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Taking the family to Israel for the summer - doable?
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:39 am
Camp is a few thousand dollars here in the US where I live (6k for my two kids). I so badly want to go to Israel. So I’m wondering if I can take my family to Israel for that price, and if the whole idea is even rational...

I have two lower elementary aged children and a one year old baby.

I was only in Israel once on a guided tour so I’m not too familiar. My husband can’t take off work but might be able to join for some weekends. Am I completely insane for even thinking of doing this?

My kids need constant stimulation, so I’d need to be somewhere where they can be outdoors most of the day, but close enough to be able to walk to wherever we need. And the area should obviously be basically affordable.

Wondering how to create a basic structure and what to do most days.

I might add some questions soon. But to start, do I continue to plan or do I give up on this radical idea?
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amother
Hotpink


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:40 am
Go for it!
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amother
Indigo


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:44 am
It sounds great but I dont think you will be able to do it for under 6k if you are coming from the states. Flights alone would eat up a lot of that. Also israel is not currently allowing in non citizens who are not vaccinated or recovered from covid so you might have a problem getting your children into the country.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:46 am
amother [ Indigo ] wrote:
Also israel is not currently allowing in non citizens who are not vaccinated or recovered from covid so you might have a problem getting your children into the country.


We all had Covid recently. I don’t know about my baby though. Would they make an issue with a baby?
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shabbatiscoming




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:47 am
OP, I hope by the summer time non citizens are allowed in. It might be risky to make plans and then not be able to actually be allowed in the country.
Good luck.
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salt




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:47 am
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Camp is a few thousand dollars here in the US where I live (6k for my two kids). I so badly want to go to Israel. So I’m wondering if I can take my family to Israel for that price, and if the whole idea is even rational...

I have two lower elementary aged children and a one year old baby.

I was only in Israel once on a guided tour so I’m not too familiar. My husband can’t take off work but might be able to join for some weekends. Am I completely insane for even thinking of doing this?

My kids need constant stimulation, so I’d need to be somewhere where they can be outdoors most of the day, but close enough to be able to walk to wherever we need. And the area should obviously be basically affordable.

Wondering how to create a basic structure and what to do most days.

I might add some questions soon. But to start, do I continue to plan or do I give up on this radical idea?


A few things I don't understand here:
1.
If you are saying that your husband could join you for some weekends, do you mean, he would travel from the US to Israel to join you and back again, a few times during your stay? Would that be included in the 6K limit? Or do you mean that he would come with, but be working remotely, and only be available on weekends?
2.
What do you mean close enough to be able to walk to wherever we need? You mean you only want to go places with your kids within walking distance of where you are staying? If so, as much as I love Israel, I don't think it's worth coming all the way.
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amother
Crimson


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:48 am
Where would you be traveling from?
Are you sure you’d be okay in a foreign country without your husband? Do you have relatives you would stay with?
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shabbatiscoming




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:50 am
salt wrote:
A few things I don't understand here:
1.
If you are saying that your husband could join you for some weekends, do you mean, he would travel from the US to Israel to join you and back again, a few times during your stay? Would that be included in the 6K limit? Or do you mean that he would come with, but be working remotely, and only be available on weekends?
2.
What do you mean close enough to be able to walk to wherever we need? You mean you only want to go places with your kids within walking distance of where you are staying? If so, as much as I love Israel, I don't think it's worth coming all the way.
Most probably she is either from europe or enland or some place much closer than the US or she meant something different Smile
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:53 am
salt wrote:
A few things I don't understand here:
1.
If you are saying that your husband could join you for some weekends, do you mean, he would travel from the US to Israel to join you and back again, a few times during your stay? Would that be included in the 6K limit? Or do you mean that he would come with, but be working remotely, and only be available on weekends?
2.
What do you mean close enough to be able to walk to wherever we need? You mean you only want to go places with your kids within walking distance of where you are staying? If so, as much as I love Israel, I don't think it's worth coming all the way.


No it’s not a job he can do remotely. I don’t know how often he’ll come, but probably not every week. And no, that wouldn’t be included in the cost. I’m focusing on the cost of myself and the children.

