Picture Perfect You've been thinking about it for years, and friends and relatives have told you that you have to go, and you can't think of a single reason to put it off any longer — don't. There is nothing in the world as exciting and fulfilling as a trip to Is- rael. You will learn more in two weeks than you thought imaginable and, with the proper guide, come back better educated about Middle East politics and Jewish history. Of course, the trip will be a lot of fun, too. Don't miss dining on falafel and drinking Turkish coffee and almond juice, or buying Israeli perfume and cassettes. If you have time, see a classical concert or check out an Israeli film. When you return to the United States, send us a copy of your fa- vorite photo. We would love to run it in The AppleTree! Note to parents with young children Be sure to check out thill month's "Parents Page," where you'll find great tips for travel- ing with your little ones. Travel Tips What To Pack THE APPLETREE • A camera Whether it's your first or 50th trip to Israel, this is the most important item to bring. You simply cannot have enough photos of your great ad- venture. 4 • Small gifts for old and new friends. No doubt you will re- ceive invitations to a meal or for coffee; Israelis are eager to dis- cuss such topics as politics and U.S.-Israel relations with visitors from abroad. If you do go for dinner, its nice to bring along a small, distinctly American such as socks bearing a famous- name brand, or a kosher food made here, or a box of greeting cards or stickers. • A good book You may nev- er have a chance to read it Then again, you may find your- self sitting an extra hour aboard your El Al airplane, famed for its thorough (ie, lengthy) security checks. In any case, you don't want to end up buying a book in Israel, as those imported from both England and the United o e you with out finding cinating spots to visit in Israel. One we recommend is Kids Love Israel (Kar-Ben Copies) by Barbara Safer. It's the per- fect guide for families traveling with children of all ages. The guide includes the phone number, location, ad- mission fee and a brief de- cription of many places certain to delight you and your children. These include: In Jerusalem: * The Siebenberg House, States are expensive. • A comfortable pair of shoes. Israelis spend a lot of time walk- ing. You will, too. • A secure purse or wallet Pickpockets throughout the world are famous for being able to identify tourists (translate: easy marks) in an in- stant Make certain your money is in a purse that can be zipped and held close to the body, or a wallet kept in your front, not back, pocket. • Extra cash and cred- it cards. Be assured: you'll find many, many items you cannot live without Don't Bother • A lot of clothing. Is- rael is not a formal country. Bring com- where you can see artifacts (found by a couple when they did home renova- tions) from the past 3,000 years. * The Cable Car Museum, which houses a cable car used to bring supplies to sol- diers during the War of Inde- pendence. * The Magic Road, which defies gravity; drive down- hill, but it seems like you're going up. * The Havat Nokdim Ex- perimental Farm, where chil- dren can= bottle-feed lambs and make pita. In Tel Aviv: * The Educational Center for Games, home to more than 1,000 board games (many of which you can play) * The Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum, where you'll learn how diamonds are mined and polished. *. The Tzapari Bird Center,- with magnificent birds from throughout the world. * Safari Park, home to 1,600 animals that roam fre fortable shirts, pants and dresses that don't need ironing. • Toiletries. You will find every- thing from top-notch shampoo to the finest perfumes in any major Israeli • Israeli currency. You can ex- change dollars for shekels at al- most any bank in Israel. • Anything electric, unless its essential Israel's electrical cur- rent is compatible with Ameri- can products only with the aid of an adaptor. While these are available at local travel shops, they are not inexpensive. Learn to do without your blow dryer or curling iron or electric razor for the duration of the trip. • Food For some inexplicable reason, some Americans seem to believe there will be nothing for them to eat (that is, nothing they like) in Israel. Be assured, Israel has plenty of food and it's delicious. Even if you don't care for falafel and shwarma, you'll have little trouble finding pizza, or a hamburger that tastes just like the one back home. In Haifa: * The Dagon Grain Muse- urn, the only grain museum in the world. • Packages and letters to be mailed in Israel If it's a stranger asking, anything could be there from contraband to a bomb. And if it's from people you know: If they're really friends, they won't ask. First of all, postage from the United States to Israel is affordable and letters arrive in a matter of days. Sec- ond, you are not a mailman; you are going on a grand adven- ture and you do not need to be responsible for doing anyone's chores along the way. Third, (._/ you will be asked time and again, both by airline and cus- toms officials, whether you were given any packages or let- ters to mail in Israel. (Their con- cern, of course, is security). Do you really want to lie every time?