As distressed as we might be when we see news events reported on television, keep in mind that at any given moment there are over 100,000 tourists in Israel. There is a very good possibility that we will never see or even be aware of any demonstrations or violence while we are in Israel. Our tour will not be near the West Bank or Gaza and safety is the number one concern of our guides and driver.

This picture is of another tour group (from the US) on the Temple Mount taken on Oct 14, 2015.
Folks from this particular group shared that it "was quiet and peaceful with Muslims, Jews and Christians all visiting the site."

Please rest assured that our guides and tour company are very well connected to be able to lead us around any trouble. The IDF will be aware that we and other tour groups are present as well. They recognize that any incident is detrimental to the number one economic engine of Israel, which is tourism. That in itself certainly makes me feel a whole lot more secure.

Click here for a great article concerning the current wave of unrest.

Also, click here to read a letter from the Israeli Minister of Tourism.

Before hosting our 2015 tour to Israel I had a conversation with a friend who is an executive at the largest Russian language Christian television network. He was leaving for Israel the evening we spoke and assured me we have nothing to worry about concerning security. As a seasoned traveler to Israel, he stated that both the Israelis AND Muslims have a stake in seeing that tourists enjoy themselves and are safe when visiting. Their local and national economies depend heavily on tourism. His only advice to me was to advise our tour to dress like tourists!

One more note. You should prepare yourself to see Israeli Defense Force (IDF) troops everywhere from the minute we land in Israel. They are extremely well trained and armed with automatic weapons. Though we are generally not used to that in North America, it should make us all breathe easier. The IDF are there to ensure the security and safety of their own people and of us.