Solo Israel in December

Shuffaluff - thanks for the advice! I will definitely look into it.

For Petra you need two full days to visit the site, plus two days to travel. Plan more time, it's really worth it!

Unless you have families or friends in Haifa, skip the city. It's not interesting. If you're really into it, stop two hours to see the way in which the city hangs on a dramatic cliff over the sea. The Bahai garden has little interest, if any.

I'd suggest forgetting about Haifa and spending your nights in the gorgeous, old fortified city of Akko (Saint Jean Dacre) on the sea, and in the lovely Kabbalist town of Safed on the hills in Galilea.

There's not so much going on in Israel for Hannukah but it's still a very cool time to hang out on the streets, especially in Jerusalem where the streets will be decorated with lights and candelabrums. Personanlly I find it pretty cool and very charming. It's slightly reminiscent of Christmas in Europe or the USA, people hang out on the street with their families to see the lights in the Old City and some streets, it's very nice.

For Petra you need two full days to visit the site, plus two days to travel.

However if you don't have the time, one day is sufficient to give you a very good view of the site and its main attractions. You can also save travelling time by flying to Eilat from Tel-Aviv and back.

Unless you have families or friends in Haifa, skip the city. It's not interesting. If you're really into it, stop two hours to see the way in which the city hangs on a dramatic cliff over the sea. The Bahai garden has little interest, if any.

Haifa is an interesting city and the Bahai Gardens are unique. Most tourists give the city lower priority but if you have the time then definitely go there.

I'd suggest forgetting about Haifa and spending your nights in the gorgeous, old fortified city of Akko (Saint Jean Dacre) on the sea, and in the lovely Kabbalist town of Safed on the hills in Galilea.

Do not miss Akko but Safed has little interest, if any. A Kabbalist tourist trap.

The plan says "Dec 12 - 17th" for Jerusalem and someone comments "You are spending too much time in Ein Gedi... Add days to Jerusalem". What sort of advice is that?! Israel is not only about one city. The nature reserve and the Dead Sea are certainly points of interest in the Ein Gedi area. Once there, Ein Gedi is a good base to visit Masada (15mins driving) and also Qumeran btw. Also, there is a direct bus down to Eilat (roughly 2.5hrs).
Once in Eilat, Petra in Jordan is an easy (full) day trip. Hotels in Eilat will have info about that, tourists do that all the time.
Something that should also be taken into consideration is the weather in December - it might be nasty cold and rainy, particularly for example in Jerusalem. I would also prepare myself for the weather with view on the idea to travel with busses. Nothing special about that - just bring an umbrella and a warm jacket ;-) With the weather in Dec, I would forget about beaches in Tel Aviv, but also the Dead Sea might be a bit chilly.

If you're planning to get on a bus from Ein Gedi to Eilat at midnight, you should book in advance, unless you want to spend a very long time at the side of the road in the middle of the night because the bus had no room for you.

Something else that you need to consider if you're planning to go to the Dead Sea in December, and which is totally unpredictable, is the possibility of flash floods. If there is very heavy rain in Jerusalem, for the next few hours and into the following day Road 90 (that goes along the Dead Sea and continues to Eilat) will be closed because of major flooding. You need to have a Plan B just in case.