The Dialogue in the Dark at the Children's Museum in Holon (http://www.childrensmuseum.org.il/)
This was one of the most interesting experiences I've ever had. For an hour and 15 minutes, you walk around in absolute darkness. There's no adjusting to the dark; it is total and complete. You are led by a blind guide who urges you to explore your surroundings and try to figure out what kind of environment you are in and what objects are present. Towards the end, the whole group sits down at a table in a cafeteria, still in the dark, to discuss their experiences and ask the guide any questions they might have.
Ir David's Segway Tour of Armon HaNatziv (http://www.cityofdavid.org.il/)
I enjoyed this so much with my mother-in-law that I went back a second time and took my parents with me. Segways are, without a doubt, one of the coolest inventions ever. The learning curve is extremely quick and you get the hang of it almost immediately. The tour takes you along the scenic pathways of the Peace Forest up to the three promenades from which you can experience the unsurpassed view of Jerusalem. The entire city is laid out in front of you and you can see to the far corners. This location is said to be the spot where Abraham was standing when, during his travel to Har HaMoriah from Be'er Sheva, he 'lifted his eyes and saw the place.'
Tour of the Old City with Simcha Hochbaum
I don't have his contact information on me but you can ask around (or email me) and I'm sure you'll be able to find it. Now, if you're anything like me, you're probably thinking, 'Another tour of the Old City? Been there, done that. Not interested.' Let me set your mind at ease. This is NOTHING like Old City tours you've done in the past. The tour didn't even enter the actual city till half-way
in. I never realized there was so much to see just outside the walls of the Old City. About an hour and a half into the tour, we finally entered through the Lion's Gate and walked through to the Muslim Quarter. There we saw numerous yeshivot and synagogues in the heart of the Muslim Quarter, and even visited the apartment of a young Jewish couple living there. It was so inspiring to hear the stories of these modern day pioneers. But the highlight of the tour was when we walked through an obscure section of the Arab shuk and stood at the doors to the Temple Mount. Through those huge open doors, we saw the actual place where the Temple once stood.Tour of the City of David (http://www.cityofdavid.org.il/)
This is a little long but a must for those fascinated by Jewish history. People tend to assume that the Old City of Jerusalem was the place where our ancestors lived since they entered the land. The fact that the City of David was the real Jerusalem for most of that period is usually overlooked. This tour gives you an in-depth look at the ancient city. It takes you past what is believed to have been King David's palace to the Gichon spring which was the city's main source of water in ancient times. The Jebusites, who lived in that area before its conquest by King David, had chiseled tunnels out of the mountain for the water to flow through, into the city. The tour guides you through these tunnels, which are now dry and explains some of the theories behind what you see. If you're feeling more adventurous, you can brave Hezekiah's tunnels which are pitch black and necessitate wading through thigh-deep water at some points.
The Smadar Cinema
Nestled away on Lloyd George, one of the numerous side streets off Emek Refaim, this 80 year old movie theater traces its history back to the British Mandate. It shows just two movies a day but it's worth a visit just to look around. On one wall there is a letter from the British government demanding an electricity payment for a specific amount of "Palestine pounds."
PLACES TO EAT
Non-Mehadrin
Buffalo Steakhouse Rabbanut Yerushalayim
Located on Emek Refaim, this is by far the best restaurant I've ever been too. Every single dish was prepared to perfection and served beautifully. They advertise themselves as mehadrin but, unfortunately, it's a bogus hashgacha as I found out later.
Mehadrin
Dan Hill Cafe
This cafe is brand new, only 2 months old as of the date of this post. It is located underneath the new Harmony Hotel, in a small, indoor boutique mall. The name of the street is Yoel Moshe Salomon Street, a slightly obscure street between Rechov Hillel and the main thoroughfare of Ben Yehuda. It is a large cafe with an indoor seating area, a semi-indoor seating area, which is in the main area of the mini-mall, and an outdoor seating area, situated directly on the street. The decor is modern, light and open, and the food, while typical cafe fare, had that extra something that pushed it over the border between mediocre and excellent. The ingredients were all fresh and of the highest quality, and it showed. An extremely friendly and helpful staff rounded off an overall enjoyable experience.
El Gaucho
No trip to Israel is complete without a trip to El Gaucho, an Argentinean steakhouse located at 129 Jabotinsky St in Ramat Gan. They have some interesting dishes and the food is quite good. The most interesting attraction is their 1 liter glasses which leave you feeling as though you're drinking out of a vase, rather than a glass.
Gong
Slightly more well known, this restaurant is located at 33 Rechov Yaffo. An Asian restaurant with Asian decor, it has a sushi menu and a more western menu as well. The menu is not very large but the dishes we sampled were, on the whole, very good. I recommend their sushi tempura and the salmon carpaccio.
And then of course, if you find yourself in Bet Shemesh for some reason, there's Aroma, an upscale coffee shop that serves huge sandwiches made with thick, deliciously fresh slices of bread. There could be other mehadrin Aroma cafes but this is the only one I know of.
Now, it's diet time.
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