Great to hear about this new look tourism promotion. It's about time that Foreign Ministry and Tourist ministry woke up to how to present themselves. I hope it helps

The government, like many Israelis, is under the impression that by showing the west that the Israelis are "just like them," they will get support. Unfortunately, you have it backwards. Jews that are different don't bother gentils, Jews that are the same, well that is when they turn on us. More than that, the Muslims outsmarted you. Iran talks about "sending the Jews back to Europe." Showing Americans that Israel is "just like the US" causes Americans to wonder why the Israelis shouldn't just move to the US where it is safe. The MORE DIFFERENT Israel is, the more important it is to exist. if it looks like Southern California, why should the US spend blood and treasure to help keep the Jews there, instead of in Southern California.

please don't take them to the TLV. that place is no longer fun or hip to hang out at. Whisky a Go Go (at the Namal), or Vizcaya (near Oman 17), or Helena (at Ha Bimah) are where everyone is at these days....

Make sure you include some "Ruach" inspiring visits as well.

You seculars are really ruining Judaism and its history. If you want clubs go to Europe and America, at least your birthrate is very very low so in a few years the religious will cover this country and reclaim its former glory.

and not its clubs and drinking then Israel means nothing more than a piece of land not G-d's land. These modern, gay, etc socalled Jews are not preserving any of our ancestoral laws and of G-d's laws. What is going on in this world, you are allowing another Shoah with no deaths but with loss of faith.

Hmmm. A "taste" of very un-cool Min'o Tour" thoughts on what people from various places want to see/do. Maybe they should just produce a relatively inexpensive booklet of things to see and do, and not get into what should be on a menu, or how about a Police coordinated hi-viz sticker that would not have rented vehicles ticketed or towed because of unfamiliaity with local rules and regs. Oh well. I guess this is what tax money is for. WASTING

I guess the point is to appeal to younger, presumably Jewish, Americans who are not observant. What about this line though: “Our goal is to present Israel through a different and less known prism... a progressive place . . . that in its essence is similar to the United States" ... How can an Israel that is "in its essence" similar to the US be "different and less well known" to Americans? Rather, the point is to make Israel seem like an extension of the US. But how can Israel begin to compete with the US on being similar to the US? How can Tel Aviv compete in glitz with big cities like New York, Chicago, and LA? The beaches might be great, but do they really compete with those in southern Florida? Why would someone fly all that way to get what one could have at home at a much lower price? By all means, though, skip the Israeli politicians.

As someone who is involved with Hasbara and Israel Advocacy, I can only say....about time! Well done! www.kicisrael.blogspot.com

And by the Foreign Ministry trying to make us something that we're not- and shouldn't aspire to be, it hurts us. We are supposed to be the "light unto the nations"- not a disco. The REAL problem is that these bureaucratic hacks don't know this. That being the case, they are unqualified to represent our country- our nation.

If they wanted to see clubs they would go to LA. If they want beaches, there are many finer then Tel Aviv's. What they are coming for is a bit of spirituality. Why do we hide our heritage and pretend to have none. Is this what the Holy land has become? Bars and beaches? Shame on you!

Where is your culture, have you lost it http://arutzsheva.com/news.php3?id=102459 http://arutzsheva.com/news.php3?id=102366 http://www.har-habayt.org/ Why dont you start improving our Holy Sites and compensate the people you removed from the Gush and Amona instead of promoting gay parades and beaches. We are to be a light on to the nations not a drunken gay hore. A day will come when we retake our land from you gentile jews and raise the Israeli flag on Mount. Moriah and demolish that heretic golden dome on our Mount.

this is israel !! http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/12/MNGJND7G5T1.DTL

Just an fyi: the Jewish people are not condemned to the foolish myth of God. Thanks to Marx, Freud and Einstein we are a light onto the nations for enlightenment and modernity - not just the fathers of the foolish beliefs and superstitions of ancient times. Liberate your mind - the Torah is the history of our people not a book written by Mr.Adonai!