Close enough meaning not a remote moshav.
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salt




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:53 am
shabbatiscoming wrote:
Most probably she is either from europe or enland or some place much closer than the US or she meant something different Smile


OP wrote
Quote:

Camp is a few thousand dollars here in the US where I live (6k for my two kids)
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:54 am
amother [ Crimson ] wrote:
Where would you be traveling from?
Are you sure you’d be okay in a foreign country without your husband? Do you have relatives you would stay with?


The US. I might have a teenage relative joining me (otherwise I’m not doing it).
(No, the relative’s costs are not included)
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amother
Chartreuse


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:55 am
I don't think 6k is enough honestly. If you are paying for tickets that's going to eat up most of it. I dont know if you plan on going the whole summer buy a place to stay will cost a bunch as well. I would think more 10k-15k.
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shabbatiscoming




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 7:56 am
salt wrote:
Missed that.
Then OP's husband is obviously not coming for shabbat a few times and going back. That will take up the entire amount of money.
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amother
Orchid


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 8:08 am
It’s a beautiful idea - but not for $6000.
Tickets, renting a place, things to do,... will be alot more than that.
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happyone




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 8:11 am
count on double after travel expenses, food, lodging and even minimal touring for four.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 8:13 am
Is there nowhere affordable to stay?
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amother
Yellow


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 8:14 am
We did it a couple of summers ago.
Two weeks.
We did a lot of touring (by ourselves, no tourguide) stayed in airbnbs (which have gone up a lot with covid).
Nothing fancy food wise.


Cost $20,000 including flights.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 8:18 am
amother [ Yellow ] wrote:
We did it a couple of summers ago.
Two weeks.
We did a lot of touring (by ourselves, no tourguide) stayed in airbnbs (which have gone up a lot with covid).
Nothing fancy food wise.


Cost $20,000 including flights.


Wow. How many people? And why did you do Airbnb?
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Elfrida




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 8:23 am
Having your husband fly in for a few weekends is not practical. Ignore the cost aspect, but purely thinking about the time involved. Presumably you are thinking he would fly Thursday night. Maybe that would involve leaving work early. Then he lands in Israel Friday morning, travels to wherever you are staying, and spends most of the day catching up on sleep. Shabbos he might be somewhat functional, but his body will be very confused about time zones. Then on Sunday he would have to go back, spend most of the day travelling, and manage to be at work on Monday morning.

Every time he enters the country (under current regulations) he would have to do an antibody test, and remain in bidud until he gets the results. So in the short time he was here, he wouldn't be able to go anything. Having him join you for ten days in the middle of the summer might work, but not flying back and forth.

Now about the rest of your plans.

Israel is hot during the summer. You don't want to plan to spend most of the day outside. Young children would just get hot and tired and grumpy. You want to plan to have a period inside during the hottest part if the day, and maybe make up for that by doing more in the evening.

If you can expand your budget a bit, you could rent an apartment somewhere. If you pick somewhere like Jerusalem or Beit Shemesh, there are probably english speaking kaytanot (camps), which are cheaper than the American ones. You could register your children at one of them, which would keep them occupied all day. You could stay after camp has finished (probably around Tisha b'Av), and use that time to do a bit of touring. Anywhere in the country will have local tourist spots. That would be a good week for your husband to join you.

If you don't want to send them to camp in Israel, you can explore local parks and spend odd days at the beach. There are likely to be local activities wherever you stay, but without hebrew they might be hard to negotiate.

Israel is planning to allow tour groups in starting May 23rd. There are no definite plans as to when to allow individual tourists. We've all seen that even when there are plans they can be cancelled at a moments notice. This doesn't seem the best year to plan a summer in Israel. Maybe spend the next year saving and you can do it a bit more easily next summer.
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chanchy123




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 21 2021, 8:24 am
shabbatiscoming wrote:
Missed that.
Then OP's husband is obviously not coming for shabbat a few times and going back. That will take up the entire amount of money.

Even if air fair is not an issue flying in from the US to Israel just for the weekend is pretty tough. Just the flight is at least 12 hours each direction plus time traveling to the airport. Plus jet lag - it’s worth it once maybe but multiple times in a month? That’s pretty crazy. DH will be exhausted and won’t be able to spend any time with you.
You might find a cheap rental but it probably would not be near tourists attractions, but I guess you might be able to rent a place in a very residential area near a park and just take buses to tourist attractions.
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