About us
Rotem Shahar
General
Hi there, my name is Rotem, and I'm a licensed tour guide in Israel.
I was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and moved to Miami, Florida when I was 2 years old along with my parents. Since I grew up in Miami, my parents wanted us (myself and my younger brother) to be exposed to Judaism and have a Jewish upbringing. They enrolled us in a Jewish Day School, and I was active in NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth). After graduating from high school I attended the University of Florida, and although it took a lot of deliberation, I finally decided on Soil and Water Science as my path of study.
After obtaining both a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Soil and Water Science, I moved back to Israel.
In Israel
When I arrived in Israel my path was muddled.
I started a Ph.D., I did a few different jobs in the field of Soil and Water Science, yet I wasn't happy in any of these. In the end, I knew I needed to make a change.
Eventually I made my way to tour guide school, received my license in 2015 and have been guiding and having a great time doing so ever since.
In 2018 I got my specialized drivers license, allowing me to serve both as a driver and tour guide for small groups, in a car that seats up to 7 people.
And then Covid hit, and tourism here in Israel was one of the first things to go.
Virtual and In Person Tours
At the beginning of May 2020 I decided I need to find a way to bring Israel abroad, instead of people coming here. Thus, this website was born.
I'm offering virtual tours of different cities and sites in Israel, from the Negev Desert in the south, to Kazrin in the Golan Heights in the North.
And if you're coming to Israel, I will gladly show you around in person, as well!
Contact me via email (email address below), whatsapp (+972-53-525-1670), or through the contact form on the site.
Interviews and Features
I've been interviewed for the Tour Guide Confidential podcast! Listen to my interview here.
I've been interviewed by The Haifa Girls!
I've been interviewed by Judaica in the Spotlight!
A picture I took of the Dome of the Rock was featured by Urban_Israel on their Instagram feed.
A picture I took in Jerusalem was featured by YNet on their instagram feed.
IG_our_israel featured my photo of the waterfall in Ein Gedi on their instagram feed.
Fun Facts about Rotem
- Loves to bike ride
- Participated in the Ride for the Living in 2019
- Hiked from Sea to Sea (from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee)
- Has hiked up Masada more times than she can count
- Doesn't like waking up before the sun is out
- Loves Purim and Independence Day, and every other holiday, too
- Loves animals, especially cats
- Has been vegan since 2012
- Dances in Tel Aviv's Representative Dance Troupe
- Dances Irish Dancing
- Does Israel Folk Dancing and is a certified Folk Dancing Instructor
- Is happy and grateful that you were interested enough to read through this random list of interests and fun facts
We Provide:
Professional Guiding and Driving Services
Licensed Tour Guide by the Ministry of Tourism of the Israeli Government
Outstanding Service
Completely Customizable Tours to Fit Your Specific Wants and Needs