Jerusalem Post, Metro; November 24, 2006
Click here for original
Owners reveal some of the principles of popularity. 'There are no miracles in this business.'
In the past four years, bars in Tel Aviv have been popping up like mushrooms after rain, with an estimated four or five bars, dance bars, resto-bars and/or mega bars opening monthly. Some of them close at a loss after a few months; some of them close after two years after raking in a nice profit; while others become nightlife institutions.
The bar business is a tough business, and if nightlife entrepreneurs aren't prepared for hard work, chances are their ventures will fail.
While standing behind one's own bar may seem fun and glamorous, bar owners must to be prepared to mix their cocktails with sweat and tears. Metro visited several successful bars in the city to find out from their owners and staffers the secret of a successful bar - it turns out, the secret isn't so sexy.
Sound planning
It's not enough to design the structure, order liquor from suppliers, hire bartenders and start mixing drinks. A bar is a small business, and opening one involves preparing detailed budgets, dealing with countless suppliers, understanding and adhering to municipal laws, and overseeing day-to-day maintenance.
'Most people don't know what they're getting into when they start,' says Gidon Marco, owner of Temptation on Rehov Allenby which is in its fourth year - quite an achievement for a Tel Aviv bar. A former bartender, Marco researched the field for five years before opening Temptation.
'People come at night and they see everything working - the fun, the magic, the good times, friends - but someone has to change the lightbulbs, take care of the police, go to the bank... It's a hard business because you're leading two lives: You have to play hard at night and work hard by day.'
Husband and wife team Haya and Zvika Shichor didn't come from the nightlife field but dedicated themselves to researching and navigating the nightlife business before opening the funky Florentine bistro bar Bugsy. Recently, they opened up its baby brother, a heavily invested, stylish, sophisticated bistro bar called Benjamin Siegel in the Opera Towers on Allenby.
Prior to their nightlife ventures, Haya worked as VP of operations at a textile company; Zvika, a former aeronautics engineer, ran his own water conservation company. They do not view their experience in the corporate world as a contradiction to their experience in the nightlife world. According to Haya, a nightlife establishment can make it only 'if you do things seriously and have business sense. It's a business in every sense of the word.'
As with any business, a sound and conservative business plan is a must.
Says Temptation's Marco, 'You have to take into account 100% more than what you think you need. A lot of businesses close down because they don't have enough capital. People go in very optimistic, but places in Tel Aviv that are now nightlife cornerstones wouldn't be around today if they didn't have enough capital to last two to three years.'
Plenty of cash has to be stored for a rainy day, as many unforeseen circumstances can affect any nightlife establishment, especially in Israel. A war can break out and tourism drops, or the city decides to renovate the street and close the walkways. Furthermore, the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality has many strict guidelines relating to health, sanitation, safety and security. They could demand that a bar install fire sprinklers or improve ventilation, and costs can add up tremendously.
Know-how
The major mistakes starters make is lack of professionalism. 'There are no miracles in this business,' explains Haya. 'You have to do the work as it's supposed to be done.'
Before opening Bugsy, she tested the nightlife waters by first opening Carmina, a small cafe off Ibn Gvirol. Only after she saw that they were equipped to handle the business did she and her husband expand their endeavors to Bugsy.
Haya and Zvika split their responsibilities. Zvika takes charge of operations and logistics, while Haya serves as the creative overseer. On any given night at Benjamin Siegel, she can be seen standing by the counter, examining each dish as it comes out of the kitchen.
Running a successful nightlife establishment requires expertise in an array of fields such as music, sound, lighting, management, design, service and liquor. 'If you don't have all the know-how, you have to hire a know-how team,' says Marco.
Concept
Any bar, dance bar, resto-bar, or pub has to have an identity. Nightlife entrepreneurs must know what kind of place they want to open: a sleazy dance bar, raunchy pick-up bar, friendly neighborhood pub or sophisticated lounge. 'When you walk into a bar, you should be able to know within five to 30 seconds what kind of place it is,' says Marco. 'Then you decide if it's right for you.'
Omer Gershon is director of marketing and PR for Whiskey A Go Go, Rivendell, and Shalvata, all of which are frequented by attractive Tel Aviv yuppies and celebs. Active as a publicist and promoter in the Tel Aviv nightlife scene for more than a decade, he says it is imperative to understand the clientele in advance. 'Before you build a place, you have to think which kind of crowd you want: rich kids, artsy, celebrities, hip-hop, suburbia. You have to decide beforehand, [because] you can never bring everyone.'
Often, to preserve a certain clientele, several nightlife establishments enforce strict selection, based on age, looks or energy. Selection, while technically illegal, can be crucial to maintaining the concept and clientele.
Location, location, location
Whiskey A Go Go, Rivendell, Shalvata and TLV are all located at the burgeoning Tel Aviv port, which is easily accessible by the northern Tel Avivians, often considered an elite, educated crowd. Bar owners must take into account issues such as parking, neighborhood and accessibility. Bar compounds such as those around Rehov Lilienblum or Yad Harutzim offer a steady flow of bar-hopping traffic.
Haya, however, disagrees on the importance of location. 'When I opened Bugsy, people asked, 'Why Florentine?' I think if the place is good, people will come.'
For this reason, she named her bistro bars after Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel, the mobster credited with founding Las Vegas. 'Bugsy was the type of guy who went to the desert and said, 'I want to build something here.''
Design
One of the most important aspects of a nightlife establishment is design, as it reflects the concept of the place. Roy Roth of Roth-Tevet Experience Design has designed some of the most successful nightlife joints in the city, such as the lounge bar Lima Lima on Lilienblum and Saluna in Jaffa.
'Sometimes you have to create an alternative world - so when they're outside, they don't think about it; and when they are inside, they forget about the outside. It's a lot about escapism,' he explains.
Lighting is especially important for a bar. Roth likens a bar to a stage, where a sense of drama is created by carefully placed spotlights. 'It's a lot about being sexy. Not to reveal a lot. In retail you shine light on a product to show it off; in a bar, you have to show off people, so the light has to be dim. You want to see the people and illuminate them nicely to make them look good.'
No matter if the design is classic, themed, eclectic, sexy, warm or white cold, the place has to be workable as well as conform to city standards. That is why interior designers should ideally have experience in the nightlife field.
Music
'Music has crucial influence on the success of a bar. Music takes you through the night, providing the main ambience,' says Gershon.
The type of music and the DJ can stamp the atmosphere and character on a place. For some nightlife revelers, the motto is 'God is a DJ.' The Shichors have placed the DJ on a platform above their customers at both Bugsy and Benjamin Siegel.
Oded Adam, who now spins and books DJs for Helena, a New York-style bar in Tel Aviv, thinks music serves as a natural selection device. 'There are two kinds of music for bars: one is the more intelligent and soothing, and the other is more commercial and communicative. If you play jazzy stuff, as opposed to something that just passes through your ears like Britney Spears or hip-hop, a certain kind of crowd will come.'
When Adam spins, he likes to create an experience for the bargoers - to hold their interest with music that develops over the night rather than play loud radio versions of popular hits. The latter are more suited for raunchy pick-up bars or dance bars, which get people to loosen up and dance. Electronic genres, on the other hand, provide ambience and more subtle sexiness. 'For me, the music is a very big part of a night's success. Music can make the evening last longer,' he says.
Yuval Dor, a DJ producer who has spun at the artsy Abraxas bar on Lilienblum and the Jewish Princess on Yehuda Halevi, believes that the music is a reflection of the owners.
'Music with a good sound system says something about the person who stands behind the bar. If they just put on regular music, it says something about them. If they're really into the music, it shows that they're more interesting and that there's more to look for.'
Publicity
'You need hype; you need someone who knows how to make a buzz,' says Gershon. 'You need a person who will adjust a crowd to the place.'
To create a buzz, bar owners need to know a lot of people, or they have to hire promoters and publicists who do. Generally, people who come from the field, such as managers, bartenders and DJs, have already built a reputation and will attract a pre-established following.
It always helps to appear in gossip columns. 'If you want a place to be hip, you need many items in newspapers,' says Gershon.
However, hype may only sustain a place for so long. Haya prefers to keep the hype on a low. 'You can make a buzz, then a lot of people come - and then it falls. It's better without the hoopla.'
As with any business, word of mouth is the best publicity. 'Once the place is good, celebrities will come,' she says.
Bartenders/staff
Bartenders do more than just pour drinks - they gauge bar-goers' wants, needs and desires. He or she should know what kind of mood the customer is in and if he/she wants to talk, be entertained or left alone. 'A bartender is like a psychologist,' says Marco.
It's not enough that bartenders graduate a bartending course. They have to excel in interpersonal relations, a skill that cannot easily be taught.
'If your staff is good and they know what they're doing, customers will come back,' says Gidon. 'It's easy to bring people in the first time and harder to bring them back the second.'
Gershon agrees: 'You have to make people feel at home and welcome. Taking care of regulars - that's very important.'
Haya instructs her bartenders that 'the bar is a stage.' She interviews each bartender to make sure they are professionals who can contribute to the energy and atmosphere of the place.
There's another important criteria for hiring bartenders: looks. 'It's very important for bartenders to look good,' she says. 'The men don't have to be muscular, but they should be fun and pleasant.'
Attention to detail
'If you're not willing to go into the small details, it won't work,' warns Marco.
Bar owners should understand that the smallest glitch in service or operation may affect the customer's willingness to return. If the lighting is too bright, the air conditioning too strong, the music too loud, the beer poured sloppily or the mojito not mixed right, customers will notice, even at the subconscious level. This means that bar owners or managers cannot spend the night sitting at the bar chatting with friends. They have to be behind the scenes, paying careful attention to staff and customers and making sure that everything runs smoothly.
The Shichors believe that for a bar to have a long shelf life rather than close after two years, it must offer an added value, something unique. When they opened Bugsy, they decided to offer a rich food menu open to customers at all hours. The owners of Temptation, who also see the importance of added value, offer homemade cocktails.
Heart and soul
Only someone who loves the business will survive the initial, difficult stages. If a place has a heart, it's because heart went into it.
'I see places in Tel Aviv that have a great location, music and look, yet they fail,' says Gershon. 'Then I see places that put in little money but have a lot of spirit. Spirit counts for a lot.'
Owning a bar, in any of its variations, is a 24-hour job. 'You have to dedicate yourself to it,' says Haya. 'It has to be your life.' Marco thinks luck wouldn't hurt, either. 'You need a little of it with everything in your life.'
(BOX #1) How to pass selection
Several bars and dance bars enforce strict selection, and rightly so. Often, people go to bars because they want to feel beautiful - or go home with someone beautiful. If sloppily dressed stragglers, youngsters or 'Mafia' types are allowed in, the atmosphere and mood can be killed in an instant. So while selection may seem like an annoyance, better not to fight it and learn to work with it - and eventually appreciate it.
Omer Gershon, director of marketing and PR at some of the hottest bars in the city, reveals the secrets of passing selection:
* Be as attractive as possible (especially women)
* Be a celebrity
* Be rich
* Dress really well
* Know the owners or managers
If you lack the above, the following might help:
* Always be polite to the selector and say 'Thank you.'
