Last night we joined the masses to celebrate Tel Aviv’s 100th birthday at a huge bash in Rabin Square that kicks off a year’s worth of special activities. The spectacular event featured the Israeli Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta; Israeli pop and rock stars; opera singers; a children’s choir; drummers; dancers (some suspended from cables); a montage of historical and contemporary photos and videos of the city shown on huge screens, special lighting effects; and balloons, confetti, fireworks--shared by thousands of spectators of all ages crammed into the large plaza. Magnificently choreographed, the show celebrated this “first modern Hebrew city” and all of the wonderful elements that make it unique---the people, neighborhoods, architecture, beaches, parks, music, nightlife and soccer mania. No speeches, no politics, no hand-wringing---just plain, normal fun. I witnessed it all from a great spot smack in the middle of the dense crowd. Since we arrived early I had plenty of time to make some new friends---a very active retired teacher and her husband (who was born in Cairo) from Holon. She spoke English but was happy to hear about my efforts to learn Hebrew and wanted to know why we are here, what we are doing, and how we like it. I love making these connections and, though we may never meet again, I feel I have a lot of potential friends here. Around me, smartly dressed seniors rubbed elbows (literally) with parents carrying little ones on their shoulders while groups of enthusiastic young people took each other’s pictures. As the program came to a close with contemporary Israeli rock and sampling hits, accompanied by a wild light show, I made my way through the gyrating (and smoking!) crowd of kids and, miraculously, reuinited with Lew who had been observing from another vantage point.
As Gideon Levy wrote in HaAretz this morning, “ A villa in the jungle is our beloved city, Israel’s only island of normality and liberalism—call it a bubble if you like.”
Tel Aviv is Israel’s ‘enormous head’---70% of the head offices of financial institutions, 63% of the high-tech employees and 74% of the start-up companies are located here. On the arts and culture front, 76% of the artists and sculptors live in greater T.A. and a startling 89% of those involved in the performing arts. These stats are from a book edited by Baruch Kipnis, a Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Haifa University, to mark the first 100 years of the city. Another interesting fact about the city, which we can observe all around us, is that the city is becoming younger and younger in its demographic make-up. This is a hip, youthful city. The malls carry the latest trendy goods and gleaming high rises dot the landscape.
But for me the city’s charm lies in the old buildings, the numerous diverse neighborhoods, and the multitude of small establishments with whose shopkeepers we banter and connect while making our purchases—like the “chicken guy,” an older Polish man who sells rotisserie chicken from his tiny storefront on Barzilay St. Today, when I stopped to pick up a chicken for dinner, I asked him in Hebrew how long he has been here in this storefront. He said, “longer than you have been alive.” I laughed and told him how old I am. He looked very surprised (todah rabah, thank you for the compliment!) and said that he had been here 53 years. We are also well known to the staff at our favorite “15 salads” restaurant, to the formidable ladies at the supermarket, to the guys at Mana Mana (felafel) and to the owner of the terrific new Pizza/Pasta place on Yehuda Hamaccabi. Lew has a very friendly relationship with Hadassah, the proprietress of our laundry/dry cleaning establishment, and her daughter. And, of course, we can’t leave out Baruch the barber and Sharon, my excellent hairdresser. They day before yesterday, as we walked by the fruit, vegetable and flower stand where we buy flowers every Friday, the owner called out to us, “how are you?” in Hebrew and when I asked him in return he proudly announced that it was his birthday. Later in the day, Lew saw that he had decorated his stall with balloons and set out cake and drinks for his customers. I could describe dozens more encounters in bakeries, cafes, hardware stores, spice and nut shops and so on. Not to mention the sherut and bus drivers, many of whom we now recognize (and whose music preferences we know) on our favorite routes. I should also mention all the people who help us out on the street and in the shops when we need directions or help reading the labels. Tonight a charming older gentleman, who spoke “a little English” quite well, helped us choose butter without salt and then, overhearing our debate, directed us to the best—Israeli, not foreign --chocolate we should use to prepare our matzos-chocolate-almond dessert for the upcoming seder. All of these interactions humanize the day-to-day life and commerce of the city.
So, Happy Birthday Tel Aviv and let’s hope that gentrification and urban renewal does not obliterate all your charms.
No comments:
Post a Comment