Get any children who will be coming on your journey updated on their standard childhood immunizations. This should include a chickenpox (varicella) booster. In fact, you should make sure that your own blood shows immunity to chickenpox, just to be on the safe side.
Ensure that your immunizations against the mumps, measles and rubella (also known as the MMR disease group) are current. If you were born in or after 1956, you may need to get MMR immunizations.
Get a tetanus and diptheria booster shot, if it's been 10 years or longer since you had your last one. All children should be immunized against tetanus and diptheria before departing for Israel.
Leave yourself at least 4 to 8 weeks to get the immunizations you'll need to travel internationally. Some of the vaccinations you'll receive are administered in stages, and up to 2 months may be required to ensure you meet the immunization schedule's requirements.
Make an appointment with your regular family physician, or to visit a specialized travelers' health care center, to get any immunizations you need. You should also plan to purchase a comprehensive medical insurance package for travelers prior to your departure from the United States. These are readily available through insurance companies and many travel agencies.
Watch for region-specific infections while you are in Israel. Though no immunizations are available to prevent them, some diseases unique to that region of the world include Israeli tick typhus (spread by ticks) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (which is spread by sand flies). It's a good idea to use insect repellent and to examine your body regularaly for ticks.