* Get noticed inside the bar for next time. Be nice to
bartenders and tip well.
How not to pass selection
* Argue with a selector
* As a guy, come with a group of guys. It reminds the selectors too much of the army.
* Say to the selector, 'Don't you know who I am?'
* Say to the selector, 'This is the last time you work in this town.'
Friday, November 24, 2006
Friday, November 3, 2006
Herzliya nights (listing)
Jerusalem Post, Billboard; November 3, 2006
The city which arguably comes second after Tel Aviv as a center for Israeli nightlife is Herzliya. In the past decade, Herzliya has grown to boast not only some of the best restaurants in the country, but also some of the most happening resto-bars, bar lounges, pubs and dance bars. On weekends the Herzliya industrial zone and its yacht marina is mobbed by partyers of all ages looking to eat, dance, and drink in this bar-hoppers paradise.
Below is a selection of recommended hot spots:
Douglas A new, crowded, and happening nightlife playground built with many corners and pathways. A huge bar goes the length of the club, surrounded by little lounge areas, tables, and lots of careless bouncing and grinding in the aisle. There are several VIP rooms for special parties. These are equipped with entertainment systems.Rehov Hasadnaot 4 (09) 950-6660
Dublin The Herzliya branch of this Irish pub chain attracts a mixed crowd - singles, students, families, groups of all ages - seeking an Irish, fun-loving party atmosphere. The design of this large space is impressive, with stain-glassed windows, rugs and chandeliers imported from the Emerald Isle. Rehov Shenkar 4, (09) 954-4889
Hattori Hanzo Named after the sword in Kill Bill, Hittori Hanzo is a fun-loving dance and pick-up bar designed in classic red and black leather, for ages 23 and up. Rehov Sapir 1, (09) 951-4045.
Inga One of the more sane alternatives in Herzliya, Inga is one of the pioneering bars there, having been founded over seven years ago. Nowadays it serves as a quiet, neighborhood pub for people over 25. Soft rock plays in the background to allow for intimate conversation, a quiet drink, and a break from the craziness of the Herzliya bustle. Rehov Galgaley HaPlada 16, (09) 951-1429.
John Gotti A modest bar designed in black and named after the 80s mobster, John Gotti attracts a younger crowd on weekdays and a student crowd on weekends. For those who want to feel like a teenager again.
Karpel A New York-style dance bar whose large center bar, shaped like an "S," is surrounded by partyers looking to get lucky. The steamy, pick-up vibe has made this a popular hangout for singles over 24. Rehov HaMenufim 9, (09) 954-1128.
Kuwan One of the more popular, Tel Aviv-style bars in the Herzliya industrial zone, Kuwan attracts an older, professional crowd. The design is classic and dark, with an upstairs gallery for groups and lounge areas around the main bar. Rehov Shenkar 16, (09) 955-1451.
Kyoto A favorite among the branja - celebrities, soccer players, and nouveau riche - looking to sip sake and munch on what is arguably the best sushi in Israel. It's designed by the famous Gadi Halperin to evoke a cross between a high-powered New York restaurant and a Japanese sushi bar.
Lavan Modeled after the Supper Bar of Amsterdam, this very chic and high-class-chef restaurant/lounge is the place for a romantic, chill night out with gourmet food and drink. The second floor features square, mattress lounge areas where couples and groups can recline, feel rich, and enjoy the attention of professional masseurs. Rehov Abba Eban 27, (09) 958-6080.
Murphy's Irish Public House Another invested Irish pub, this one located at the marina across from the yachts, it has a large outdoor terrace in the summer. Its relaxed and chill Irish atmosphere makes it a popular, clean-cut hangout for families, tourists, groups and couples. There's live music weekly. Rehov HaShunit 4, (09) 956- 9495.
Rio One of the most popular, stylish and exclusive dance bars in the area. Located off the marina, Rio is frequented by local celebrities, lots of pretty girls, and students from IDC. On any given night there is sure to be a lot of wild dancing, pumping music, playful flirting, and careless drinking. Arena Mall, (050) 725-0343.
Temple Bar Located in the Cinema City mall, Temple Bar is an ideal place to hang out after watching a movie. A sports bar-style outer corridor leads to a full-fledged Irish pub designed very neatly and carefully with imported Irish decor, secluded lounge areas and a VIP room. Live bands perform weekly, and lectures on liquor are given monthly. Cinema City, Glilot, (03) 699-5536.
The city which arguably comes second after Tel Aviv as a center for Israeli nightlife is Herzliya. In the past decade, Herzliya has grown to boast not only some of the best restaurants in the country, but also some of the most happening resto-bars, bar lounges, pubs and dance bars. On weekends the Herzliya industrial zone and its yacht marina is mobbed by partyers of all ages looking to eat, dance, and drink in this bar-hoppers paradise.
Below is a selection of recommended hot spots:
Douglas A new, crowded, and happening nightlife playground built with many corners and pathways. A huge bar goes the length of the club, surrounded by little lounge areas, tables, and lots of careless bouncing and grinding in the aisle. There are several VIP rooms for special parties. These are equipped with entertainment systems.Rehov Hasadnaot 4 (09) 950-6660
Dublin The Herzliya branch of this Irish pub chain attracts a mixed crowd - singles, students, families, groups of all ages - seeking an Irish, fun-loving party atmosphere. The design of this large space is impressive, with stain-glassed windows, rugs and chandeliers imported from the Emerald Isle. Rehov Shenkar 4, (09) 954-4889
Hattori Hanzo Named after the sword in Kill Bill, Hittori Hanzo is a fun-loving dance and pick-up bar designed in classic red and black leather, for ages 23 and up. Rehov Sapir 1, (09) 951-4045.
Inga One of the more sane alternatives in Herzliya, Inga is one of the pioneering bars there, having been founded over seven years ago. Nowadays it serves as a quiet, neighborhood pub for people over 25. Soft rock plays in the background to allow for intimate conversation, a quiet drink, and a break from the craziness of the Herzliya bustle. Rehov Galgaley HaPlada 16, (09) 951-1429.
John Gotti A modest bar designed in black and named after the 80s mobster, John Gotti attracts a younger crowd on weekdays and a student crowd on weekends. For those who want to feel like a teenager again.
Karpel A New York-style dance bar whose large center bar, shaped like an "S," is surrounded by partyers looking to get lucky. The steamy, pick-up vibe has made this a popular hangout for singles over 24. Rehov HaMenufim 9, (09) 954-1128.
Kuwan One of the more popular, Tel Aviv-style bars in the Herzliya industrial zone, Kuwan attracts an older, professional crowd. The design is classic and dark, with an upstairs gallery for groups and lounge areas around the main bar. Rehov Shenkar 16, (09) 955-1451.
Kyoto A favorite among the branja - celebrities, soccer players, and nouveau riche - looking to sip sake and munch on what is arguably the best sushi in Israel. It's designed by the famous Gadi Halperin to evoke a cross between a high-powered New York restaurant and a Japanese sushi bar.
Lavan Modeled after the Supper Bar of Amsterdam, this very chic and high-class-chef restaurant/lounge is the place for a romantic, chill night out with gourmet food and drink. The second floor features square, mattress lounge areas where couples and groups can recline, feel rich, and enjoy the attention of professional masseurs. Rehov Abba Eban 27, (09) 958-6080.
Murphy's Irish Public House Another invested Irish pub, this one located at the marina across from the yachts, it has a large outdoor terrace in the summer. Its relaxed and chill Irish atmosphere makes it a popular, clean-cut hangout for families, tourists, groups and couples. There's live music weekly. Rehov HaShunit 4, (09) 956- 9495.
Rio One of the most popular, stylish and exclusive dance bars in the area. Located off the marina, Rio is frequented by local celebrities, lots of pretty girls, and students from IDC. On any given night there is sure to be a lot of wild dancing, pumping music, playful flirting, and careless drinking. Arena Mall, (050) 725-0343.
Temple Bar Located in the Cinema City mall, Temple Bar is an ideal place to hang out after watching a movie. A sports bar-style outer corridor leads to a full-fledged Irish pub designed very neatly and carefully with imported Irish decor, secluded lounge areas and a VIP room. Live bands perform weekly, and lectures on liquor are given monthly. Cinema City, Glilot, (03) 699-5536.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Basketball as metaphor for disengagement
Jerusalem Post, Daily; October 24, 2006
In the new documentary 'Home Game,' Gush Katif's teenage athletes recall an unlikely basketball tournament staged in the final days before Israel's pullout from Gaza.
Elidad Schneid usually got nervous before major games of the Gush Katif inter-settlement basketball league. As a member of the Netzer Hazani team, the winner of most of the league's championship trophies, he should have been particularly nervous hours before the tournament final against Neve Dekalim. But he wasn't. He was too busy planning for another battle scheduled for the same day: the battle over his home.
Schneid is one of the few basketball players interviewed in Home Game, a new documentary following the struggle of the Netzer Hazani community to hold on to its Gaza Strip homes in the days before the fateful August 2005 implementation of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan.
"During summer vacation in Netzer, we [usually] only talked about basketball and the tournament," he explains in the film, looking back more than half a year after the disengagement. "Last [summer] was a totally different story. Basketball was much less on our minds."
At the time, however, the 19-year-old basketball player and his teammates decided to go on with the championship, seeing the tournament as one of their final anti-disengagement protests.
The film begins with uniformed Gush Katif teenagers bopping down the court with crowds of kids cheering them on. While the scene may strike some as an oddly cheerful opening for a film on such a controversial subject, the championship is ultimately used as a metaphor to examine the feelings of the teenagers as they battle - physically and spiritually - to preserve the community where many of them grew up. Home Game seeks to show that just as the Netzer Hazani basketball team played on the court, so they "played" in the struggle over their settlement: with tenacity, hope and determination.
"Everyone can understand sports - the desire to struggle, win and fight until the end, both on the player level and team level," explains Avi Abelow, the producer of the film.
He and the director, Yaron Shane, thought that focusing on basketball would draw viewers of a variety of political and religious shades into the human story of the settlers' drive to overturn the disengagement plan. "Many people around the world and in Israel, in part because of their political or religious orientations, did now allow themselves to empathize with what these people went through and experienced," Abelow said.
Abelow developed the idea for the film after taking a leave from his Tel Aviv consulting job to support the Gush Katif settlers. After infiltrating Netzer Hazani two weeks before the disengagement began, he used his digital camera to document what he hoped would not be the Gaza settlements' final days. Despite having no previous experience in the film industry, he assembled his footage to create a short film to help raise money for Gush Katif residents after their evacuation, offering donors a longer version as a bonus. This longer film eventually evolved into a full-fledged documentary.
Shane, an experienced director and producer with his own editing and film services company, didn't think Abelow had enough footage for a full feature, so he and the first-time director collected footage taken by Netzer Hazani families themselves.
The bulk of their filmmaking, he says, was actually done largely in post- production. The final product has been extracted from over 80 hours of film. Some of the included footage retains a home-made feel, but overall the filmmakers' editing gives Home Game a professional look.
"I said to myself, 'This is footage that everyone must see to get [the settlers'] story, their perspective of what they went through," says Abelow. "If viewers are allowed to focus on the people and human story, they could come out of the experience feeling a closer connection to the people and to understand their tragedy, regardless of whether they supported the disengagement plan or not. The film is about creating a connection and empathy for fellow Jews who feel forgotten by their people, not about changing their political opinion."
