OUR GUIDES
Lior Shapiro
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! Our son Lior recently joined our team as the 10th generation of Family Shapiro to live and work in Jerusalem! Lior attended the first Conservative School in Jerusalem and completed his army service in the Golani unit, continuing to serve in the reserves until just recently. He majored in Archaeology at the Hebrew University, and worked for over 15 years in the Israel Antiquities Authority, becoming Chief Regional Archaeologist of the Judean area.
As well as his expertise in archaeology, Lior brings his passion for photography and his knowledge of Israel and its history to his work as a tour guide. He is married to Tammy, has 3 delicious children (we’re biased – they are our grandchildren!), and lives in the village of Motza Illit on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Lior Shapiro
Khen Rom
Khen Rom
Khen Rom grew up in Ra’anana and loves traveling around Israel and meeting people from all over the world. After serving in the IDF’s Electronic Warfare unit, he studied Egyptology and Middle East Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His love of the Arabic language led to his second degree in Arabic Literature and Translation, but Khen discovered that he didn’t like working indoors at a desk. He loves the outdoors and getting to know people, so he decided to change direction and take the Israel Tourism Authority Tour Guide Course.
Khen loves leading groups around Israel and getting to know his customers so that he can tailor his guiding to suit their interests. He wants them to feel safe and comfortable, particularly when guiding people who are visiting the Middle East for the first time, and he helps them to piece together the history of the region as they explore Israel’s diverse sights. Khen’s favorite place in Israel is Tel Aviv, with Acco a close second. Both are colorful, multi-faceted cities, and he enjoys sharing their multi-cultural rainbow of flavors with visitors, showing them Israel in all its various aspects.
Maya Weltman
Maya was born and raised in Jerusalem to parents who had immigrated from Argentina. As a classical musician, she has travelled all over the world, but she always wanted more time to explore my own country. While music and art are still major part of her life, guiding others around Israel – a place full of history, colors and magic – has become her new passion. Let Maya show you what makes this land so unique.
Maya Weltman
Rami Waissman
Rami Waissman
Rami Waissman served in the IDF Medical Corps (Airborne Division) for 24 years as a medic and health organization officer. He has a B.Sc. from the Haifa Technion and a Master’s degree from Ben Gurion University. For the past 4 years, he has been guiding visitors through the land of Israel, sharing his passion for its scenery, archeology, wildlife and unique history.
Naftali Aizik
Born in 1969, Naftali spent most of his childhood in Northern Israel, living in Nazaret Illit and studying at the prestigious Reali High School in Haifa. He served in the IDF in Golani as an officer and continued to serve in the Reserves for over 20 years.
Naftali Aizik
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
What our guests write after touring Israel with Shatour:
Shmuel Levy
Shmuel Levy
Shmuel is a Yerushalmi, having grown up in one of the authentic neighborhoods of Jerusalem, and his Jewish identity is deeply rooted in the ethos of this unique city. In the IDF I served as a combat medic in an infantry unit in the Sinai Desert. He graduated from Haifa University with a BA in Philosophy and Jewish History, and from the Hebrew University with a MA in Communication.
Shmuel has been working as a tour guide since the early 1990s, guiding groups, individuals and families from different cultural backgrounds from all over the world. He drives a large and comfortable Ministry of Tourism-authorized van, and he lives in Jerusalem with his wife Esther (a social worker) and their two young sons.
Frances Oppenheimer
Raised in New Zealand with a socialist Zionist education through Habonim Dror, Frances also spent five years in the U.S., where she discovered egalitarian Judaism. In Israel she has lived on kibbutz, volunteered for the IDF, and worked as a high school teacher, before becoming a tour guide many years ago.
Frances sets out to guide with a sense of humour, flexibility, a copy of the Bible, and a book of modern Israeli poetry. Her goal is for every tourist – Jewish or Christian – to fall in love with this amazing and complicated country.
Frances Oppenheimer
Yossi Shenhava
Yossi Shenhava
Yossi Shenhav was born in 1963, and grew up in Jerusalem. Military service in a variety of positions, until today at the rank of major.
Guide in 5 languages (Hebrew, English, Arabic, Greek and Italian) in Israel and abroad – Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy and Greece. In all the tours, emphasis is placed on a spiritual and experiential journey and not just informational with an emphasis on the experience and excitement.
Nathan Shapiro
Nathan Shapiro was born in 1948, ninth generation Jerusalemite. He studied Jewish History and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has guided for many years for various institutions, including the UJC, JDC, Ministry of Tourism, and more. He is experienced in the planning and arranging programs for visitors to Israel, and has also been consultant to the CRB (Bronfman Foundation) on nature, environment and youth trips to Israel, has operated a company dealing in organization of family Bar/Bat Mitzvas in Israel, and served as Director of Development and Foreign Affairs of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and later as Director of Development at DVI – Dental Volunteers for Israel.
Nathan Shapiro
