Bio of Leontine Cohen Pauka

I am Leontine Cohen and today I am an official Tour Guide of Israel.

During my past-time, I enjoy reading, then writing about Jerusalem and animating a Podcast on Spotify called : “Yalla Israel !”

Few words about my life as a tour guide and a life traveller.

I was born and raised in Holland before I moved to Paris and finally settled in Jerusalem.

Amsterdam, Holland

After I finished my studies, I worked as a Social Worker for the city of Amsterdam.

But as I was fascinated with art, history, culture and architecture, I moved to Paris.

Yes, I had fallen in love with a Parisian and the beautiful city of Paris.

My first job in Paris was in the famous Jewish restaurant Jo Goldenberg.

And my next step was to join the Tour Guide course in Paris to become a French licensed Tour Guide.

Paris, France

In Paris I lived in the Marais and I was surrounded every day with the beauty of this fun and trendy neighborhood.

As a guide I spent all my time in the Louvre, Versailles, in the Impressionist Museum Orsay and Notre Dame.

I discovered that being a guide was the most fun and interesting job, and 30 years later I still think so.

The Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory became my best friends, and the museums my second home.

I have worked with joy as a free-lance guide with individual tourists, International agencies and organizations.

Also, I developed several tours around food, like cheese, chocolate and bakery tours.

But what I am most proud of, is the Jewish tour of Paris that I combined with the Jewish Louvre.

It is now the specialty of my daughter Flora Goldenberg, who is also a licensed Tour Guide in Paris.

If you are traveling to Paris, to visit or just on a Layover in Paris, make sure to contact her for ideas and insights.

You can also hire Sam, who is our private driver in Paris, who is my trusted colleague and still works as a driver for the car tour in the Jewish Paris.

During all those years, I have met so many interesting people, and developed so many different tours in Paris, it was amazing!

But, my Jewish roots pushed me to go further, to Israel.

Jerusalem, Israel

So, after 30 Parisian years, I moved to Israel, the Promised and Holy Land.

The only work I could see myself do was of course: Licensed Tour Guide in Jerusalem.

So, again, I returned back to school, and I joined the Israeli Tour Guide course in Jerusalem.

And here I am, ready to guide you with love and enthusiasm anywhere in Israel.

In summary …

Through my travels, through my experience as a professional tour guide, and as a fervent researcher of the Jewish historical gems, I want to show you what I see : the beauty of this complex but amazing country : Israel , its intricate history in a nutshell, its struggle, its mixity and diversity which makes Israel unique and strong.

Above all, my mission is to share my passion with you and offer you an unforgettable trip.

Best regards,

Léontine Cohen Pauka – Contact a Tour Guide in Jerusalem

EXCELLENT

16 reviews on

Lineke Bloemberg

12. May, 2022.

Mijn man en ik hebben bij Leontine een food tour gedaan over de Mahane Yehuda markt in Jeruzalem. Dit was een geweldige ervaring. Leontine heeft ons allerlei hapjes laten proeven die ieder hun eigen verhaal hadden. Ze wist heel veel hierover te vertellen, maar ook over Israël als land, zowel de geschiedenis als over de huidige situatie. Het was ook heel prettig om deze tour in het Nederlands te volgen. Kortom: een aanrader!

Pieter Burghouts

12. May, 2022.

We hebben een geweldig mooie, interessante en leerzame wandeling met Leontine gemaakt door het oude centrum van Jeruzalem. Leontine wist alles zeer helder in historisch perspectief te plaatsen. Maar ook haar parate kennis over het Jeruzalem en Israël van nu was top: een mooie bonus. Een super boeiende ervaring! Aanrader!

Jesse Ferro

8. February, 2020.

Such an informative and enjoyable tour of the old city of Jerusalem. Cannot recommend Leo highly enough. She gave us an incredible over 3 hour tour and we learned so much while enjoying the beautiful and historic city. A tour not to be missed.

Charles Lindblad

31. December, 2019.

My Mom and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with Leontine touring Old Jerusalem. I can’t recommend her enough! From the first contact to the end of our private tour Leontine exceeded our expectations. Communication prompt, information accurate, very knowledgeable and simply a joy to be around. I will definitely tour with her again A+++

Miguel Ribeiro

30. December, 2019.

We had an amazing time in the Old City of Jerusalem with Leo, she was really kind, super knowledgeable in an intriguing way, very patient and totally professional. We are a family of 4 with 2 younger daughters and Leo had a game for them to keep them interested and listening, they still talk about all that they learned! Leo was very flexible as well as our schedule changed numerous times at the last minute and she was always very polite and responded quickly to our messages (thank you!). We highly recommend Leo for tours, she maximizes your time and you learn a wealth of knowledge! The perfect walking tour for us. Thank you so much Leo, all the best!

Hein Bakker

26. December, 2019.

Samen met Leontine veel gezien van Jeruzalem. Ze weet veel over deze plaats en kan ook veel vertellen over de geschiedenis. Van harte aanbevolen als start om Jeruzalem te bezichtigen!

Sasha Williams

10. December, 2019.

Léo is a truly terrific guide. My father and I really enjoyed our private tour of the Old City with her. She knows the city and its history extremely well. She is calm, patient, and takes time and care to answer each question thoroughly and thoughtfully. In a very complex city, she prompts deeper thought. She is quick at navigating busy corners and locations--making everything efficient. I was familiar with Jerusalem from a study abroad experience, Léo helped bring the city to life in a new way for me. Would not hesitate to recommend Léo to anyone traveling to Jerusalem.

CREP SC

6. October, 2019.

Rob and I had a wonderful time with Leontine. She took us off the beaten track, authentic hummus experience for lunch in the old city, and her knowledge of the City of David and the extended city of Jerusalem left us with such a deeper understanding of Old Testament times. We enjoyed doing the tour in our time and customise to our preferences. Thanks Leontine, Shalom and God bless, Rob and Nicky

Jean QUINTARD

26. September, 2019.

Nous avons visité 1 journée Tel Aviv et 1 journée Jérusalem les 15 et 16 Septembre 2019 avec Léontine qui est une excellente guide ; d’abord très gentille, maitrisant parfaitement le Français, mais surtout ayant de grandes connaissances culturelles et historiques sur Israël. Elle s’est parfaitement adaptée à notre rythme et au niveau de nos connaissances, en décrivant l’Histoire avec simplicité mais beaucoup de détails intéressants. Elle connait aussi très bien la vie de tous les jours dans ces 2 villes, les marchés, avec de très bonnes adresses de restaurants (humos, kebabs…supers) bars, confiseries, céramiques … Ces 2 jours ont été vraiment très sympathiques et enrichissants. Merci beaucoup Léontine. Jean

Beaclema Beaclema

15. September, 2019.

Beaucoup de plaisir en arpentant les quartiers de Jérusalem pendant quelques heures avec Léontine. Voir, apprendre, comprendre à son rythme. Merci Léontine pour toutes ces informations, pour nos échanges et votre bienveillance.