I remember the first time I visited Tel Aviv in the summer. Walking out of the airport feeling like I just stepped into a steam room with my clothes sticking to my body and sweat already dripping down the side of my temples- it was awful. This was not the Middle Eastern chic I was accustomed to. I looked around at the Israelis around me wondering how and why they were wearing jeans in 100+ degree weather. This was the summer of 2006, when I was on my Birthright Israel trip.

Since then I’ve learned a few tricks about how to keep my cool when visiting the Middle East in the dead of summer, and want to share a few with you here:

1. I Scream- Satisfy that sweet tooth and keep your cool? Sign me up. Israel is a frozen yogurt lover’s dream- on any given street you’ll find a fresh fruit stand making fro-yo, smoothies or serving up ice cream. If you’re in a rush- grab a Magnum ice cream from a local corner store. The vanilla on vanilla crunch happens to be my fave. Go ahead, indulge.

2. Drink Water! Israel may be lacking in the natural resources department for water, but there should be enough
to go around for you to drink up. It’s easy to get dehydrated- and fast. When I was a novice on my Birthright trip, we hiked through the desert, and silly me- I forgot my water bottle. Within 20 minutes I had to stop on the side, sit down and recuperate. Dehydration is not fun- trust me. Keep a 2 liter water bottle with you at all times and you should be good.

3. Beach Bum- With miles of idyllic shores along the Mediterranean Sea, you’ll understand quickly how one can spend an entire vacation on the beach. The water is always just the right temperature of cool and there’s always a game of matkot around every corner to keep you busy. Stay on the beach into the night and let those ocean breezes cool you down as you sip a cocktail at one of the many beach bars.



4. AIRCON- If all else fails, retreat back to your hotel room for some much needed AC. Just remember, most Israelis are dealing without it. So toughen up and taken on that Israeli summer heat like a champ.



Anabelle Harari is the community attaché for Birthright Israel Experts and the blogger behind Local Belle. You can connect with her on things local, sustainable and food related on twitter @thelocalbelle.