After graduating from Boston University with a B.A. degree in History,
New Jersey born and raised, Joseph Yudin set off for Europe in search of
his roots. His journey took a detour and eventually he ended up in
Israel during 1990 as the first Gulf War was about to break out. After
spending the war at Kibbutz Ein Hashofet, Joe enrolled for the WUJS
program in Arad studying Hebrew and Israel studies as a prelude to
aliyah (citizenship).
In October 1992, Joe was drafted into the
IDF and volunteered for the Paratroopers, serving on the front lines in
Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank. In the IDF Reserves, Joe has served
during Operation Defensive Shield in 2002 and in the Second Lebanon War
in the summer of 2006 and was discharged from the reserves with the rank
of Master Sergeant. He holds an M.A.
degree in the Land of Israel Studies from the University of Haifa, and
is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in this field. Joe was named a "Top Travel
Specialist" for Israel by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine in 2011, and
currently writes a travel column for
The Jerusalem Post entitled "Off
the Beaten Track".
Joe is CEO and owner of Touring Israel, a full
service, high level, luxury tour operator that tailor makes private
tours of Israel, with excursions to Egypt and Jordan for those who want
only the best of everything. Joe lives on Kibbutz Megiddo in the Jezreel
Valley and has been a tour guide since 1999. He is married with three
children.
You may e-mail Joe at
joe@touringisrael.com and check out his website at
www.touringisrael.com