<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> A warm thank you to the 15 individuals who responded (in great detail) to my query about my 14 YO son eating GF in Israel with a touring group. And to one the woman who invited him to eat at her home in Haifa! Of those who have traveled there within the past year or so, I was advised that he should take advantage of the foods that are naturally Gf such as the wonderful produce, Empire and Hebrew National meats, salads, yogurts, cheeses, herring, potatoes and smoked fish. Also “Non-Gebrots” Passover foods are GF. The Israel Coeliac Society website is www.celiac.org.il <http://www.celiac.org.il> , or www.celiac.co.il <http://www.celiac.co.il Other advise: Take foil-packaged Tuna / Salmon [easy to put on a salad] and Omega Smart Bars. I have never found GF bread is Israel and FYI--they put croutons on all their salads! On the plus side, many meals include a variety of bean. Many of the prepackaged hummus and tahini spreads do contain wheat as a thickener. In most cities, we were able to find the health food store and buy GF bread (which takes better than any GF store-bought bread in the US). They don't seem to use wheat in their marinates. Israel has a great labelling law. There is a brand of Gluten Free packaged baked goods called "Lasova" Best place we found to buy GF products is the natural food store in the bottom level of the huge Jerusalem mall (Malcha mall), which is pretty near the biblical zoo. Angel's Bakery in Givat Shaul (I think) in Jerusalem has a lot of Lasova, as did some other smaller Angel's we found. The best chain to eat in was Burger Ranch -- they are very familiar with gluten, many of the branches have GF buns, and some of them have GF french fries (made in a dedicated french fryer) Baked potatoes with cheese melted on them. Make sure he knows the phrase "pikuach nefesh" - roughly translated, it means saving a life - or that the following restrictions are necessary for his survival. Most Jews, especially the religious ones, take that particular phrase *very* seriously. If he can get through to the mashgiach (Kosher supervisor) at the places he's eating at, the mashgiach will make sure that he is safe! For Bacteria in the water we have found starting 2 days before the trip, we chew 2 pepto bismo tablets each day and continue it each day while on the trip.... it will fight the strange (to him) bacteria so that he doesn't get what we always refer to there as 'Herod's revenge'. beware that it will also turn his tongue and his stool black, but that is nothing to worry about. it will do him no harm and will return to the natural color as soon as he stops the pepto when he gets home. a ceramic mug & immersion water heater, instant rice or grits, peanut butter, and crackers of some sort (rice cakes can be crumbled & used as cereal), tuna in pouches Carry a note from his doctor saying he's on a medically prescribed diet & needs to carry his own food to get his through airport security & customs. Perhaps you can network into the Hadassah hospital is Israel to talk to a GI nurse or dietician over there. Maybe someone from the Westchester, NY Celiac group or one in NYC will have some celiacs who've made that trip and will reply to you. I took a Hebrew Celiac dining card with me (copied from Jax Peters Lowell's book Against the Grain). The Israelis, by and large, are familiar with CD and they all took it very seriously. In every restaurant, the server took the card to the chef who then pointed out all the food that was safe. GF (in Hebrew - L'lo Gluten) Be sure that your son takes enough food with him for several days. I had to spend a night at an airport with nothing to eat except candy bars and potato chips. The Israeli snacks -- called Bamba-- are all gluten free! *Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*