There was once a time when Israel was THE place for young adults to go. Through incompetence and various other reasons the Israeli government let all that lapse. There are enormous political gains in bringing 18-25's to Israel for a bit, particularly in Europe, as this is a group that has been largely brainwashed into sympathising with the Palestinians' way of thinking. But these people don't have any money. So arrange cheap (i.e. subsidised) airfares and they'll come. Just one snag: they don't have any bloody money!!!! So you'll have to look elsewhere for a huge injection of cash to the Israeli tourism industry. In fact, they might end up being a rowdy pain in the bum. Look at Ibiza in the summer. Nevertheless Israel's sad and neglected tourist resorts won't attract anyone else for the time being. The Egyptians have pretty much sewn up the up-market. Tally-ho!

Western Leftists are hate Israel, first because they are morons and second because they are self-hating Westerners, as a consequence, this won't change their mindset. However it's a cool idea for non-Leftist journalists.

There is a lot of truth in what some of you are saying about the spiritual value of Israel and that it should not be corrupted. But you must also think about the bigger picture. We Israelis are not all religious Jews, full of spirituality and righteousness. A lot of us are secular and yes, we lead secular lives... pubs, clubs and all. This is a huge part of Israel, like it or not. And secondly, these journalists who come to Israel have a purpose and serve Israeli interests. They go back to their countries, write stories, and hopefully arouse interest in this country which in turn brings tourism and investment. The religious community outside of Israel is already connected to the country in most cases, therefore the target audience needs to be secular people who know nothing about Israel. These are the potential new investors and they can help the country tremendously.

Boy,- you need a lot of help. It is amazing how far we can fall in only 2 genarations. Just some advise. Before you go on pretending to be an expert about Judaism, maybe take some time and do some real research! I swear to you, the day will come when you will be very ashamed by what you wrote. Listen to your Lev

Why a lot of people refuse to show Israel with all diferent faces? It's not only tears this (my) country. I'm very happy hear, so my family.

This is a great idea and Eithan "The Ambassador" Schwartz is the perfect guy for the job!!!

ust remember when "US" seculars will no longer be the majority... you will run out of source of income...just look at your government's budget... maybe you want to raise some of your offspring as working people who RESPECT all because we ALL are children of god. As for the article... it's good to show MTV reported a different side of Israel, but not only that side...

o please you little know-it-all don't spray me with your sanctimony! Fact is this little jewish State of ours is being gradually turned from the future-oriented place it was meant to be by its founders (including Herzl who was a music journalist and Wagner-lover) into a dark little sandhole full of backwards religious fanatics like yourself who are hardly any more enlightened than the Arabs. So save it, Dannyboy, leave the country, be exposed to modern ideas and read some books other than what your rebbe brainwashes you with before you start preaching your drivel to me!

Goodness wow, you so called "jews" always surprise me with your jackass comments. You are not a Jew, to be a Hebrew one has to follow the Torah. Damn, G-d will have your head. We religous will reclaim Israeli's true glory and kick your scum out as you did with us.

You are creating a Shoah by yourself not by the deaths of Jews but by removing Jewish spirtuality and Torah values. How low can you go.

Well, Lev, I don't even have a rebbe, and I suspect that I am as exposed to great literature and science as you are. So let me ask you: when was Israel a "future-oriented place"? Granted, its Bolshevik founders did expect to create a socialist utopia. Is that what you mourn for? From what I see in forums such as this, so-called secular Israelis are not so much "future-oriented" as they are historically and culturally challenged. As for that elephant, it couldn't be more clear that Israel's major problem in terms of tourism is terrorism, and that means "Palestinians." The US State Department now recommends that Americans not travel anywhere in Israel, including nightclubs in Tel Aviv. This is what people like Abu Omri & Merlot (and Lev) have bequeathed you. Their "modern" approach to terror is pacifistic pattycakes (e.g. shelling open fields). Want tourism to quintuple? Unload your "Palestinians." Transfer them from every town they use to attack Jews. Bribe them to leave. Whatever. If it is ok to expel Jews, it is ok to expel Arabs.

Read the article again, from the beginning until the end. Nightclubs are not the only places on the agenda. What 'f'ormer glory ' are you talking about? Glory is doing something for your country, and having a sense of pride especially being a soldier in the IDF - do you know what that is?

I agree with you wholeheartedly.