Home Game's insider footage includes teenagers painting the settlement in orange, the color associated with the anti- disengagement movement; a near violent encounter between young settlers and border police; the settlers' return of their weaponry to the IDF; emotional meetings in which settlers discuss painful decisions about how to prepare for their evacuation; the heart-wrenching day of the evacuation itself; and, of course, the final home game.
One of the central figures in the film, 19-year-old Einat Yefet, filmed her final days at Netzer Hazani as part of a deal with Channel 10. Scenes from her cinematic journal feature prominently in the movie. "It was important for me to document our struggle - what we've done, all of our creation," she explains in the film. "We feel that no one understands what we are going through."
When Yefet and her fellow residents were approached by Abelow and Shane to assist them with the film, she hesitated. But she ultimately decided to participate, she said, not only to influence others, but to begin a process of healing. She describes working on the film as a type of therapy.
"After the expulsion we tried to escape," she said. "Not only did you lose your home, but you feel scattered and confused. We had no direction, support or help. For youth who didn't know anything aside from Gush Katif, coping with it was very difficult. We went through a process of repression."
Working on the film wasn't easy, she says, with the project forcing her to confront difficult memories she had tried to block. But she persisted. "The first weeks of working on the film were terrible for me, and I cried all the time," she said. "It was like a very difficult surgery, but if I didn't perform it, it would have been very hard to continue."
Next month she'll embark on a trip to American Jewish communities to screen the film and raise funds for the Gush Katif community, many of whose members remain unemployed more than a year after the disengagement.
Shane, the film's director, says he feels confident that Home Game's youthful subjects are satisfied with the way their story is told. "The fact that they see the film as something that is their own is a compliment," he said.
Home Game has screened in more than 50 communities across Israel over the last few months, as well as in several cities abroad. The audiences are usually sympathetic to the Gaza settlers, but Gush Katif documentaries can be a tough sell - particularly to disengagement supporters and those not generally interested Israeli politics.
The film was shown to the mainstream Israeli press at a Tel Aviv screening last week. Abelow is working on getting the film shown at the country's cinematheques and film festivals, and says his ultimate goal is to get it shown on a major Israeli television network.
Home Game will next screen for high school and youth groups in Israel on November 5, a date chosen for its proximity to the anniversary of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. The hope, filmmakers says, is that the film will create tolerance between different sectors of Israel's population.
In the new documentary 'Home Game,' Gush Katif's teenage athletes recall an unlikely basketball tournament staged in the final days before Israel's pullout from Gaza.
Elidad Schneid usually got nervous before major games of the Gush Katif inter-settlement basketball league. As a member of the Netzer Hazani team, the winner of most of the league's championship trophies, he should have been particularly nervous hours before the tournament final against Neve Dekalim. But he wasn't. He was too busy planning for another battle scheduled for the same day: the battle over his home.
Schneid is one of the few basketball players interviewed in Home Game, a new documentary following the struggle of the Netzer Hazani community to hold on to its Gaza Strip homes in the days before the fateful August 2005 implementation of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan.
"During summer vacation in Netzer, we [usually] only talked about basketball and the tournament," he explains in the film, looking back more than half a year after the disengagement. "Last [summer] was a totally different story. Basketball was much less on our minds."
At the time, however, the 19-year-old basketball player and his teammates decided to go on with the championship, seeing the tournament as one of their final anti-disengagement protests.
The film begins with uniformed Gush Katif teenagers bopping down the court with crowds of kids cheering them on. While the scene may strike some as an oddly cheerful opening for a film on such a controversial subject, the championship is ultimately used as a metaphor to examine the feelings of the teenagers as they battle - physically and spiritually - to preserve the community where many of them grew up. Home Game seeks to show that just as the Netzer Hazani basketball team played on the court, so they "played" in the struggle over their settlement: with tenacity, hope and determination.
"Everyone can understand sports - the desire to struggle, win and fight until the end, both on the player level and team level," explains Avi Abelow, the producer of the film.
He and the director, Yaron Shane, thought that focusing on basketball would draw viewers of a variety of political and religious shades into the human story of the settlers' drive to overturn the disengagement plan. "Many people around the world and in Israel, in part because of their political or religious orientations, did now allow themselves to empathize with what these people went through and experienced," Abelow said.
Abelow developed the idea for the film after taking a leave from his Tel Aviv consulting job to support the Gush Katif settlers. After infiltrating Netzer Hazani two weeks before the disengagement began, he used his digital camera to document what he hoped would not be the Gaza settlements' final days. Despite having no previous experience in the film industry, he assembled his footage to create a short film to help raise money for Gush Katif residents after their evacuation, offering donors a longer version as a bonus. This longer film eventually evolved into a full-fledged documentary.
Shane, an experienced director and producer with his own editing and film services company, didn't think Abelow had enough footage for a full feature, so he and the first-time director collected footage taken by Netzer Hazani families themselves.
The bulk of their filmmaking, he says, was actually done largely in post- production. The final product has been extracted from over 80 hours of film. Some of the included footage retains a home-made feel, but overall the filmmakers' editing gives Home Game a professional look.
"I said to myself, 'This is footage that everyone must see to get [the settlers'] story, their perspective of what they went through," says Abelow. "If viewers are allowed to focus on the people and human story, they could come out of the experience feeling a closer connection to the people and to understand their tragedy, regardless of whether they supported the disengagement plan or not. The film is about creating a connection and empathy for fellow Jews who feel forgotten by their people, not about changing their political opinion."
Home Game's insider footage includes teenagers painting the settlement in orange, the color associated with the anti- disengagement movement; a near violent encounter between young settlers and border police; the settlers' return of their weaponry to the IDF; emotional meetings in which settlers discuss painful decisions about how to prepare for their evacuation; the heart-wrenching day of the evacuation itself; and, of course, the final home game.
One of the central figures in the film, 19-year-old Einat Yefet, filmed her final days at Netzer Hazani as part of a deal with Channel 10. Scenes from her cinematic journal feature prominently in the movie. "It was important for me to document our struggle - what we've done, all of our creation," she explains in the film. "We feel that no one understands what we are going through."
When Yefet and her fellow residents were approached by Abelow and Shane to assist them with the film, she hesitated. But she ultimately decided to participate, she said, not only to influence others, but to begin a process of healing. She describes working on the film as a type of therapy.
"After the expulsion we tried to escape," she said. "Not only did you lose your home, but you feel scattered and confused. We had no direction, support or help. For youth who didn't know anything aside from Gush Katif, coping with it was very difficult. We went through a process of repression."
Working on the film wasn't easy, she says, with the project forcing her to confront difficult memories she had tried to block. But she persisted. "The first weeks of working on the film were terrible for me, and I cried all the time," she said. "It was like a very difficult surgery, but if I didn't perform it, it would have been very hard to continue."
Next month she'll embark on a trip to American Jewish communities to screen the film and raise funds for the Gush Katif community, many of whose members remain unemployed more than a year after the disengagement.
Shane, the film's director, says he feels confident that Home Game's youthful subjects are satisfied with the way their story is told. "The fact that they see the film as something that is their own is a compliment," he said.
Home Game has screened in more than 50 communities across Israel over the last few months, as well as in several cities abroad. The audiences are usually sympathetic to the Gaza settlers, but Gush Katif documentaries can be a tough sell - particularly to disengagement supporters and those not generally interested Israeli politics.
The film was shown to the mainstream Israeli press at a Tel Aviv screening last week. Abelow is working on getting the film shown at the country's cinematheques and film festivals, and says his ultimate goal is to get it shown on a major Israeli television network.
Home Game will next screen for high school and youth groups in Israel on November 5, a date chosen for its proximity to the anniversary of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. The hope, filmmakers says, is that the film will create tolerance between different sectors of Israel's population.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Party in the valley (listing)
Jerusalem Post, Billboard; October 20, 2006
During the past year Emek Hefer, the rural valley sandwiched between Netanya and Hadera, has planted the seeds for a steadily growing nightlife. It used to be that residents of villages, farms and kibbutzim in the area had to travel to Herzliya or Tel Aviv to experience the glamorous pubs and dance bars. Not anymore.
The sprouting nightlife reflects a changing demographic profile in Emek Hefer, which is slowly becoming a nouveau college town. The villages have become attractive places to live for many students and young professionals. Colleges in the area, such as Ruppin College and Netanya College, have created a market of potential partyers seeking quality nightlife establishments rather than kibbutz cafes or pubs.
The following is a partial listing for adventurers who want to break out of Tel Aviv and see how Sabras party in the little cities.
Ha'ogen Under the slogan "Because every Friday you need to fall apart!" Alcoholic productions presents a happening party every Friday for students over 23. Music: hip-hop. Dance: Israeli. Kibbutz Ha'ogen, Info: 0523-753800
Inigo Montoya When Inigo Montoya opened last year, a nightlife monsoon hit the valley. Inigo's pumping music, well-dressed folk, exclusivity and hot bartenders make it the most Tel Aviv-style dance bar in the valley. It's not the place to go for a quiet night but to party with the "in" crowd. Em Haderech Mall; Yonnai Junction; open daily from 9 p.m.; Tel: 0528-697824
Lechet A pioneering nightlife institution in Emek Hefer, Lechet is one of the most popular weekend spots for soldiers. It's in Kfar Vitkin and is open Friday and Saturday nights. Music: hip-hop, alternative, mainstream. Tel: 0543-955539
Muze The first mega-bar in the area, Muze is probably the most ambitious. Half a million dollars was invested to turn this former hangar in Emek Hefer into a world-class establishment. With 90 stools, it's arguably one of the largest bars in Israel, maybe even larger than Tel Aviv's Lanski, although it has yet to reach the prestigious Tel Aviv club's status. Emek Hefer Industrial Zone, Tuesday- Saturday from 9 p.m.; Tel: 0509-339879
Natasha Once busy as a weekend dance bar for students and soldiers, Natasha is now the prime locale for "organic" parties. Among the more "natural" and "rustic" of all the nightlife options, these parties are "non-toxic." No smoking is allowed on the dance floor, and tea and natural foods are served on the patio. People of all ages can "come as you are" to dance to world music and golden oldies. It's at the entrance to Kfar Haim and opens every other Saturday night. Tel: 0507-958676
Selfa As one of the first dance bars in Emek Hefer, Selfa was among those that started the pub disco ball rolling. Located right next to Muze in a secluded industrial zone, Selfa consists of a rectangular bar and lounge area with leather sofas. Despite its classic design, Selfa still has a village appeal. On almost any given night, locals 23 and over are likely to bump into old friends. Emek Hefer Industrial Zone; Tuesday-Saturday from 9 p.m. Tel: 0525-400482
Vasco Only a few months old, Vasco is a little darker and more subdued than some other establishments, although the design is standard, with a rectangular bar and a wall lined with sofas. What distinguishes it is an outdoor patio overlooking the valley. Its location, deep within a small mall in Emek Hefer, means that only people "in the know" go there, usually students and an older, professional crowd. Ha'ogen Junction. Open daily from 9 p.m. Tel: 0544-84564
Valery Located across the way from Inigo Montoya, Valery is arguably the most elegant restaurant/bar in the area. The place feels like a bistro during the day and a dance bar at night, when it gets busy with younger folk. It gets really busy on weekends, with DJs spinning freestyle, and is a convenient alternative for those who can't get into Inigo Montoya. Emek Haderech Mall; Yonnai Junction. Open daily from 12 p.m. Tel: (09) 866-6720
Zuf "on the water" is a unique outdoor club near a stream and forest in Kfar Vitkin, equipped with swimming pools and a small camping site (for late-night, drunk revelers). Geared mostly for soldiers, Zuf is popular nationwide, particularly for its warm, personal treatment. The catchy website says it all: www.zuf.co.il
During the past year Emek Hefer, the rural valley sandwiched between Netanya and Hadera, has planted the seeds for a steadily growing nightlife. It used to be that residents of villages, farms and kibbutzim in the area had to travel to Herzliya or Tel Aviv to experience the glamorous pubs and dance bars. Not anymore.
