Fast Facts

Bookstores-- There are Steimatzky branches at 82 Ha-Atzma'ut St., 16 Herzl St. in Bet Ha-Kranot, 130 Ha-Nassi Blvd; for a selection of used English books, try Beverly's Books, 18 Herzl St., second floor (usually closed Wed).

Currency Exchange-- Banking hours are Sunday through Friday from 8:30am to 2:30pm. Afternoon hours are Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 4 to 6pm. Change Spot, 5 Nordau St., Hadar (tel. 04/864-4111), is open Sunday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, and Friday 9am to noon. ATMs connected to Cirrus and Plus can be found at banks on HaNassi Boulevard, in the Carmel Center.

Doctors-- Call the Rambam Hospital in Bat Galim (tel. 04/854-3111).

Drugstores-- Standard hours are Sunday through Thursday from 8am to 1pm and 4 to 7pm; Friday from 8am to 2pm. According to a rotating schedule, one or two pharmacies remain on duty nights and on Shabbat; their names will be posted in any pharmacy window.

Embassies & Consulates-- For emergencies, call the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv (tel. 03/519-7575).

Emergencies-- Dial tel. 101 for Magen David Adom first aid services; tel. 100 police; tel. 102 for fire.

Hospitals-- Call the Rambam Hospital in Bat Galim (tel. 04/856-7878).

Hot Lines-- Call the English Crisis Counseling Hotline (tel. 1-800/654-1111 or 02/654-1111); or the Rape Crisis Center (tel. 1202 or 04/853-0533).

Laundry & Dry Cleaning-- Laundromats in Haifa are not easily accessible from tourist areas; ask at your hotel.

Libraries-- The main library is at 50 Pevsner St. (tel. 04/866-7766). Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 9am to 8pm, Friday 9am to 1pm.

Newspapers & Magazines-- The Jerusalem Post, International Herald Tribune (including the English edition of the top Israeli newspaper, Ha'aretz), Jerusalem Report Magazine, and Eretz (a magazine of history, nature, and travel) are readily available.

Post Office-- Haifa's most accessible post office with the longest hours is in Hadar, at the corner of Shabtai Levi and Ha-Nevi'im streets (tel. 04/864-0917). It is open Sunday through Thursday from 8am to 7pm; Friday 8am to 1:30pm; closed Saturday.

Radio-- English broadcasts are on Israeli radio 576 kHz and 1458 kHz at 7am, 1, 5, and 8pm.

Religious Services-- Events in Haifa, available at Municipal Tourist Information Offices, lists all major church, mosque, and synagogue services.

Safety-- Haifa is generally a low-crime city. Extra care should be exercised near the port after dark.

Taxis-- For special taxis to destinations outside Haifa, call Kavei Ha-Galil (tel. 04/866-4444 or 04/866-4445). The fare for a taxi to Ben Gurion Airport is NIS 215 ($59); higher rates at night and on Shabbat. Amahl's Sheruts (tel. 04/866-2324) offers shared taxi service to Ben Gurion for about NIS 44 ($12) per person.

Television-- Most hotels have English cable channels, including CNN and Sky News.

Useful Telephone Numbers-- The Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel (AACI), 131 Sderot Hameginim, Haifa (tel. 04/856-7638), is a good resource for those thinking about immigrating or spending a period of time in residence in the Haifa area. It offers help for absorption of North American immigrants, social and cultural programs, tours, lectures, and activities.