Page 14 - Discover Israel Magazine - Philippines Edition 2019

show them the spot where St. Peter prayed
and got a confirmation to convert the masses
to Christianity through a vision of animals that
were forbidden to eat.
Our accommodation in Tel Aviv was Hotel
Cinema, within an original Bauhaus-style
building. Working in the field of entertainment
and media, we found it very interesting to
discover that it was formerly the Esther
Cinema, one of the first cinemas in Tel Aviv.
The hotel displays original projectors and
movie posters preserving the legacy of the
building, and the lobby has popcorn at the
ready for classical movie screenings. Another
magnificent feature is its beautiful rooftop
terrace, where a free happy hour takes place
at sunset!
A must-see site I wanted to visit was the
Open Doors Monument in Rishon Le'zion,
a very special moment for me and my
family as it commemorates our country’s
strong bond with Israel when our very own
President, Manuel L. Quezon, opened our
country to fleeing Jewish refugees when no
other country would take them. In 1940, he
was quoted as saying: “It is my hope and,
indeed, my expectation that the people of the
Philippines will have in the future every reason four times a week on board their state-of-the-
to be glad that when the time of need came,
their country was willing to extend a hand of
welcome.” As a Filipino, I felt immense pride
to travel to this monument and even prouder
to be a member of the Quezon family through
my stepfather Ben Quezon Avanceña,
grandson to President Quezon.
Jerusalem
Completely enthralled by Tel Aviv’s energetic
vibe, the reason for our visit – the Jerusalem
Marathon – almost slipped my mind! The drive
entering Jerusalem was long, winding and
very surreal, quite literally a scene from the
movies. Driving over many hills, we realized
we were on holy ground, in the most literal
sense.
Heading straight to the Old City, we stopped
first at the Mount of Olives, and then onto
the Garden of Gethsemane, followed by the
Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre,
Dome of the Rock, Tower of David Museum,
and many more sites, most of which were on
the path we ran during the marathon.
Despite having run the New York, London,
Berlin, Chicago, Tokyo and (in addition for
Anthony) Bordeaux and Boston marathons,
the Jerusalem Marathon proved to be one of
the most challenging routes. The streets and
hills were alive with fantastic cheers, music,
D I S C O V E R I S R A E L 14
dancing and lots of entertainment! It was a The finish line at the Jerusalem Marathon
real family affair.
Maricel’s daughter Ella with their tour guide Ali
After a quick recovery, we were up and about
the next day. Thanks to our daily vitamin What to Bring
intake, we regained our strength fast and As a modern, developed country, Israel offers
there really is no better way to recover from everything you need during you stay, including
a race than getting back on track with daily clothing, cosmetics and hygiene products.
activities. We walked around the town of If you are visiting during the summer, bring
Bethlehem, seeing for ourselves the very spot lightweight clothing such as short-sleeved
where Jesus was born, eating local delicacies, and sleeveless shirts, shorts, sandals, beach
including hummus, falafel, shawarma and shoes and a bathing suit, especially if you
kebab at Abu Dawod Restaurant, followed by plan on visiting the Dead Sea or Eilat. Even
a soak in the salty Dead Sea waters, covered during winter there, it remains warm enough
in the Dead Sea mud! to swim and float. It’s also worth bringing a
small bag to carry for day trips.
What makes Israel so special? This is In general, Israel has a liberal dress sense and
difficult to answer in one sentence, but being you can wear whatever you like. However,
surrounded by ancient history, blending when visiting religious sites, women are
harmoniously to modern times, makes this required to cover their arms up to the
a truly unique place to visit. We would have shoulders (or carry a scarf or shawl to cover
loved to stay for longer than eight days as your arms when necessary), and a knee
there was so much more to see and do. But length skirt or dress. For men, a sleeved top,
really, this gives us a fantastic reason to come shirt and pants are acceptable.
back soon!
Best way to get to Israel
Cathay Pacific flies to Israel from Hong Kong
art A350 aircraft – offering Business, Premium
Economy and Economy Class.
What to Expect in Israel
Valid Passport & Tourist Visas
No visa is required for Philippine Passport
holders spending up to 90 days in the country.
Days of the Week
In Israel, the work week is Sunday to
Thursday, with Friday a busy day for people
to do their pre-shabbat shopping for dinner
and food for the weekend.
What is Shabbat?
Shabbat is a holy day – perhaps one of the
most important days in Judaism. Apart from
the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and other
high holidays, Shabbat is the holiest day for
Jews, and is the only one mentioned in the
Ten Commandments.
Kosher Dining
Kosher food is prepared in accordance with
Jewish Dietary Laws. In its most traditional
form, Jewish Dietary Laws forbid the
consumption of pork, rabbit, eagle, owl,
catfish, sturgeon, and any shellfish, insects
or reptiles, and meat and dairy products
may not be made or consumed together.
Restaurants catering kosher food usually will
display a ‘Kashrut’ certificate which is granted
by local rabbinate. Most hotels serve kosher
food, as well as some restaurants, but there
is no binding law.