Dining in Israel

Arab Influences

There isn’t really any one, single national dish that defines Israeli cuisine.  That’s because this is a relatively “young” country, and its citizens come from the four corners of the world with their own distinctive culinary influences.  The closest Israelis have to a flagship dish is the falafel.  Consisting of deep fried balls of ground chick peas flavored with spices and sandwiched in pita bread, you can find these at virtually every street corner in the country.  Falafel actually has most of its roots in traditional Arabic cuisine, but its popularity in Israel is fairly universal. 

Other Arab culinary touches come in the form of shawarma (grilled meats rolled up in a pita bread, along with mayonnaise, chopped vegetables, and spices) and humus (pureed chick peas, garnished with spices and parsley, and served with – you guessed it -  pita bread again).  

East European Influences

A majority of Jewish immigrants came from Eastern European countries like Russia, Hungary, and Poland, bringing with them the rich meat stews and broths of their native lands.  The Ashkenazi Jews, who came from Central and Eastern Europe, brought with them the cholent, a meat stew traditionally served on the Sabbath and gelfite fish, a white ground fish concoction that can be made of carp or salmon. 

Budget Dining

If you want to save a few dollars while still sampling the full range of culinary delights, consider checking out the ubiquitous street stalls.  You can gulp down plates of falafel and matzo balls and be absolutely stuffed.  These stalls are still everywhere, and you can count on these for a quick bite if you’re out and about on your medical tourism holiday.  

Kosher

Although kosher eating habits vary by household, most wholesale distributors, supermarkets, and restaurants adhere to the strict dietary laws known as kashruth. Rarely will you see shellfish or dishes containing both meat and diary at the same time.