The sprouting nightlife reflects a changing demographic profile in Emek Hefer, which is slowly becoming a nouveau college town. The villages have become attractive places to live for many students and young professionals. Colleges in the area, such as Ruppin College and Netanya College, have created a market of potential partyers seeking quality nightlife establishments rather than kibbutz cafes or pubs.
The following is a partial listing for adventurers who want to break out of Tel Aviv and see how Sabras party in the little cities.
Ha'ogen Under the slogan "Because every Friday you need to fall apart!" Alcoholic productions presents a happening party every Friday for students over 23. Music: hip-hop. Dance: Israeli. Kibbutz Ha'ogen, Info: 0523-753800
Inigo Montoya When Inigo Montoya opened last year, a nightlife monsoon hit the valley. Inigo's pumping music, well-dressed folk, exclusivity and hot bartenders make it the most Tel Aviv-style dance bar in the valley. It's not the place to go for a quiet night but to party with the "in" crowd. Em Haderech Mall; Yonnai Junction; open daily from 9 p.m.; Tel: 0528-697824
Lechet A pioneering nightlife institution in Emek Hefer, Lechet is one of the most popular weekend spots for soldiers. It's in Kfar Vitkin and is open Friday and Saturday nights. Music: hip-hop, alternative, mainstream. Tel: 0543-955539
Muze The first mega-bar in the area, Muze is probably the most ambitious. Half a million dollars was invested to turn this former hangar in Emek Hefer into a world-class establishment. With 90 stools, it's arguably one of the largest bars in Israel, maybe even larger than Tel Aviv's Lanski, although it has yet to reach the prestigious Tel Aviv club's status. Emek Hefer Industrial Zone, Tuesday- Saturday from 9 p.m.; Tel: 0509-339879
Natasha Once busy as a weekend dance bar for students and soldiers, Natasha is now the prime locale for "organic" parties. Among the more "natural" and "rustic" of all the nightlife options, these parties are "non-toxic." No smoking is allowed on the dance floor, and tea and natural foods are served on the patio. People of all ages can "come as you are" to dance to world music and golden oldies. It's at the entrance to Kfar Haim and opens every other Saturday night. Tel: 0507-958676
Selfa As one of the first dance bars in Emek Hefer, Selfa was among those that started the pub disco ball rolling. Located right next to Muze in a secluded industrial zone, Selfa consists of a rectangular bar and lounge area with leather sofas. Despite its classic design, Selfa still has a village appeal. On almost any given night, locals 23 and over are likely to bump into old friends. Emek Hefer Industrial Zone; Tuesday-Saturday from 9 p.m. Tel: 0525-400482
Vasco Only a few months old, Vasco is a little darker and more subdued than some other establishments, although the design is standard, with a rectangular bar and a wall lined with sofas. What distinguishes it is an outdoor patio overlooking the valley. Its location, deep within a small mall in Emek Hefer, means that only people "in the know" go there, usually students and an older, professional crowd. Ha'ogen Junction. Open daily from 9 p.m. Tel: 0544-84564
Valery Located across the way from Inigo Montoya, Valery is arguably the most elegant restaurant/bar in the area. The place feels like a bistro during the day and a dance bar at night, when it gets busy with younger folk. It gets really busy on weekends, with DJs spinning freestyle, and is a convenient alternative for those who can't get into Inigo Montoya. Emek Haderech Mall; Yonnai Junction. Open daily from 12 p.m. Tel: (09) 866-6720
Zuf "on the water" is a unique outdoor club near a stream and forest in Kfar Vitkin, equipped with swimming pools and a small camping site (for late-night, drunk revelers). Geared mostly for soldiers, Zuf is popular nationwide, particularly for its warm, personal treatment. The catchy website says it all: www.zuf.co.il
Jewish learning on the rise in Tel Aviv
Jerusalem Post, Metro; October 20, 2006
Over the last decade, centers for Jewish study have been growing and thriving.
A day before Succot, a bunch of 18-year-old girls and boys sat on a lawn under the trees in south Tel Aviv to study Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), the book traditionally read on Succot. They had started the class inside a makeshift classroom at the Shapira community center, the temporary campus of the new Secular Yeshiva in Tel Aviv but moved outside to enjoy the inspiration of the fresh air.
The teacher was commenting on the nature of happiness as described in Ecclesiastes through a look at excerpts from such thinkers as John Stuart Mill and Ahad Ha'am. Students were engaged in unraveling the wisdom wedded in the Jewish canon.
The idyllic scene of Israelis studying Torah may seem out of place in Tel Aviv. The urban center of Israel is known more for its industry, entertainment, culture, bars and restaurants than for its yeshivas and synagogues. But in the last decade, centers for Jewish learning have been growing and thriving in Tel Aviv. That Tel Aviv is one of the most secular cities in Israel has actually made it an experimental and fertile ground for Jewish outreach and education.
"I think Tel Aviv is the capital of secularism because it's also juxtaposed against Jerusalem," explains Benjy Maor, director of resource and development of the Secular Yeshiva. "We decided to establish a secular yeshiva in Tel Aviv for that reason. If you create a framework that's relevant for secular Israelis, you have to do it in the heart of where it is."
The Secular Yeshiva, a project of the Bina Center for Jewish Identity and Hebrew Culture, aims to give young secular Israelis the opportunity to study Jewish texts from a humanistic perspective. Many of the participants, who come from all over Israel, weave their yeshiva studies into their pre-army or post-army track. The curriculum combines community service in the Shapira community, among the poorer in Tel Aviv, as part of the program's emphasis on social action.
Maor, who made aliya 23 years ago from Los Angeles, has observed how young secular Israelis are often alienated from Jewish sources. He attributes this, in part, to their inability to see Judaism's relevance to their lives and values. Many of the students come into the secular yeshiva program associating Judaism with stringent Orthodox practice or politicized religion, with a general aversion to both.
Maor notices an upward trend in pluralistic Jewish learning throughout Tel Aviv. "Relative to 10 years ago, there's no question that if you look across Tel Aviv from south to north, Jewish pluralism is on the map. There are activities of all kinds."
The Secular Yeshiva is refurbishing its new campus in a building donated by the city, which has expressed support for the project. The city subsidizes its own center for Jewish culture at a state-of-the-art building located off Ibn Gabirol on Zeitlin Street. The Brodt Center, built three years ago, conducts programs, activities and courses for non-affiliated Tel Avivians. Its goal is to connect Tel Aviv residents to their heritage and roots through contemporary Jewish culture. The city's active involvement in Jewish learning reflects the growth of interest in the city, says Shira Sivan, director of the center.
"When you do things that are fitting for a young, non-religious crowd, there is demand."
One of the pioneers of the revival of interest in Jewish sources among secular Tel Avivians is Ruth Calderon. While she bears no formal affiliation to the Secular Yeshiva, she regards it as a welcome participant in the same endeavor as the educational institute, Alma, which she founded 10 years ago. Alma is a "center for Hebrew culture" where "Hebrew" does not refer to the language but to the integration of Judaism and modernity.
"I think we should redefine 'secular,'" says Calderon, an active figure in Jewish education throughout Israel. "Tel Aviv non-rabbinic Jews respect culture very much; when we offer them an entrance into Judaism as scholarship or classic narrative culture instead of halacha, it is surprising how much hunger and openness you can find in Tel Aviv."
Calderon grew up in a "very Jewish" secular home, but when she sought to study classic Jewish texts and spirituality, she had trouble finding a non-affiliated educational framework in Tel Aviv. Alma is the culmination of her vision to create what she felt was missing in the city.
"Alma was founded in the hopes of building a home for Hebrew culture - a center of study, ritual, celebration of the Jewish calendar for the non-affiliated majority in Israel and the world."
Located just off Sderot Rothschild, Alma has expanded its activities to include Haifa and has established Alma New York. Alma Tel Aviv offers full and part-time tracks that combine the study of Bible and Talmud with literature, poetry, philosophy and the arts.
Calderon believes the time is ripe for Tel Aviv to live up to its potential as the "Hebrew city" envisioned by Tel Aviv's cultural founding fathers, Ahad Ha'am, Joseph Haim Brenner, and Chaim Nachman Bialik. While Judaism is often not expressed through halachic observance in Tel Aviv, Shabbat and holidays remain "different" from the rest of the week, and the special Je wish atmosphere is present in the many expressions of Hebrew culture in the city. True Hebrew culture, however, co mes from the meeting bet ween the creative arts and Jewish sources.
"Our vision at Alma is to become a meeting place between the talented creators of culture in Israel and the wonderful heritage that belongs to them, to which they were never really introduced." To facilitate this meeting, Alma has tailored a beit midrash program for television script writers and musicians.
While institutes such as Alma and the Secular Yeshiva are providing Jewish learning pathways for secular Israelis who would automatically reject Jewish learning in an Orthodox framework, Jewish learning from a traditional and halachic perspective has also been making headway in the city.
Rosh Yehudi, whose headquarters is off Rehov Bogroshav, is geared toward individual secular Tel Avivians seeking meaningful spiritual outlets. Its sign reads "Center for Self-Awareness."
"I couldn't stand the idea that in the center of culture in Israel there didn't exist the most 'banal,' true, simple alternative, which is the true culture of Am Israel, the culture of the Torah: Judaism," explains Israel Zeira, who founded Rosh Yehudi 10 years ago. "In Tel Aviv we have all the cultures, all the avodot zorot (idolatries) in the world - everything you want, but no Judaism."
Like Calderon, Zeira is concerned that gatekeepers of culture are often disconnected from their Jewish identity and texts. "When you go to Tel Aviv you see that all creative Israeliness happens here - journalism, communications, television. It's amazing that the city that creates Israeli culture lacks Jewish identity."
In its early days, Rosh Yehudi's staff had to stand outside and recruit passers-by for a minyan or weekly class. Today, the classroom is packed every week with men and women ranging from ages 20-50, wearing shorts, jeans and tank tops, who come to listen to the weekly Torah portion, biblical commentary and traditional Jewish sources on happiness and the meaning of life. While its orientation is Orthodox, there is no political agenda or religious coercion. People are encouraged to come, wearing and asking whatever they want.
