My first night in Israel! Enjoying delicious vegan food in Tel Aviv, photo courtesy Vibe Israel
My international journey continues…
I’m excited to announce that I was selected as one of four participants for the 2015 Vibe Israel Women Entrepreneurs Tour!
Vibe Israel is a nonprofit organization based in Tel Aviv that hosts week-long, all-expenses paid tours of Israel for online influencers and bloggers to meet the people who make up the local scene in the fields they write about. In return, they share their experiences with their millions of followers.
Israel has actually never been on my list of places where I wanted to travel, but when I received the invitation to apply for the tour, I became instantly curious about this small country that I only knew for its religious significance among Jewish people.
I am also the first Black American blogger to be a part of this unique event! Besides African tourists, I haven’t seen any people who look like me in Israel yet, so it’s clear that I’m not the only one who didn’t have Israel as a top travel destination.
Yesterday, I flew from Paris to Tel Aviv to begin the adventure of my first international press trip and report on the experience of being in Israel. I’m so glad my finger is healing nicely and I was clear to hop on the plane and go!
“Through Vibe Israel, people from all over the world get to experience what Israel is about through experiences,” explains founder Joanna Landau. After thirteen successful tours and eight tours planned for this year, the organization states it’s a success as these tours change the way people think and feel about Israel.
Click here to check out our day-by-day itinerary for the trip!
During the tour, me and the other three participants from around the world will be learning from some of the most influential women entrepreneurs in Israel, while at the same time visiting all the places that make the country so interesting.
The “who’s who” roster of business women we are meeting on the tour includes cultural entrepreneur Naomi Fortis, former CEO of Bat Sheva; Ofra Strauss, chairwoman of the Strauss Group; Eylon Nuphar, co-founder of the award-winning multicultural “Mayumana” dance troupe and Daphne Leef, founder of the Israeli version of “Occupy Wall Street.”
Last night, we kicked off the tour with a welcome dinner at Nanuchka with Ori Shavit, a leading vegan activist and blogger, enjoying drinks and amazing vegan food while getting to know each other.
And today, we took a guided tour of the “old city” of Jerusalem, including visiting the markets and tasting yummy Israeli food!
Visiting the “old city” of Jerusalem
Tasting the famous Israeli bagel with “zaatar” traditional spice
For more details about Vibe Israel, visit vibeisrael.com. You can also follow my week-long journey through Israel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the hashtags #vibeisrael and #vibewomen!
Rosetta Thurman is a nationally-recognized author, speaker, mentor and coach dedicated to helping women create their ideal lives.
I went last year with expert Israel trips they directed me on all things that I need to know about that wonderful country. It was a vacation of my life, and will return there one day.
My parents have been to Israel a couple of times, but it was in the early nineties before everything became “intense” in the Middle East. I would like to go, but honestly, the instability worries me.
I know I’m being silly. But, I’m curious to know did you ever, honestly, felt threatened or unsafe? If so, how did your hosts prepare you for those concerns?
hey, i saw your comments and couldn’t ignore it, i’m israeli, and totally understand your worries about visiting here. during wars and intense times it’s not actually “unsafe” around Tel Aviv, but I’d suggest you to go in times like now. Tel Aviv and the Dead Sea are 100% safe and anybody who have been here will tell you that, also I’ve been to Jerusalem a couple of times and it was an amazing experience. as a local person, i’ve NEVER felt threatened or unsafe, i swear! not even during our last war last summer. sometimes i do hear in the news or something about stuff going on next to the west bank or Jerusalem, and then i just wait a few days until i go there (if i want to go),
i’d definetly wouldn’t be living here if it were unsafe here. visiting israel will be an amazing time for you who’ll be remembered forever. And even if something happens, with have the iron dome (security system) who protects us. about Jerusalem and places that might be ‘unsafe’, it depends, you just gotta check how it is there a few days before you go there but it’s always ok in Tel Aviv and other wonderful places. :)
the south is different though, but the attracations are mostly in the center.
sorry, i just noticed my grammar mistakes.
Like any country/state/city it depends on where you are. Areas of conflict are not where you should be as a visitor but the main tourist sites were all fine. Tel Aviv the main city where all the cool restaurants, bars. etc were felt like any international city to me. I shared another update here: http://happyblackwoman.com/how-to-spend-a-week-in-israel-part-1/
Thanks Rosetta for sharing and inspiring us by living your authentic best life. I’m totally loving this series!
This is so awesome!!!! You are a great inspiration!
I have always wanted to travel to Isreal as a christian. You mentioned no people of color perhaps your being ther is just what we need to get things started.