Quality of ingredients in Israel is generally much better than it is in the US - no preservatives, better-tasting fruit, etc. If you like mediterranean food you'll find plenty of it. I found that a shewarmah for lunch will do you just fine.

It will certainly be very HOT in July, so be prepared for that.

Where to go: Start out with MiniIsrael - that shows a lot of what Israel has to offer. You can then decide the specifics of where you would like to go. There is a lot of ancient and modern history in Israel and many historical places. There arejust as many modern places that will be worth your visit. These depend on your mobility and the amount of time you have. Please post more details and we'll suggest some places to visit.

The main languages in Israel are Hebrew, Arabic, English and Russian. If you know 1.5 of those, you'll be just fine!

In terms of terrorism - look out for suspicious activity, don't leave your bags anywhere as they will be promptly destroyed. I don't think you should worry about security as I found that most ordinary people don't worry about it. You have a much better chance of getting into an accident than of being affected by any sort of security-related issues. Do expect to be searched when you enter malls and other public places (metal detectors, etc.) but usually speaking English and looking American will greatly reduce the number of searches.

Tel Aviv is a "24-hour city" that doesn't close on Shabbat. Jerusalem (and most other places), on the other hand, does close on weekends.

You may be in for a culture shock as the culture is different.

Have fun and enjoy the trip!