailing wall and this is what I found..

 

http://www.essortment.com/all/wailingwall_rsef.htm

 

 

open on Saturday NO PICTURES....

 

Thanks so much for this new bit of info.

 

We're in Ashod on a Friday, & Haifa on Saturday, so I wonder what else we'll be able to see on Friday, but not on Saturday.

 

Minette

[MercedMike]

We were on Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Our guide referred to himself as a "secular" Jew. Pretty much all the tourist attractions were open and going as usual. The Garden of Gethsemane, for example, was mobbed! AIRC a couple of the museums were closed, and we could not visit the Chagall windows.

 

As noted above, the one restriction is that you cannot take pictures at the Western Wall on the Sabbath. To be honest with you I saw a few tourists snapping furtively. One guy actually set up his tripod and long lenses, and an attendant did come over and stop him.

 

Let me say this, and it is personal. I walked into the Temple as a tourist with a camera around my neck. I even flirted with the idea of sneaking a picture or two. But when I touched the stones, I realized that this place is something different. I walked away with a different attitude than I walked in with. I do not regret not having a picture. I have something inside that I will carry with me all my life.

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/holyland2.html

[cruisingfreak]

We were on Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Our guide referred to himself as a "secular" Jew. Pretty much all the tourist attractions were open and going as usual. The Garden of Gethsemane, for example, was mobbed! AIRC a couple of the museums were closed, and we could not visit the Chagall windows.

 

As noted above, the one restriction is that you cannot take pictures at the Western Wall on the Sabbath. To be honest with you I saw a few tourists snapping furtively. One guy actually set up his tripod and long lenses, and an attendant did come over and stop him.

 

Let me say this, and it is personal. I walked into the Temple as a tourist with a camera around my neck. I even flirted with the idea of sneaking a picture or two. But when I touched the stones, I realized that this place is something different. I walked away with a different attitude than I walked in with. I do not regret not having a picture. I have something inside that I will carry with me all my life.

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/holyland2.html

 

Mike

 

Do you remember which Jewish Museums were closed? My DH is very interested in going to the Holocaust Mueseum. We're in on a Friday/Saturday, with Ashod the first day, & Haifa the second.

 

I'm thinking if we can't work things out, we might change the date of our cruise to Aug., when the ship is docked in Israel on a Sunday/Monday.

 

How were Avitours? Someone else on my Roll Call, had recommended them to me too.

 

By the way your pictures are beautiful.

 

 

Minette

[MercedMike]

Mike

 

Do you remember which Jewish Museums were closed? My DH is very interested in going to the Holocaust Mueseum. We're in on a Friday/Saturday, with Ashod the first day, & Haifa the second.

 

I'm thinking if we can't work things out, we might change the date of our cruise to Aug., when the ship is docked in Israel on a Sunday/Monday.

 

How were Avitours? Someone else on my Roll Call, had recommended them to me too.

 

By the way your pictures are beautiful.

 

 

Minette

 

I believe that the Shrine of the Book and the Chagall windows were closed. I am not sure about the Holocaust Museum.

 

Avitours were wonderful to work with, and the guides were excellent. I highly recommend them. They can let you know about the Museums. It seems to me that some of them might have been half days.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[cruisingfreak]

I believe that the Shrine of the Book and the Chagall windows were closed. I am not sure about the Holocaust Museum.

 

Avitours were wonderful to work with, and the guides were excellent. I highly recommend them. They can let you know about the Museums. It seems to me that some of them might have been half days.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

 

Thanks so much Mike, for all your info.

 

I think when we come back from vacation, we're going to switch dates, so we'll be able see everything we want without any limitations.

 

This is a once in a lifetime cruise for us, so we want to see as much as possible.

 

I'll keep Avitours name for reference, when the time comes to book excursions next year.

 

Thanks again!

 

Minette

[rsquare]

Do you remember which Jewish Museums were closed?

 

A coouple of years ago we were in Jerusalem on a Saturday and were able to get into the Israel Museum. The museum was open but the ticket office was closed. There was a car at the curb right in front of the entrance, and a man in the car was selling admission tickets at the normal price; we were told that he is not a scalper, but a museum employee who assists in working around the closure laws. Now since then, the Orthodox influence has grown in Jerusalem, and this may no longer be available.

 

Other than that, the peace and quiet of a major city with very little traffic moving is delightful. Biggest problem for day trippers will be finding a place to eat, since kosher restaurants are closed. One suggestion: the Armenian Tavern, near the Jaffa Gate, across from the police station by the Citadel Museum (I recommend both museum and restaurant).