Important Things To Know

Currency

The New Israel Shekel, or NIS, is the national currency used in Israel. 

1 Shekel is made up of 100 Agorot.

The Shekel has 4 denominations and the Agorot has 5. The former includes 20 NIS, 50 NIS, 100 NIS, and 200 NIS.

The latter includes 1, 2, 5, 10, and 50 Agorot.

Visited the 4,000-year-old port of Acre/Akko and the unearthed Crusader compound. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)

National Languages

Hebrew is Israel’s official language, spoken by the majority of the population. 

The Arab minority in Israel speaks Arabic and the Russian immigrants from the former Soviet Union who currently reside in Israel speak Russian. 

English speakers will be relieved to know that we encountered a lot of residents fluent in English too. 

Climate And Weather

The northern region of Israel has a Mediterranean climate, while the southern region is dry, with a narrow strip in between.

The climate in Israel is defined by hot summers and mild winters. The amount of rain falls varies greatly across the country and from year to year.

Israel in summer can reach average temperatures anywhere between 95°F and 104°F  (35°C and 40°C).

Spring and Autumn hover around 50°F-60°F (10°C-16°C), and winter reaches lows of 41°F (5°C).