Israel for Beginners

In the words of Galit Gaon , the creative director of the Design Museum of Holon , "the building itself is the biggest object in our collection". I found the exhibitions of the museum too avant- garde for my taste, but I was blown away by the building itself and its brilliant design. Upon admission to the museum, one is given an audio guide (with a screen) that highlights the many unique aspects of the building that combine creativity with practicality. And, there is a small film that discusses the challenges in constructing such a special building. If you do nothing else on your visit, make sure to see the film and use the audio guide . Also, there is a gift shop that is very pricey but offers some very unusual and interesting objects. If you have time, there is a lovely indoor outdoor cafe tucked in the belly of the building where one can enjoy a cup of coffee among the amazing architecture. Design Museum Holon - 8 Pinhas Ellon Street, Holon - 03-215-1515

Gabriela is the dairy counterpart to Gabriel, an upscale meat restaurant located on the Ben Shetach pedestrian mall in downtown Jerusalem. Gabriela is located right next door, and like Gabriel, offers both indoor and outdoor seating. But, there were two pleasant differences. First, Gabriela offers a much more reasonably priced meal. Second, I am one of the few individuals who has never been a huge fan of Gabriel, but I thoroughly enjoyed the meal at Gabriela. I find that here in Israel there are an abundance of great cafes but few dairy restaurants that leave me satisfied. Gabriela definitely feels the void. We sampled pizza, pasta and fish dishes and all were good to excellent. And the chef makes good use of dairy ingredients to create delicious desserts. I left with a good feeling in my stomach but not at a huge expense to my wallet. Gabriela - 5 Shimon Ben Shetach, Jerusalem - 02-624-6261 - reservations recommended

Uno restaurant is a dairy Italian restaurant located in an office building in Tel Aviv ; during the day there is a self-service cafe side which is a lovely place for a quick lunch. But don't be fooled. The sit-down section of the restaurant which is open both for lunch and dinner is for serious foodies. My husband and I shared several appetizers, a fish and pizza. We also indulged in three (yes three) desserts. Everything was presented beautifully and tasted delicious. The wait staff was attentive and helpful. This is a restaurant where the aim is to please the customer in terms of presentation, service and above all taste; it delivers the goods on all three fronts. It was a dinner that we savored long after the meal was over. Uno - 2 Weizman Street, Tel Aviv - 03-693-2005

De Karina Chocolate Factory, located in Ein Zivan in the Golan Heights, was established several years ago by Karina, an Argentinian immigrant, who is a third generation chocolatier . All the chocolate is hand made (no machines). Our pre -arranged visit included a guided tour through the small factory, chocolate tasting and a chocolate making workshop. The entire visit took under an hour and was enjoyed by everyone. Be sure to buy some of the delicious chocolate at the shop on the way out. And there is a small cafe that looked lovely. De Karina Chocolate Factory - www.de-karina.co.il - 054-252-7040 - advance reservations recommended

Mount Bental is located in the Golan Heights 1170 meters above sea level, making for some amazing panoramic views. The mountain also contains bunkers and trenches and was the location of a pivotal battle during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. I would not suggest a special trip to visit Mount Bental but if you are in the area it is a worthwhile stop. Mount Bental - Golan Heights

The Israel Electric Company offers free Hebrew tours of its facilities in Haifa, Hadera and Ashkelon . The tours are offered during holidays and summer vacation and are labelled for ages 11 and above. However, our tour of the Hadera facility included many children far younger than 11. The guided tour begins in the visitor center where there is a short film and several displays explaining the theory of electricity in general and how electricity is produced and distributed here in Israel. The tour culminates with a bus ride through the facility grounds (including a stop at the adjacent port where coal is unloaded). Throughout the tour, the accompanying guide provides explanations. The tour runs for about an hour. My children were not particularly interested in the tour, but I thought it was well-done, interesting and educational. Since the tour is meant for the general public, the guide's explanations were on a very simple and understandable level. Private tours can be a...

Despite that most of the time one can manage in English in this country, every once in awhile there is a tour available only in Hebrew that conveys the inside scoop and charm of Israel and should not be missed. This includes the 36 "tours of experience" in Hebrew offered by the Tel Aviv - Yafo Municipality (the municipality offers a few very plain vanilla tours in English as well). Several weeks ago, I joined Carmela Ohev Zion for a walking tour of Neve Tzedek and Florentine appropriately called the "Taste and Color of South Tel Aviv ". Carmela grew up in Neve Tzedek so she was able to convey much of the flavor and color of the area prior to its current gentrification. In fact, we spent about thirty minutes on her childhood block where she shared the many interesting, funny and heartwarming stories about the varied immigrant families that settled there from the 1940s and on. We even made a short visit to her aging mother who still lives in her childhood ...