"It's clear that no one likes to be forced into something they don't understand. Man is a free person, and freedom is a very important virtue in the Torah," says Zeira.
Rosh Yehudi recently expanded and refurbished an old synagogue on Bar Kochva. The synagogue had not been used for years, but a crew of volunteers worked hard to get it cleaned up in time for the High Holidays. All its seats were filled on Yom Kippur.
The growth of traffic in the classroom and synagogue rivals the growth of interest on the Internet. In the "Ask the rabbi" section, more and more people turn to Jewish wisdom on a variety of topics. But Zeira sees this growing interest as an outgrowth of increasing dissatisfaction with nihilist or hedonistic secular culture.
"In the past few years there has been more interest perhaps because the public is coming to the conclusion that there are no real answers to life and that life has lost its zohar and beauty. People are looking for hope, light, direction. And there is no direction."
Community-geared yeshivas with a religious Zionist orientation have sprung up across the city to heal the divide between Judaism and mainstream secular Israelis. Their approach is to situate themselves within a certain community and create a significant, traditional Jewish presence.
Across the street from the temporary grounds of the Secular Yeshiva (which is building its permanent home nearby) is Yeshivat Orot Aviv. Founded six years ago in the Shapira community, it has a non-secular orientation, teaching Torah Judaism not as Hebrew culture but as an integral way of life. Identified with the religious Zionist camp, it combines full-time traditional yeshiva learning and community programs. "Seed families" with husbands who study there, live among the residents to infuse traditional Jewish life into south Tel Aviv.
"It's important for them that there are religious families in Tel Aviv," says Merav Monsonego, who runs the office.
The yeshiva is situated in an old synagogue that used to serve a once-active Jewish community in the area. During Succot, the yeshiva organized events for kids in and around the succa. On Simchat Torah they walked around the entire city with a Sefer Torah to raise the holiday spirits of the secular city. During the week they run weekly classes for women, as well as bar-mitzva training for boys.
"We try to make an atmosphere of Judaism in the community," says Monsonego. "Ha'rav Mishael Cohen, the rosh yeshiva, conceived of this idea. He understood that for Am Yisrael to be connected to Torah, the religious communities can't live isolated from the rest of Israel. Tel Aviv is the heart of Israel."
Yeshivat Ma'ale Eliyahu, located behind Ichilov Hospital, is a yeshiva of higher learning also affiliated with the religious Zionist community. It runs programs and events open to the public to infuse Jewish learning and identity into the city through an approach that applauds and adheres to Jewish law.
Rav Uri Sherki, who teaches Bible at Rosh Yehudi, has high hopes for Tel Aviv: "It is the most spiritual of cities because here they are searching. They could reach a great high or low - but they are in a search. The search is always a safe ground for spiritual ascension."
(BOX #1) How Jewish are they at Jewish Princess?
In Israel, only a bar in Tel Aviv would have a wall relief designed with laser cutouts of Kama Sutra positions. Only a bar in Tel Aviv with such a wall relief would call itself "Jewish Princess."
While not necessarily the intention of the owners, the satirical name represents the playful disdain often associated with Tel Aviv and Judaism. To discover whether or not this stereotypical aversion to Judaism exists in Tel Aviv, Metro met with a few bargoers at Jewish Princess on a busy Thursday night to find out the extent of their connection to Judaism.
Limor, 32, embraced her Jewish identity more in the US than she did in Tel Aviv. "In New York they respect it more. Here it's taken for granted, and you don't have to deal with questions about Jewish identity."
Assaf, 32 from Givatayim, was proud to say, "I'm a Jew." Barak, having a beer next to him, was much more positive toward Judaism and religious people. "When I'm around religious people, I respect them as I do all religions." He argues that Tel Aviv is more religiously tolerant than people give it credit for - it goes along with the do-whatever-makes-you-happy ethos.
Hadas, 31, who lives in Tel Aviv, finds value in Judaism, although she doesn't actively practice. "I'm a Jew and I believe in God. It expresses itself in everything I do. I always ask if what I do is okay." But she doesn't see any proclivity of Tel Avivians to Judaism. In fact, she sees the opposite - a mocking, purposeful desecration - that's what Tel Aviv is for, she says.
Yair, the son of parents who left the haredi fold, represents one of the more extreme anti-Jewish attitudes. "Judaism is not relevant," he says. "I'm a human being. In the Diaspora, Judaism has a different meaning. Here we are the Jewish state. I don't feel a need to be Jewish."
Among those interviewed, there was one woman studying Judaism at the Kabbalah Center, attracted to the mixture of Judaism and mysticism. "It's in my language," she said. She thinks more Tel Avivians should embrace Judaism as a path to spirituality.
Guy, her friend, said, "I fought in Lebanon. That's the most Jewish I can get."
(BOX #2) Where to go
The following is a partial list of institutions with non- academic Jewish education programs and activities in the Tel Aviv area:
Alma College
4 Bezalel Yafe
(03) 566-3031
www.alma.org.il
Beit Daniel, the Center for Progressive Judaism
Bnei Dan St.
(03) 544-2740
Bina Center for Jewish Identity and Hebrew Culture
1 Hayasmin, Ramat Efal
(03) 534-2513/2997
www.bina.org.il
Brodt Center for Jewish Heritage Studies
22 Zeitlin
(03) 695-4522
The Kabbalah Center
14 Ben-Ami
(03) 526-6800
www.kabbalah.co.il
Machon Shorashim
(haredi)
13 Feierberg
(03) 560-3243
Midreshet Aviv
(for women)
(03) 609-2229
www.midreshetaviv.co.il
Rosh Yehudi
45 Bograshov
Tel/Fax: (03) 525-5355
www.rosh-yehudi.co.il
Yeshivat Aviv Hatorah
1 Binyamini
(Nahlat Yitzhak)
(050) 8736454
Yeshivat Ma'ale Eliyahu
(03) 695-9917
www.yeshivatelaviv.org.il
Yeshivat Orot Aviv
23 Rabbi Yisrael Misalant, Shapira
(03) 697-8936
(050) 8822088
orotaviv@gmail.com
Over the last decade, centers for Jewish study have been growing and thriving.
A day before Succot, a bunch of 18-year-old girls and boys sat on a lawn under the trees in south Tel Aviv to study Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), the book traditionally read on Succot. They had started the class inside a makeshift classroom at the Shapira community center, the temporary campus of the new Secular Yeshiva in Tel Aviv but moved outside to enjoy the inspiration of the fresh air.
The teacher was commenting on the nature of happiness as described in Ecclesiastes through a look at excerpts from such thinkers as John Stuart Mill and Ahad Ha'am. Students were engaged in unraveling the wisdom wedded in the Jewish canon.
The idyllic scene of Israelis studying Torah may seem out of place in Tel Aviv. The urban center of Israel is known more for its industry, entertainment, culture, bars and restaurants than for its yeshivas and synagogues. But in the last decade, centers for Jewish learning have been growing and thriving in Tel Aviv. That Tel Aviv is one of the most secular cities in Israel has actually made it an experimental and fertile ground for Jewish outreach and education.
"I think Tel Aviv is the capital of secularism because it's also juxtaposed against Jerusalem," explains Benjy Maor, director of resource and development of the Secular Yeshiva. "We decided to establish a secular yeshiva in Tel Aviv for that reason. If you create a framework that's relevant for secular Israelis, you have to do it in the heart of where it is."
The Secular Yeshiva, a project of the Bina Center for Jewish Identity and Hebrew Culture, aims to give young secular Israelis the opportunity to study Jewish texts from a humanistic perspective. Many of the participants, who come from all over Israel, weave their yeshiva studies into their pre-army or post-army track. The curriculum combines community service in the Shapira community, among the poorer in Tel Aviv, as part of the program's emphasis on social action.
Maor, who made aliya 23 years ago from Los Angeles, has observed how young secular Israelis are often alienated from Jewish sources. He attributes this, in part, to their inability to see Judaism's relevance to their lives and values. Many of the students come into the secular yeshiva program associating Judaism with stringent Orthodox practice or politicized religion, with a general aversion to both.
Maor notices an upward trend in pluralistic Jewish learning throughout Tel Aviv. "Relative to 10 years ago, there's no question that if you look across Tel Aviv from south to north, Jewish pluralism is on the map. There are activities of all kinds."
The Secular Yeshiva is refurbishing its new campus in a building donated by the city, which has expressed support for the project. The city subsidizes its own center for Jewish culture at a state-of-the-art building located off Ibn Gabirol on Zeitlin Street. The Brodt Center, built three years ago, conducts programs, activities and courses for non-affiliated Tel Avivians. Its goal is to connect Tel Aviv residents to their heritage and roots through contemporary Jewish culture. The city's active involvement in Jewish learning reflects the growth of interest in the city, says Shira Sivan, director of the center.
"When you do things that are fitting for a young, non-religious crowd, there is demand."
One of the pioneers of the revival of interest in Jewish sources among secular Tel Avivians is Ruth Calderon. While she bears no formal affiliation to the Secular Yeshiva, she regards it as a welcome participant in the same endeavor as the educational institute, Alma, which she founded 10 years ago. Alma is a "center for Hebrew culture" where "Hebrew" does not refer to the language but to the integration of Judaism and modernity.
"I think we should redefine 'secular,'" says Calderon, an active figure in Jewish education throughout Israel. "Tel Aviv non-rabbinic Jews respect culture very much; when we offer them an entrance into Judaism as scholarship or classic narrative culture instead of halacha, it is surprising how much hunger and openness you can find in Tel Aviv."
Calderon grew up in a "very Jewish" secular home, but when she sought to study classic Jewish texts and spirituality, she had trouble finding a non-affiliated educational framework in Tel Aviv. Alma is the culmination of her vision to create what she felt was missing in the city.
"Alma was founded in the hopes of building a home for Hebrew culture - a center of study, ritual, celebration of the Jewish calendar for the non-affiliated majority in Israel and the world."
Located just off Sderot Rothschild, Alma has expanded its activities to include Haifa and has established Alma New York. Alma Tel Aviv offers full and part-time tracks that combine the study of Bible and Talmud with literature, poetry, philosophy and the arts.
Calderon believes the time is ripe for Tel Aviv to live up to its potential as the "Hebrew city" envisioned by Tel Aviv's cultural founding fathers, Ahad Ha'am, Joseph Haim Brenner, and Chaim Nachman Bialik. While Judaism is often not expressed through halachic observance in Tel Aviv, Shabbat and holidays remain "different" from the rest of the week, and the special Je wish atmosphere is present in the many expressions of Hebrew culture in the city. True Hebrew culture, however, co mes from the meeting bet ween the creative arts and Jewish sources.
"Our vision at Alma is to become a meeting place between the talented creators of culture in Israel and the wonderful heritage that belongs to them, to which they were never really introduced." To facilitate this meeting, Alma has tailored a beit midrash program for television script writers and musicians.
While institutes such as Alma and the Secular Yeshiva are providing Jewish learning pathways for secular Israelis who would automatically reject Jewish learning in an Orthodox framework, Jewish learning from a traditional and halachic perspective has also been making headway in the city.
Rosh Yehudi, whose headquarters is off Rehov Bogroshav, is geared toward individual secular Tel Avivians seeking meaningful spiritual outlets. Its sign reads "Center for Self-Awareness."
