While I was traveling in South America, I seemed to be continually running across groups of people from Israel. I knew little to nothing about the country, nor did I gain a true understanding it through these encounters. I did learn that Israel has compulsory military service, and most of the guys from Israel really know how to cook!
In Argentina, I got lucky and made friends with two magnificent Israeli girls. Their world-class personalities, great smiles, and wonderful laughs got me thinking that I might like to go visit them someday.
Luckily, I got the opportunity to volunteer with the IDF, which brought me to Israel. Even in the military, you get the weekend to yourself, which brought me to Tel Aviv.
Like most of the foreigners who come to Tel Aviv, I was told about the two major Expat bars: Molly Bloom’s and Mike’s Place. They didn’t really appeal to me, Mike’s place was bombed a few years ago, so I called up Zizi and asked where the party was at. She gave me some cross streets and a time to be there, and I got prepped.
For those who don’t know, Friday is the sabbath for Israel, meaning nothing happens. That makes Thursday night something of a party night. Or, in this case, quite a bit of a party night.
Beit Oded, the army hostel I was staying at, closed their doors at midnight and did not open them again until 6 a.m. Midnight came and went, which meant I was committed. Luckily, I had my great old friends, like Dana and Zizi, and great new friends, like Vered and Anat, to keep me company. I even received an invitation to Shabat dinner for the following night.
Stealing what few hours of sleep I could from the pre-noon I awoke half remembering a promise from Zizi and Dana to take me shopping the following day. I already had a few text messages from them asking me where I was. We reached the mall right as all the shops were closing in observance of the coming Shabat evening, but we did get to check out some of the market nearby and I got to try a true Israeli falafel. Not a bad day.
The thing about agreements made in loud dance club after midnight, is that they aren’t guaranteed to come out the way you had planned. My shopping trip was a case in point. My appointment for my first Shabat dinner was another.
Instead of having a Shabat dinner at home, Vered ran the day a little long and had no time to cook, so she organized a dinner out on the town with some friends. It was brilliant.
Israelis love to have fun. Everyone was laughing and joking with one another, friends, strangers, locals and foreigners. Israelis can drink. With the exception of Vered, who seems to be comfortably numb after a 1/2 beer.
The following night, I was the lucky recipient of a hamburger dinner and a personal guided walking tour of the historic district surrounding the old train station from my new friend Lee; it was as beautiful as it was historic.
All too soon, I had to head back to the base and being another week of work.
When I got back to Tel Aviv, I was again struck by how simple it was to get anything done. Taxis, buses, and trains could get you anywhere within a reasonable amount of time. Walking was easy and maps were relatively good.
Vered even managed to find time in her schedule to give me a cooking lesson disguised as dinner. I learned how to make one of my favorite new foods: shakshouka!
I managed to make it to my hotel, the market, the mall, and anywhere I wanted to go. The only thing that held me back was my own sense of time and the fact that I simply did not have enough days in the city.
After a long day at the end of my stay, I made plans to catch up with the miraculously happy Zizi, and I was late showing up and the velvet rope kept me outside until I just ran out of steam and retired for the evening. Oddly enough, the club was the Israel Dental Association. I am still not sure how that works.
Anyone considering a trip to Israel, make sure to leave yourself a few days for Tel Aviv. It is hard to explain just how touching the people here are and just how easy it is to feel at home. It is a city with a past to make you think and a present that promises a good time!
Wrap Up:
Tel Aviv is waiting with open arms. They are going to love you.
Get acquainted with the bus routes if you need to travel long distances. Taxis are prevalent, but they can get expensive if you are moving around a lot.
Go out on the town. Talk to people, they are just friends waiting to happen.
Check out the beach. There are tons of good hotels and even some hostels lining the beach that can take care of you.
Check out the malls. If you are in need of anything from the western world or just want to do some people watching, this is the place. Pro tip: only the tourists wear the IDF t-shirts. If you are going to buy them, go home before you wear them around.