Dr. Patricia Dysart C.

I just returned from my second trip to Israel the first being last April (2010); and, of course, I relied again on Mrs. Susan Weissberg and her staff at Wyllys Travel Agency to help me make my itinerary plans. In looking over the other reviews, it's obvious that everyone Susan works with gives her and her agency the highest marks for their ability to schedule efficient airline and hotel reservations, resolve traveling problems, and construct appropriate itineraries. However, as a seasoned traveler who has used many travel agencies and made it a point not to re-visit any country until I visited them all, I had to go back to Israel this year and will continue each year. So why would I do that? Well, Israel is Israel. It is the Holy Land and you know that as soon as you step off the plane. It's not the friendliness of the people, not the hotels, not anything material, but it's the feeling that permeates even the busy Ben Gurion Airport if you can believe that. It is a soul changing event to visit Israel. Some people visit Israel with the same attitude as visiting say the Bahamas; but, I think most visitors go to the Holy Land with the expectation that something life changing will happen to them. That was me and I didn't want to leave the arrangements for that kind of a trip to just any travel agent. For me, the most important attribute an agent can have is to actually 'listen' to what you want to do, then make it happen. Mrs. Weissberg and her staff have the extraordinary ability to listen and such excellent relationships with their Israeli contacts to make it happen. They never say No - they try and try to do their best. As a traveler, this time I wanted to see mostly Jewish holy sites (last time was Christian), but also off-the-beaten path places. As a scientist, I was hoping to see some agricultural research. I am still overwhelmed by the comprehensiveness of the itinerary. The agency included places I didn't even know existed, what fun! From the fascinating geology of the Mitzpe Ramon Crater in the Negev Desert, to the organic farming practices at Kibbutz Sdeh Eliyahu (one of only 19 original Kibbutzim in Israel), to the Tel Dan National Park, climbing among the forests and along springs which are the sources of the Jordan River, to the extra places my wonderful guide added, it was a trip I will never forget. If you have any thoughts at all about visiting Israel for whatever reason, I most highly recommend Mrs. Susan Weissberg and her staff at Wyllys Travel Agency. If you have never taken a private tour, or even if you have, I suggest you treat yourself and let Susan arrange one for you. It will be unlike any other and I expect one you'll never forget.