ABOUT LEVI ZELKIND BIBLE LAND TOURS

Levi (Leonid) Zelkind was born on 29 November 1949 in Moscow, USSR, to a family that maintained Jewish traditions and supported Zionist ideas. His father, Yosef Zelkind, had volunteered for the front in the Second World War and fought as an officer in tank forces; he was wounded several times and was decorated with orders and medals. Yosef was a historian by education and the one who fostered in his son a love of history and Jewish traditions. Levi’s mother, Eleonora, was a lawyer, and she also had a lot of influence on her only son.

 

Levi graduated in telecommunications in 1972 and went on to work in research and development, where he was awarded three USSR Inventor’s Certificates for telecommunications equipment (1978) and seven certificates for technical improvement proposals (1979–1980).

 

In 1979 he first applied to emigrate to Israel and was refused by the Soviet authorities; his further applications in 1981 and 1983 were refused as well. From 1979 until 1985 he was a Refusenik—a term used for Jews who were denied permission to emigrate to Israel by the Soviet authorities—and a member of the community of Zionist activists and refuseniks in Moscow.

 

During his years as a Zionist activist, Levi actively participated in the underground Zionist movement. His activities included studying Jewish traditions; participating in public demonstrations; signing and drafting letters of protest; appealing to Western Jews and government authorities; maintaining contacts with Jewish and non-Jewish organizations in the West; distributing materials about the State of Israel; studying Hebrew; and other related activities.

 

In addition to these activities, Levi maintained direct contact with representatives of Nativ (then publicly known as Lishkat HaKesher, or the Liaison Bureau of the PM Office) in Israel. He directly assisted in disseminating information about Israel among activists and in advancing the struggle to open the gates of the Soviet Union and secure the right of Soviet Jews to immigrate to Israel.

 

While still a Refusenik, he was granted Israeli citizenship in 1984. His parents, Yosef and Eleonora, were also Refuseniks, and they were granted Israeli citizenship early in 1985. In late April 1985, he and his family were finally able to leave the USSR, with 24 hours’ notice, and arrived in Israel.

 

From 1987 to 2000, Levi worked at ECI Telecom, rising from engineer to the position of CEO of the company’s Eastern Europe & CIS business unit, which he established gradually, following the dissolution of the Iron Curtain. He eventually also returned to promote ECI Telecom in Russia, as soon as he was permitted to travel there.

 

In 2000, he was awarded the title of Academic of the International Telecommunication Academy.

 

In 2003, Levi started promotional activities in Russia on behalf of Israeli Hi-Tech companies. Under his representation, several companies achieved a leading role in the Russian telecommunications industry. In 2010, Levi founded a company, LZ Marketing Outsourcing Solutions Ltd., through which he further carried out all his work in Russia representing Israeli companies.

 

From 2004 to 2010, Levi also served as an economic and strategic adviser to the Embassy of Israel in Moscow. In 2004, he received a letter of appreciation and congratulations from Ehud Olmert, then Deputy Prime Minister of Israel.

 

Levi’s lifelong passion has always been Biblical History and the Comparative History of Religions. He has a deep knowledge of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, three religions that shape Israel’s past and present. He considers promoting knowledge about Israel and understanding the country one of his primary missions.

 

In 2010, in parallel with his continuous work in Russia, Levi began training as a tour guide at Beit Berl Educational College and received his Israeli tour guide license in 2012. Since then, he has guided visitors throughout Israel and in Palestine, sharing his deep understanding of the region, through his company Zelkind Bible Land Tours (best-israel-tours.com). He believes that Israel is at the heart of human history and that understanding its story is key to understanding Western civilization.

 

As a guide, Levi received the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2019 and the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award in 2020 and 2023, and he has close to 200 Tripadvisor reviews, rated 4.9 out of 5.

 

In 2023, following the tragic Hamas attack on Israel, Levi answered a national call to strengthen Israeli education under stress. He retrained at Levinsky Educational College, earned a teaching diploma in Bible and History, and taught in Israeli schools for three years. He then returned to guiding, which he loves the most.

 

Levi holds an MSc from Moscow Technical University, an MBA from Tel Aviv University, and a Post-MBA from INSEAD (France), as well as diplomas in Tourism (Beit Berl Educational College) and Bible Education (Levinsky Educational College). He has lived and worked in several countries and traveled extensively to explore global cultures and histories.

 

Levi is the author of three books so far:

“Rome and Rome Only: Art in a Flow of History” – His third book, exploring the evolution of art in Rome from a historical and personal perspective as a visitor to the Eternal City.

“Two Thousand Years of Blood and Hope: Holy Wars over the Holy Land” – His second book, covering 2,000 years of military conflict in Israel/Palestine and its ongoing impact on the modern world.

“Amazing Israel: Short Stories of Great Places” – His debut book, featuring lesser-known and fascinating stories about some of the most captivating places in Israel and Palestine.

 

Levi is married and has a son and three grandchildren.