Israel

Souvenirs from Israel

Many people consider a vacation to the State of Israel the trip of a lifetime. Whether you are there for religious, historical or pleasurable reasons, there are many wonderful Israeli souvenirs that can be purchased to enjoy for ages to come. Olive wood carvings of spiritual imagery are well made and beautiful, and represent symbols, events and people important to the 3 major monotheistic world religions. Olive oil and Dead Sea mineral beauty treatments can be quite expensive in other parts of the world, but you can purchase bottles of creams and serums for excellent prices as part of your souvenirs from Israel. Replicas of antiquities, especially Roman coins, are fun pieces of memorabilia to collect, but make sure to keep the documentation to show authorities. Kosher foods can also be a fun gift, as you enjoy new flavors in interesting packages, or you can always pick up plenty of key chains and magnets.

Endangered Species in Israel

Many European and African animals find the ends of their territories within Israel's borders, where the cooler northern climate meets the arid desert. 722 species of mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians live here, many of which are endangered due to overhunting or the rapid rise in urbanization and overforestation. The most dramatic example of this epidemic is the extinction of the European Water Vole and Jungle Cat, as an aftereffect of the draining of Hula Lake Swamp. Because of this, hunting is prohibited in Israel, except for those animals that are considered a danger or nuisance. Larger mammals, such as the Arabian Leopard, Sand Cat and the Striped Hyena, are the most at risk, with the bird and pat populations not far behind. Efforts are being made to reintroduce locally extinct animals back into the Israeli countryside. The most successful as of this point are the Persian Fallow Deer and the Roe Deer.