"I couldn't stand the idea that in the center of culture in Israel there didn't exist the most 'banal,' true, simple alternative, which is the true culture of Am Israel, the culture of the Torah: Judaism," explains Israel Zeira, who founded Rosh Yehudi 10 years ago. "In Tel Aviv we have all the cultures, all the avodot zorot (idolatries) in the world - everything you want, but no Judaism."
Like Calderon, Zeira is concerned that gatekeepers of culture are often disconnected from their Jewish identity and texts. "When you go to Tel Aviv you see that all creative Israeliness happens here - journalism, communications, television. It's amazing that the city that creates Israeli culture lacks Jewish identity."
In its early days, Rosh Yehudi's staff had to stand outside and recruit passers-by for a minyan or weekly class. Today, the classroom is packed every week with men and women ranging from ages 20-50, wearing shorts, jeans and tank tops, who come to listen to the weekly Torah portion, biblical commentary and traditional Jewish sources on happiness and the meaning of life. While its orientation is Orthodox, there is no political agenda or religious coercion. People are encouraged to come, wearing and asking whatever they want.
"It's clear that no one likes to be forced into something they don't understand. Man is a free person, and freedom is a very important virtue in the Torah," says Zeira.
Rosh Yehudi recently expanded and refurbished an old synagogue on Bar Kochva. The synagogue had not been used for years, but a crew of volunteers worked hard to get it cleaned up in time for the High Holidays. All its seats were filled on Yom Kippur.
The growth of traffic in the classroom and synagogue rivals the growth of interest on the Internet. In the "Ask the rabbi" section, more and more people turn to Jewish wisdom on a variety of topics. But Zeira sees this growing interest as an outgrowth of increasing dissatisfaction with nihilist or hedonistic secular culture.
"In the past few years there has been more interest perhaps because the public is coming to the conclusion that there are no real answers to life and that life has lost its zohar and beauty. People are looking for hope, light, direction. And there is no direction."
Community-geared yeshivas with a religious Zionist orientation have sprung up across the city to heal the divide between Judaism and mainstream secular Israelis. Their approach is to situate themselves within a certain community and create a significant, traditional Jewish presence.
Across the street from the temporary grounds of the Secular Yeshiva (which is building its permanent home nearby) is Yeshivat Orot Aviv. Founded six years ago in the Shapira community, it has a non-secular orientation, teaching Torah Judaism not as Hebrew culture but as an integral way of life. Identified with the religious Zionist camp, it combines full-time traditional yeshiva learning and community programs. "Seed families" with husbands who study there, live among the residents to infuse traditional Jewish life into south Tel Aviv.
"It's important for them that there are religious families in Tel Aviv," says Merav Monsonego, who runs the office.
The yeshiva is situated in an old synagogue that used to serve a once-active Jewish community in the area. During Succot, the yeshiva organized events for kids in and around the succa. On Simchat Torah they walked around the entire city with a Sefer Torah to raise the holiday spirits of the secular city. During the week they run weekly classes for women, as well as bar-mitzva training for boys.
"We try to make an atmosphere of Judaism in the community," says Monsonego. "Ha'rav Mishael Cohen, the rosh yeshiva, conceived of this idea. He understood that for Am Yisrael to be connected to Torah, the religious communities can't live isolated from the rest of Israel. Tel Aviv is the heart of Israel."
Yeshivat Ma'ale Eliyahu, located behind Ichilov Hospital, is a yeshiva of higher learning also affiliated with the religious Zionist community. It runs programs and events open to the public to infuse Jewish learning and identity into the city through an approach that applauds and adheres to Jewish law.
Rav Uri Sherki, who teaches Bible at Rosh Yehudi, has high hopes for Tel Aviv: "It is the most spiritual of cities because here they are searching. They could reach a great high or low - but they are in a search. The search is always a safe ground for spiritual ascension."
(BOX #1) How Jewish are they at Jewish Princess?
In Israel, only a bar in Tel Aviv would have a wall relief designed with laser cutouts of Kama Sutra positions. Only a bar in Tel Aviv with such a wall relief would call itself "Jewish Princess."
While not necessarily the intention of the owners, the satirical name represents the playful disdain often associated with Tel Aviv and Judaism. To discover whether or not this stereotypical aversion to Judaism exists in Tel Aviv, Metro met with a few bargoers at Jewish Princess on a busy Thursday night to find out the extent of their connection to Judaism.
Limor, 32, embraced her Jewish identity more in the US than she did in Tel Aviv. "In New York they respect it more. Here it's taken for granted, and you don't have to deal with questions about Jewish identity."
Assaf, 32 from Givatayim, was proud to say, "I'm a Jew." Barak, having a beer next to him, was much more positive toward Judaism and religious people. "When I'm around religious people, I respect them as I do all religions." He argues that Tel Aviv is more religiously tolerant than people give it credit for - it goes along with the do-whatever-makes-you-happy ethos.
Hadas, 31, who lives in Tel Aviv, finds value in Judaism, although she doesn't actively practice. "I'm a Jew and I believe in God. It expresses itself in everything I do. I always ask if what I do is okay." But she doesn't see any proclivity of Tel Avivians to Judaism. In fact, she sees the opposite - a mocking, purposeful desecration - that's what Tel Aviv is for, she says.
Yair, the son of parents who left the haredi fold, represents one of the more extreme anti-Jewish attitudes. "Judaism is not relevant," he says. "I'm a human being. In the Diaspora, Judaism has a different meaning. Here we are the Jewish state. I don't feel a need to be Jewish."
Among those interviewed, there was one woman studying Judaism at the Kabbalah Center, attracted to the mixture of Judaism and mysticism. "It's in my language," she said. She thinks more Tel Avivians should embrace Judaism as a path to spirituality.
Guy, her friend, said, "I fought in Lebanon. That's the most Jewish I can get."
(BOX #2) Where to go
The following is a partial list of institutions with non- academic Jewish education programs and activities in the Tel Aviv area:
Alma College
4 Bezalel Yafe
(03) 566-3031
www.alma.org.il
Beit Daniel, the Center for Progressive Judaism
Bnei Dan St.
(03) 544-2740
Bina Center for Jewish Identity and Hebrew Culture
1 Hayasmin, Ramat Efal
(03) 534-2513/2997
www.bina.org.il
Brodt Center for Jewish Heritage Studies
22 Zeitlin
(03) 695-4522
The Kabbalah Center
14 Ben-Ami
(03) 526-6800
www.kabbalah.co.il
Machon Shorashim
(haredi)
13 Feierberg
(03) 560-3243
Midreshet Aviv
(for women)
(03) 609-2229
www.midreshetaviv.co.il
Rosh Yehudi
45 Bograshov
Tel/Fax: (03) 525-5355
www.rosh-yehudi.co.il
Yeshivat Aviv Hatorah
1 Binyamini
(Nahlat Yitzhak)
(050) 8736454
Yeshivat Ma'ale Eliyahu
(03) 695-9917
www.yeshivatelaviv.org.il
Yeshivat Orot Aviv
23 Rabbi Yisrael Misalant, Shapira
(03) 697-8936
(050) 8822088
orotaviv@gmail.com
Friday, October 13, 2006
Where the guys go
Jerusalem Post, Billboard; Friday, October 13, 2006
Even the name of this new mega-bar in the Yad Harutzim bar compound of Tel Aviv evokes machismo and self-indulgence. That the Ego Bar was founded by Israeli hoopster Moshe Mizrahi together with the Israeli television channel for men, EGO, only strengthens the impression that the bar is a men's club.
While metrosexuals and straight gals who don't mind a little chauvinism seem like its natural clientele, it remains to be seen what kind of people this athletic, male-themed bar will attract. Ego Bar opened last week (September 29) with a loud party attended by many tall men (fellow basketball players), Mizrachi's friends and guests of both sexes. Mizrahi insists that Ego Bar is a place where all genders should feel comfortable.
'If you see the decor, it's not really a man's bar,' he asserts. Built on the grounds of Escobar, there are no loud masculine motifs, even though there was an erotic dancer at the opening party. The colors of the bar match the EGO channel logo: red, yellow, and orange, adding warmth to the impressive space. The DJ booth, shaped like a jail cell, spins a different genre of music every night over a commendable sound system. Some of the decor is a little flamboyant, particularly the red-leathered lounge areas with their funky chandeliers, but the main bar is generally user friendly.
Mizrahi got the idea for the bar 'on the spur of the moment,' following conversations with friends.
But yet another athlete opening a bar? Makes one wonder if the whole endeavor isn't just an ego trip.
Rehov Shevach, Tel Aviv
(03) 639-1551
Hours: From 9 p.m.
Even the name of this new mega-bar in the Yad Harutzim bar compound of Tel Aviv evokes machismo and self-indulgence. That the Ego Bar was founded by Israeli hoopster Moshe Mizrahi together with the Israeli television channel for men, EGO, only strengthens the impression that the bar is a men's club.
While metrosexuals and straight gals who don't mind a little chauvinism seem like its natural clientele, it remains to be seen what kind of people this athletic, male-themed bar will attract. Ego Bar opened last week (September 29) with a loud party attended by many tall men (fellow basketball players), Mizrachi's friends and guests of both sexes. Mizrahi insists that Ego Bar is a place where all genders should feel comfortable.
'If you see the decor, it's not really a man's bar,' he asserts. Built on the grounds of Escobar, there are no loud masculine motifs, even though there was an erotic dancer at the opening party. The colors of the bar match the EGO channel logo: red, yellow, and orange, adding warmth to the impressive space. The DJ booth, shaped like a jail cell, spins a different genre of music every night over a commendable sound system. Some of the decor is a little flamboyant, particularly the red-leathered lounge areas with their funky chandeliers, but the main bar is generally user friendly.
Mizrahi got the idea for the bar 'on the spur of the moment,' following conversations with friends.
But yet another athlete opening a bar? Makes one wonder if the whole endeavor isn't just an ego trip.
Rehov Shevach, Tel Aviv
(03) 639-1551
Hours: From 9 p.m.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Mea Gulpa (bar review)
Jerusalem Post, Billboard; October 12, 2006
Click here for original
Modern rabbinic lore has it that even though Tel Aviv is the secular capital of Israel it is one of its holiest cities, since no church has been built there. Well, at least not until a few months ago.
The newest "church" in Tel Aviv, Griffin, combines the best of two "evils": Christian iconography and steamy Tel Aviv nightlife.
Griffin, whose name is taken from an early symbol describing Jesus, is a happening, well-stocked lounge bar whose interior is designed to resemble an imposing cathedral.
"This is a dream I had for years," explained Yossi Sher, one of the owners. The idea for this house of liquor worship came when he was partying at an Amsterdam club built inside a former church. He was intrigued by the many common motifs: high ceilings to make a man feel like he is part of something greater, and romantic lighting and art for a feeling of mystic exaltation.
While studying architecture at Tel Aviv University, Sher worked at various TA pubs. As a student, he had already begun to create a model of his bar/church using 3D digital imaging.
