Tel Aviv is one of the best beaches to rest your sandals, according to a recent feature by National Geographic. Though it might not be news to Israelis or the Diaspora, the magazine named Tel Aviv Beach number nine on its list of top ten global beaches. The Israeli hot spot joins the likes of Sydney, Rio and Miami Beach. Barcelona pulled in the top ranking, with Cape Town, Honolulu and Nice falling behind. Vancouver won the 10th spot, and Santa Monica joined Honolulu in representing American beach cities on the …More

The Great Synagogue in Sydney might be the best-looking shul in Australasia. Incorporating magnificent Gothic and Byzantine elements, the building is one of the finest 19th century constructions in the city’s central business district. However it is more than just a fine-looking shul; the Great Synagogue in Sydney is also a vibrant Jewish congregation in the heart of Australia’s most populous city. There has been a Jewish presence in Australia ever since Britain first started shipping its convicts to …More

Donald Trump is bringing his luxury real estate and outspoken charm to Israel. Well, at least his luxury real estate! The mogul plans to build a golf course resort in Ashkelon, a seaport city on the Mediterranean coast 13 kilometers north of the Gaza Strip border. Trump is hoping to build an 18-hole course, 650 hotel recreation units, a convention hall and country club on the 210-acre site adjacent to the Nitzanim Nature Reserve. With Caesarea Golf & Country Club being Israel’s only full course, it is …More

Israel has decided to continue granting tourists a VAT tax exemption for the 2013-14 year, the cabinet announced Monday. The idea to remove the exemption was floated through the government in a bid to raise revenue, but the finance committee passed its annual budget this week without implementing the measure. Instead, a 2 percent spending cut was issued as part of the 388 billion shekel, of $106.7 billion, budget plan. “[This is a] responsible decision not only for the 200,000 people working in the …More

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague is more than a cemetery; it’s an archive. The cemetery is a 500-year-old testament to steadfast belief in the face of persecution and neglect. To visit the cemetery is to walk through the remains of what was once one of the world’s major centers of Jewish life. The Old Jewish Cemetery is located in what used to be the Jewish ghetto in Prague, an area named Josefov, and the cemetery reflects the old neighborhood. Josefov was a part of town with narrow streets and where …More

A town in northern Spain is preparing to hold its first Passover seder since 1492. The ritual meal will take place in the old center of the town of Ribadavia on March 25, the first seder night, and is being organized by the municipality’s tourism department in partnership with the Center for Medieval Studies, a Ribadavia-based association that researches the history of Iberian Jews prior to their expulsion during the Spanish Inquisition that began in 1492. Historian Abraham Haim, the center’s …More

Strolling traditional Jewish neighborhoods in search of yiddishkeit and kugel may not sound like an incredibly modern experience. But a team of young professionals in Montreal is looking to change that perception. The Interactive Museum of Jewish Montreal is a new online portal giving Canadian natives and tourists the chance to browse historic Jewish sites with the click of a mouse. The site is run by a team of staff and contributors, who troll the streets of Montreal to compile some of the most iconic spots of …More

As promised, Google has rolled out a second wave of Street View images showcasing the Jewish state in all her glory. The first round of imagery came out last year, providing 360 degree views of some of Israel’s most historic streets. Now, users are getting an even more thorough experience, with Street View capability at sites like the Galilee, Dead Sea and Eilat. From the search giant’s blog: “You can now virtually tour the picturesque city of Safed in the North, the coral reef in Eilat in …More

The US is currently considering measures that would allow Israeli citizens to enter the states without first acquiring a visa. The Visa Waiver for Israel Act was introduced to Congress last year, when Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) moved for the legislation along with Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX). Representatives brought the issue forward for the first time in the Hill yesterday, with fellow congressmen and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon giving remarks in support. “I’m pleased to …More

Taglit-Birthright Israel celebrated its bar mitzvah Monday night, in an event honoring the group’s 13th anniversary. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on hand at the ceremony to greet 3,000 travelers from the US, South America, Canada and Europe, commenting on the efforts Taglit has made to bring young people to the Jewish state. “You come from different countries and speak different languages, but you have one thing in common: Israel is your birthright,” Netanyahu said at the …More

A Spanish political party reportedly has asked the regional government of Andalucia to authorize and encourage holding Jewish weddings in Cordoba’s historic synagogue. According to a report in Diario Cordoba, a local daily, the request came last month from the center-right PP group in the state parliament of Andalucia in southern Spain. It was meant to help the region “fulfill its touristic potential,” party spokesman Rosario Alarcon is quoted as saying. He added that the move would encourage a …More

The Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp memorial and museum attracted a record number of visitors in 2012. There were 1.43 million visitors to the grounds of the former Nazi camp last year--the most in the museum's 65-year history, the museum said on its website. More than 1 million people have visited the memorial and museum annually for each of the last six years. "Auschwitz in the last decade became a clearly fundamental memorial of the whole Europe,” said Dr. Piotr Cywinski, the museum's director. “It …More