I'm planing a trip to Israel to meet my brother who already lives there, and have some questions?

February is an interesting time of year, although the weather is unpredictable. Tu B'Shvat/ the New Year of the Trees falls this year in early January. That means that almond trees will already have blossomed a month before your arrival, and many other spring blooms are out. Be aware that it is still very much a cold, potentially rainy month, especially in Jerusalem and in the north.

From mid-way down this page, all the photos were taken in February & early March. http://blog.guedalia.com/?cat=18

Here are more views of the country in February: http://www.asergeev.com/pictures/archives/2000/121...

"Must see" is usually a function of one's interests. What are your own preferences: art museums, sites of historical, religious, or archeological relevance, cuisine, nature hikes, cultural performances, or . . . ?

It sounds as though you want to pack a lot into one trip, and don't have any time to waste. Many local bus tour companies (for example, Egged ) offer day tours that enable you to leave T.A. or Jerusalem for a long day away at a variety of sites in another part of the country. On one's own, one can never cover that much ground, see so much, and get back to the center of the country for a night out.

As it sounds like your brother is in the T.A. area, I'll leave that city's highlights up to him. In addition to Jaffa and other sites already mentioned, I would recommend a visit to the Ramat Aviv (Tel Aviv U campus) Diaspora Museum if you are interested. http://www.bh.org.il/index.html . It is a unique institution. If you plan to go, a tour can be arranged in the language of your choice by contacting the staff in advance.

To get ideas for your itinerary, check out:

http://www.israelinphotos.com/ The site is very user friendly. Just click on a photo on the home page, and more images of the same region or topic appear.

Examples: http://www.israelinphotos.com/gallery24.htm

http://www.israelinphotos.com/gallery4.htm

(Don't forget to click on #62, the "Crazy House"!)

http://www.israelinphotos.com/gallery15.htm

Jerusalem: http://tour.jerusalem.muni.il/?lng=2

Note that there's a discount card that allows you to enter 5 different sites for a reduced rate. To see the old city on your own, first-time tourists should enter via Jaffa Gate. Just inside, there is a government tourist bureau. http://www.goisrael.com/tourism_eng

There, you can pick up maps and get directions to and info. about sites that interest you. The Jewish Quarter is full of fascinating tiny museums. While most travelers seem to have heard of Masada, many people are amazed when they discover the Burnt House. Scroll down to read more: http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Early%20History%...

It's not far from the the Kotel/ Western Wall adjacent to the Holy Temple Mount.

Nearby, you can also walk past a recent archeological find, discovered this month. It is a large 2nd Temple era house; underneath it, remains from the 1st Temple period were found. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/1...

As you may have noticed, Israel has more museums per capita than any country on earth! http://www.ilmuseums.com/

If you have specific questions, feel free to come back and ask more.

Buen Viaje.

Well, their are usually cheap flights in feb so thats good. Tel aviv should be nice weather but jerusalem will probably be cold and rainy. Jerusalem is a must go to, especially if you are jewish go to the Kotel- there is nothing else like it, you cant know until you go there and feel it. Enjoy!!

The best time is Spring or Fall, but February not bad either. My advice is to spend as much time as possible in Jerusalem and much less in Tel-Aviv. Also visit Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth. great place to float - you can not drawn in Dead sea - the water is so salty that you can just sit in it and float. Great expirience. Jerusalem is an awsome place. You can get all Israeli related tourist info on the net. just search and you will find all the info you need. And I hope you enjoy your stay

February is not a bad time of year to visit Tel-Aviv; I would avoid it in the summer, as it gets hot and humid. When there, you should visit Old Yaffo (adjacent to T.A, my hometown, lovely art galleries, a nice mixed population, very friendly, decent restaurants)...

You should definitely, as Paperback mentioned, visit Jerusalem; the Wailing Wall, the old part of the city, the market at Ben Yehuda. etc...

If you can, go to the north; visit Tzfat (Safed). Eilat is a fun place to be; nice beaches and hotels.

As for Tel-Aviv, go to Dizengoff St, Shenkin St, the promenade, etc...

As for cheap flights to cairo, you should look for them while in Israel, and purchase them there, as this is the cheapest way to go.

Tips? Most people are friendly, everyone speaks English, if you are waiting for the bus you will be pushed and shoved, as we Israelis tend to be rude in that way...lol

For more info:

http://www.telavivguide.net/telaviv/Attractions/12...

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/jerusalem/88_...

http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/saf...

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGknH1M2dH7v...

Have a great trip, and do feel free to email me with any questions:)

Well my first visit to Israel was in February. It is a bit wet and cold, with alot of clouds then, so do take a warm jacket and sweater, layering is best!

Your brother should be able to tell you what cities you can visit within your time constraints.

Can't help you on the flight or bus info...

Pack light, plan your outfits around the same color scheme . Don't take a hair dryer, don't take toiletries as you can get all that there. Save room in your suitcase for souvenirs!

well if you're going to Tel Aviv, you MUST go to Jaffa, it's beautiful. I love it!!!

Jerusalem is a must of course, just take a walk there, it's interesting place!

near Jerusalem there is a place called Latrun - it's a church, beautiful place, where you can even buy wine.

and nearby you have a museum of tanks of armored forces. I'm not sure when it's open.

- summer time!! ugh Great. beach, beautiful women, guys, sunny days, cold drinks, nice breeze. that's the best but you wont get that in feburary.

-Tel Aviv must, Yerushalaim must, travel in the north, and if you make it to eilat that's great!

-Tel aviv is best for summer, but just walk around Ben yahuda, Shenkin, near the beach , check a couple restuarants . in Jerusalem of course the Kotel, walk around religios sites if intrested.

- only tip - Have fun! enjoy any and every second of it where ever you go!

I would recommend you try and spend a bit of time in Jerusalem if possible. Visit the Kotel, or 'Wailing Wall'; place your palm on the stone. Also, go to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial. A haunting and sensitive memorial.

Tel Aviv: go to Ben Yehuda Street, sit in a cafe, and watch the world go by....

In Israel, I would go on an organized sightseeing tour. In terms of getting a great fare, there is a list of great cheap travel sites at http://www.travelbargainsites.com/ One site compares all the airlines for the best fare.

There is a ton of things to do.

Check out this web site--it will answer all your questions.

http://www.goisrael.com/tourism_eng