The final result is impressive. The lighting, pillars, craftsmanship, embroidery and high ceilings all add to a sense of grandeur. The nave consists of a long, rectangular bar with 60 "pews" leading up to the priest's podium (aka the DJ booth). Above the booth is a stained-glass window with images the pope might find illuminating. The bar is flanked by two lounge areas so people can observe the procession of fellow sinners... err, congregants. The bathrooms resemble confessionals and are perfectly suited for the activities common in pick-up bars - things that would require confession.
Sher and his partner Yuval Barashi, an interior designer, were able to create exactly what they envisioned; it's as if Sher's education was all filtered into the project. Griffin is the only structure Sher has ever built as a graduate of architecture school.
This shrine to Tel Aviv nightlife is intended to attract those who are pious about their nightlife priorities: looking good, smoking premium cigarettes, nursing quality drinks, and picking up classy members of the opposite sex. Almost since its opening two months ago, it has been a hot spot for an attractive professional crowd.
Griffin definitely has an aura of Tel Aviv nightlife sanctity, assisted by devout attention to detail in food, d cor and service. It is located right under the Levenstein business towers. Ironically, prior to construction, the empty site had been used as a makeshift synagogue by the religious Israelis who worked there. But Sher didn't seriously consider combining a shul and a bar.
"Synagogues are much less impressive than churches," he explains.
Rehov Menachem Begin 23, Tel Aviv; (03) 560-0001; hours: from 8 p.m.
Click here for original
Modern rabbinic lore has it that even though Tel Aviv is the secular capital of Israel it is one of its holiest cities, since no church has been built there. Well, at least not until a few months ago.
The newest "church" in Tel Aviv, Griffin, combines the best of two "evils": Christian iconography and steamy Tel Aviv nightlife.
Griffin, whose name is taken from an early symbol describing Jesus, is a happening, well-stocked lounge bar whose interior is designed to resemble an imposing cathedral.
"This is a dream I had for years," explained Yossi Sher, one of the owners. The idea for this house of liquor worship came when he was partying at an Amsterdam club built inside a former church. He was intrigued by the many common motifs: high ceilings to make a man feel like he is part of something greater, and romantic lighting and art for a feeling of mystic exaltation.
While studying architecture at Tel Aviv University, Sher worked at various TA pubs. As a student, he had already begun to create a model of his bar/church using 3D digital imaging.
The final result is impressive. The lighting, pillars, craftsmanship, embroidery and high ceilings all add to a sense of grandeur. The nave consists of a long, rectangular bar with 60 "pews" leading up to the priest's podium (aka the DJ booth). Above the booth is a stained-glass window with images the pope might find illuminating. The bar is flanked by two lounge areas so people can observe the procession of fellow sinners... err, congregants. The bathrooms resemble confessionals and are perfectly suited for the activities common in pick-up bars - things that would require confession.
Sher and his partner Yuval Barashi, an interior designer, were able to create exactly what they envisioned; it's as if Sher's education was all filtered into the project. Griffin is the only structure Sher has ever built as a graduate of architecture school.
This shrine to Tel Aviv nightlife is intended to attract those who are pious about their nightlife priorities: looking good, smoking premium cigarettes, nursing quality drinks, and picking up classy members of the opposite sex. Almost since its opening two months ago, it has been a hot spot for an attractive professional crowd.
Griffin definitely has an aura of Tel Aviv nightlife sanctity, assisted by devout attention to detail in food, d cor and service. It is located right under the Levenstein business towers. Ironically, prior to construction, the empty site had been used as a makeshift synagogue by the religious Israelis who worked there. But Sher didn't seriously consider combining a shul and a bar.
"Synagogues are much less impressive than churches," he explains.
Rehov Menachem Begin 23, Tel Aviv; (03) 560-0001; hours: from 8 p.m.
Friday, September 29, 2006
A bar for valley girls (bar review)
Jerusalem Post, Billboard; September 29, 2006
'My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.' The most happening bar-lounge in Emek Hefer, the rural valley just north of Netanya, takes its name from this famous cinematic phrase of The Princess Bride, which follows Princess Buttercup's love for a blonde farm boy. While you may not find any blonde princes or princesses at Inigo Montoya, chances are you'll find strapping Israeli farmboys and farmgirls, since Inigo Montoya was created to serve the outlaying farm communities, kibbutzim and villages that dot the valley.
One such farmboy is co-owner Ziv Rabinovich, who grew up in a moshav nearby. A pioneer of the nightlife scene in Emek Hefer, he began his career renting out a hangar in the woods for weekend parties for soldiers. Lechet, as the place became known, soon became a full-fledged party production house. With the expertise and connections he acquired, Rabinovich and his partners decided to open a bar that could rival those in Tel Aviv.
'We knew there was a lack of bars of this caliber in this area,' he explains. By 'this style,' he refers to pumping music, invested decor, a professionally run bar, good-looking bartenders, selection by age and lots of sex appeal. Rabinovich and his partners researched bars in Herzliya and Tel Aviv (if you can call partying research) to transplant cosmopolitan standards to a sleepy town whose nightlife had hitherto consisted mostly of kibbutz cafes and mom-and-pop pubs.
Inigo Montoya just celebrated its first anniversary on September 15 with a wild party attracting the 'who's who' of Emek Hefer and celebs including singer Shiri Maimon, actor Ofer Shechter and A Star is Born winner Jacko Eisenberg, showing Tel Aviv that Emek Hefer knows how to party. The entire portico was lavishly decorated, and a nearby hall was rented out to make room for the 2,000 partiers who came to celebrate this local nightlife achievement and dance the night away to well-known trance ensembles such as Astral Projection.
The place is packed every night with locals and students living in the area. Bar reservations are recommended, unless you don't mind rubbing against some well-dressed farmgirls or farmboys in the aisles. The interior brick design is dark yet warm and friendly, meant to mimic a medieval castle. But there are no medieval norms at Inigo Montoya. Locals come to get wasted and perhaps leave with a Prince or Princess Charming.
One would be hard-pressed to find English speakers in Inigo Montoya (or other bars in the area for that matter), mostly because Emek Hefer is home largely to sabras. That's part of its appeal. Inigo Montoya is for nightlife adventurers who are tired of Tel Aviv conventions and seek a night out with small-town, homegrown Israeli partiers.
Despite its exclusivity, Inigo Montoya is easily accessible. It's located at the Yonnai Junction, on the second floor of a shopping center that serves as a popular rest stop for Tel Aviv-Haifa commuters. More and more Tel Avivians are making the half-hour trek to Inigo Montoya for its farmlike coziness, earthy abandon, quality food and rural clientele.
Hopefully, it won't get overrun by too many out-of- towners.
Em HaDerech Mall; Yonnai Junction
Open daily from 9 p.m.
Ages: 23+ girls; 25+ boys
Music and specials: Sun: Israeli (50% off Sushi), Mon: Hip hop (20% off wine), Tues: Rock/alternative (20% off beer); Thurs-Sat: Freestyle
No cover
'My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.' The most happening bar-lounge in Emek Hefer, the rural valley just north of Netanya, takes its name from this famous cinematic phrase of The Princess Bride, which follows Princess Buttercup's love for a blonde farm boy. While you may not find any blonde princes or princesses at Inigo Montoya, chances are you'll find strapping Israeli farmboys and farmgirls, since Inigo Montoya was created to serve the outlaying farm communities, kibbutzim and villages that dot the valley.
One such farmboy is co-owner Ziv Rabinovich, who grew up in a moshav nearby. A pioneer of the nightlife scene in Emek Hefer, he began his career renting out a hangar in the woods for weekend parties for soldiers. Lechet, as the place became known, soon became a full-fledged party production house. With the expertise and connections he acquired, Rabinovich and his partners decided to open a bar that could rival those in Tel Aviv.
'We knew there was a lack of bars of this caliber in this area,' he explains. By 'this style,' he refers to pumping music, invested decor, a professionally run bar, good-looking bartenders, selection by age and lots of sex appeal. Rabinovich and his partners researched bars in Herzliya and Tel Aviv (if you can call partying research) to transplant cosmopolitan standards to a sleepy town whose nightlife had hitherto consisted mostly of kibbutz cafes and mom-and-pop pubs.
Inigo Montoya just celebrated its first anniversary on September 15 with a wild party attracting the 'who's who' of Emek Hefer and celebs including singer Shiri Maimon, actor Ofer Shechter and A Star is Born winner Jacko Eisenberg, showing Tel Aviv that Emek Hefer knows how to party. The entire portico was lavishly decorated, and a nearby hall was rented out to make room for the 2,000 partiers who came to celebrate this local nightlife achievement and dance the night away to well-known trance ensembles such as Astral Projection.
The place is packed every night with locals and students living in the area. Bar reservations are recommended, unless you don't mind rubbing against some well-dressed farmgirls or farmboys in the aisles. The interior brick design is dark yet warm and friendly, meant to mimic a medieval castle. But there are no medieval norms at Inigo Montoya. Locals come to get wasted and perhaps leave with a Prince or Princess Charming.
One would be hard-pressed to find English speakers in Inigo Montoya (or other bars in the area for that matter), mostly because Emek Hefer is home largely to sabras. That's part of its appeal. Inigo Montoya is for nightlife adventurers who are tired of Tel Aviv conventions and seek a night out with small-town, homegrown Israeli partiers.
Despite its exclusivity, Inigo Montoya is easily accessible. It's located at the Yonnai Junction, on the second floor of a shopping center that serves as a popular rest stop for Tel Aviv-Haifa commuters. More and more Tel Avivians are making the half-hour trek to Inigo Montoya for its farmlike coziness, earthy abandon, quality food and rural clientele.
Hopefully, it won't get overrun by too many out-of- towners.
Em HaDerech Mall; Yonnai Junction
Open daily from 9 p.m.
Ages: 23+ girls; 25+ boys
Music and specials: Sun: Israeli (50% off Sushi), Mon: Hip hop (20% off wine), Tues: Rock/alternative (20% off beer); Thurs-Sat: Freestyle
No cover
Thursday, September 21, 2006
New book tries to keep Orthodox--Orthodox (book review)
The Jewish Journal; September 21, 2006
Click here for original
"Off the Derech: Why Observant Jews Leave Judaism; How to Respond to the Challenge," by Faranak Margolese (Devora, 2005).
Several years ago, I received an online questionnaire asking things like: "If you had to attribute your not being observant to one thing, what would it be?" and "Did you ever feel rejected because you were not observant enough?" Now my answers, as well as those of 465 other Orthodox rebels, are the subject of the book, "Off the Derech."
Written by Faranak Margolese, a Los Angeles native and graduate of Yeshiva of Los Angeles Girls High School who now lives in Jerusalem, the book seeks to explain why some Jews who grow up in observant homes and attend Orthodox schools drop halachic observance later in life. By understanding this phenomenon, she believes Orthodox communities and individuals could more effectively remedy it.
But this book is not aimed at people who went off the derech, which in Hebrew means "path." Instead, it's intended for those seeking to ensure Orthodox continuity. Throughout the book, Margolese does not treat those who went "off the derech" with disdain or disapproval; rather, she turns her critical focus to certain behaviors and attitudes of Orthodox people, which can turn younger generations off to Torah Judaism.
Nonetheless, her book has earned her praise from leading Orthodox rabbis for outlining an integral path of honest introspection for Orthodox communities, making the book a fitting read for the High Holidays.
