Jerusalem and Bethlehem Private Christian Tour

Levy beeindruckte nicht nur als sehr informierter Reiseführer, er vermittelte einen tiefen Einblick in das Zusammenleben zwischen Juden, Arabern, Palistinensern und Christen. Yad Vashem war ein emotionaler Höhepunkt.

I have travelled the world and used many guides over the years, and I have never met a more angry and argumentative guide than Mr. Zelkind. He has no patience - for anything. When you ask him a question he says “what, you don’t know that”! and my reply was “no I do not and this is why I am paying you USD700 for the one day tour to help me answer these questions”. I asked him a simple question “where is Prince Philip’s mother buried” and he started “she is not buried in Jerusalem” and I responded “I saw Prince Charles visit Jerusalem 2 years ago to lay flowers”. Then he came back “you are wrong, it was Prince William”. In the end I had to access YouTube to show him. He said, “we never admit we are wrong”! I couldn’t even have a simple conversation with him. When we visited Temple Mount he said “this is my friend and he is going to she you something” - his friend then took me to the side of a mosque asked for my camera and tried to take photographs of me, which I declined. He then asked me for USD50 for trying to take my picture. I gave the person USD10, then another USD10, and then I walked back to Mr. Zelkind. The man then started to complain to Mr. Zelkind that I never gave him all of the money he wanted and I refused to hand over more cash. I told Mr. Zelkind, do not do that to me again and he then started to berate me saying that I was negative! I thought I cannot believe my guide, which I am paying USD600, is berating me and calling me negative after some man is trying to get money out of me for taking my picture. He did nothing to protect me and everytime I questioned something or someone he would say “oh come on, you are being negative”. I’m the most easy going person and very easy to get along with. On the tour he took me to places like ‘Austrian Hospice’, ‘Temple Mount’, etc.. and the way he spoke to me was like he was doing something special for me. A truly horrible experience with Mr. Zelkind, and sad I had the experience that I did in one of the places I was wanting to visit since I was a child. I left Jerusalem feeling terrible after the way that Mr. Zelkind spoke to me and treated me. I felt compelled to write this review as I have been feeling really bad since I returned home thinking I have done something wrong, but then cleared my head and realised Mr. Zelkind’s behaviour was totally unacceptable. I would seriously discourage anyone from using his services. Please wait for his response to this review and you will see how argumentative he is and he has zero ability to ever accept he has done something wrong and/or could have done something better. One final point to mention - his driving is very bad and leaves you on edge when he is driving you. He shouts at other drivers, gets really stressed out, and just creates the most unpleasant atmosphere to be in.

Levi was very friendly and knows massive amount of knowledge about the history of both cities and events. Although we are not very religious but it was very informative from historical perspective.