Margolese conceived of the idea for the book when she began to notice that many of her friends who grew up in religious homes were no longer observant. Margolese describes a period in which she herself experienced her share of doubts, which resulted in lapses in her observance of Shabbat and kashrut.
Eventually, she resolved the emotional and intellectual conflicts she had with Torah Judaism and has fully committed herself to the Orthodox way of life. Her own experience contributes to the sensitivity with which she tackles the subject.
In an extremely lucid and logical style, Margolese makes a praiseworthy attempt not to oversimplify the reasons why people of different Orthodox shades abandon observance, which she defines loosely as the halachic observance of Shabbat and kashrut. Often, a complex series of factors and experiences trigger defection.
One main reason, she argues, is negative emotional associations young Orthodox Jews develop toward Judaism as a result of hurtful encounters with Orthodox people. These include parents who make children feel rejected for failing in religious observance, teachers who call students "wicked" or "dirty" for dabbling with secular ideas or behaviors, or any Orthodox Jews, particularly rabbis and educators, who are overly judgmental or nitpicky regarding the minutiae of Jewish laws at the expense of kindness and understanding.
Margolese separates emotional and intellectual issues and explains that emotional dissatisfaction is more an influential motivator than intellectual issues with Judaism. In fact, a majority of her respondents affirmed that they still believe in the Divine origins of the Torah. Nevertheless, she found rabbis and teachers often turn their students off to Torah Judaism and rabbinic authority by downplaying their sincere quest to understand God, Torah and reasons for observing mitzvot, (commandments).
Margolese offers several remedies, which put the burden of change on potential role models. Prescriptions include: parents not dogmatically enforcing religious observance at the expense of their child's emotional well-being and sense of security; parents and educators grounding their emphasis on maintaining observance with the humanitarian purpose, inspiring vision and rational context underlying mitzvot, and practitioners not shying away from questions posed by intellectually curious Orthodox Jews.
By turning culpability to observant people, educators and communities, Margolese successfully removes blame from the ideal Orthodox system she portrays. If only the practitioners were the models of the best of Orthodoxy fulfilled -- open, spiritual, psychologically perceptive and halachic -- then fewer people might leave the fold.
In keeping with her loyalty to Orthodoxy, Margolese does not devote separate discussion to a popular reason why some people leave Orthodox Judaism: Orthodox Judaism, no matter how it is taught or presented, entails too many restrictions, many of which could be unfulfilling and stifling, both in thought and day-to-day practice.
It is only natural that Margolese defend the belief system and lifestyle she is ultimately advocating, but her remedies will probably not apply to those who have questioned the basic tenets of Orthodoxy and found them wanting.
Click here for original
"Off the Derech: Why Observant Jews Leave Judaism; How to Respond to the Challenge," by Faranak Margolese (Devora, 2005).
Several years ago, I received an online questionnaire asking things like: "If you had to attribute your not being observant to one thing, what would it be?" and "Did you ever feel rejected because you were not observant enough?" Now my answers, as well as those of 465 other Orthodox rebels, are the subject of the book, "Off the Derech."
Written by Faranak Margolese, a Los Angeles native and graduate of Yeshiva of Los Angeles Girls High School who now lives in Jerusalem, the book seeks to explain why some Jews who grow up in observant homes and attend Orthodox schools drop halachic observance later in life. By understanding this phenomenon, she believes Orthodox communities and individuals could more effectively remedy it.
But this book is not aimed at people who went off the derech, which in Hebrew means "path." Instead, it's intended for those seeking to ensure Orthodox continuity. Throughout the book, Margolese does not treat those who went "off the derech" with disdain or disapproval; rather, she turns her critical focus to certain behaviors and attitudes of Orthodox people, which can turn younger generations off to Torah Judaism.
Nonetheless, her book has earned her praise from leading Orthodox rabbis for outlining an integral path of honest introspection for Orthodox communities, making the book a fitting read for the High Holidays.
Margolese conceived of the idea for the book when she began to notice that many of her friends who grew up in religious homes were no longer observant. Margolese describes a period in which she herself experienced her share of doubts, which resulted in lapses in her observance of Shabbat and kashrut.
Eventually, she resolved the emotional and intellectual conflicts she had with Torah Judaism and has fully committed herself to the Orthodox way of life. Her own experience contributes to the sensitivity with which she tackles the subject.
In an extremely lucid and logical style, Margolese makes a praiseworthy attempt not to oversimplify the reasons why people of different Orthodox shades abandon observance, which she defines loosely as the halachic observance of Shabbat and kashrut. Often, a complex series of factors and experiences trigger defection.
One main reason, she argues, is negative emotional associations young Orthodox Jews develop toward Judaism as a result of hurtful encounters with Orthodox people. These include parents who make children feel rejected for failing in religious observance, teachers who call students "wicked" or "dirty" for dabbling with secular ideas or behaviors, or any Orthodox Jews, particularly rabbis and educators, who are overly judgmental or nitpicky regarding the minutiae of Jewish laws at the expense of kindness and understanding.
Margolese separates emotional and intellectual issues and explains that emotional dissatisfaction is more an influential motivator than intellectual issues with Judaism. In fact, a majority of her respondents affirmed that they still believe in the Divine origins of the Torah. Nevertheless, she found rabbis and teachers often turn their students off to Torah Judaism and rabbinic authority by downplaying their sincere quest to understand God, Torah and reasons for observing mitzvot, (commandments).
Margolese offers several remedies, which put the burden of change on potential role models. Prescriptions include: parents not dogmatically enforcing religious observance at the expense of their child's emotional well-being and sense of security; parents and educators grounding their emphasis on maintaining observance with the humanitarian purpose, inspiring vision and rational context underlying mitzvot, and practitioners not shying away from questions posed by intellectually curious Orthodox Jews.
By turning culpability to observant people, educators and communities, Margolese successfully removes blame from the ideal Orthodox system she portrays. If only the practitioners were the models of the best of Orthodoxy fulfilled -- open, spiritual, psychologically perceptive and halachic -- then fewer people might leave the fold.
In keeping with her loyalty to Orthodoxy, Margolese does not devote separate discussion to a popular reason why some people leave Orthodox Judaism: Orthodox Judaism, no matter how it is taught or presented, entails too many restrictions, many of which could be unfulfilling and stifling, both in thought and day-to-day practice.
It is only natural that Margolese defend the belief system and lifestyle she is ultimately advocating, but her remedies will probably not apply to those who have questioned the basic tenets of Orthodoxy and found them wanting.
Thursday, June 1, 2006
A celestial tour
Jewish Journal; June 1, 2006
Click here for original
If "American Idol" runner-up Katherine McPhee can enjoy even half the success achieved by Shiri Maimon, runner-up of the first season of Israel's version of the show -- dubbed "A Star Is Born" -- then she will be lucky.
With a powerful voice and Britney-esque looks and videos, Maimon, 25, has become one of Israel's most sought-after and popular pop stars since winning fourth place in the Eurovision singing competition last year, representing Israel with the moving ballad, "Sheket She'nishar."
Next week she will be in Los Angeles as guest performer alongside veteran Israeli artist Rami Kleinstein on his U.S. tour. Kleinstein has previously performed solo several times in Los Angeles, but this is the first time he'll be bringing his band, The 2nd Council, and his Israeli "Idol" protégé, Maimon.
"Singing together brings out the good chemistry we have," said the usually bubbly Maimon via an e-mail interview, which she managed to sneak in in-between sold out concerts and rehearsals for her starring role in a new musical called, "The Band."
Kleinstein first met Maimon at the "A Star Is Born" finale, when he directed the finalists before the show. He continues to guide Maimon, but this time as the musical director of "The Band," the musical version of the 1970s Israeli cult film of the same name. Following the success of her guest performance at his concerts in Israel, he decided to bring her to the U.S., as well. This will be Maimon's first trip to the U.S. She'll perform a few of her hit songs, including "Le'an Shelo Tilchi," which Kleinstein wrote for her first album.
While not an "avid fan" of "A Star Is Born" or singing contests of the like, Kleinstein said he believes that Maimon, whom he calls "a very talented singer," was one of the few Israeli finalists to use her success in the contest as a springboard to develop a music career, rather than an acting or television career.
"When someone wins 'Idol' and doesn't make a record and goes on to host TV shows where there is business, money and a future, it's as if they've caught a ride on this 'Idol,' where they're voted to be singers, and they don't sing."
As for Maimon's thoughts on "American Idol": "I've watched 'American Idol' a couple of times but not regularly. It's very different from the type of show we have here. The fact that the contestants have the chance to meet some of the great musicians and producers of the world, like Stevie Wonder, is amazing to me."
She counts first-ever "Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson among her favorite American singers, which is only natural since, of all the "American Idols," Maimon's voice and success on the Israeli level most matches that "American Idol" favorite.
Shiri Maimon will perform with Rami Kleinstein at the Avalon on June 5. For tickets, call (818) 986-7332.
Click here for original
If "American Idol" runner-up Katherine McPhee can enjoy even half the success achieved by Shiri Maimon, runner-up of the first season of Israel's version of the show -- dubbed "A Star Is Born" -- then she will be lucky.
With a powerful voice and Britney-esque looks and videos, Maimon, 25, has become one of Israel's most sought-after and popular pop stars since winning fourth place in the Eurovision singing competition last year, representing Israel with the moving ballad, "Sheket She'nishar."
Next week she will be in Los Angeles as guest performer alongside veteran Israeli artist Rami Kleinstein on his U.S. tour. Kleinstein has previously performed solo several times in Los Angeles, but this is the first time he'll be bringing his band, The 2nd Council, and his Israeli "Idol" protégé, Maimon.
"Singing together brings out the good chemistry we have," said the usually bubbly Maimon via an e-mail interview, which she managed to sneak in in-between sold out concerts and rehearsals for her starring role in a new musical called, "The Band."
Kleinstein first met Maimon at the "A Star Is Born" finale, when he directed the finalists before the show. He continues to guide Maimon, but this time as the musical director of "The Band," the musical version of the 1970s Israeli cult film of the same name. Following the success of her guest performance at his concerts in Israel, he decided to bring her to the U.S., as well. This will be Maimon's first trip to the U.S. She'll perform a few of her hit songs, including "Le'an Shelo Tilchi," which Kleinstein wrote for her first album.
While not an "avid fan" of "A Star Is Born" or singing contests of the like, Kleinstein said he believes that Maimon, whom he calls "a very talented singer," was one of the few Israeli finalists to use her success in the contest as a springboard to develop a music career, rather than an acting or television career.
"When someone wins 'Idol' and doesn't make a record and goes on to host TV shows where there is business, money and a future, it's as if they've caught a ride on this 'Idol,' where they're voted to be singers, and they don't sing."
As for Maimon's thoughts on "American Idol": "I've watched 'American Idol' a couple of times but not regularly. It's very different from the type of show we have here. The fact that the contestants have the chance to meet some of the great musicians and producers of the world, like Stevie Wonder, is amazing to me."
She counts first-ever "Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson among her favorite American singers, which is only natural since, of all the "American Idols," Maimon's voice and success on the Israeli level most matches that "American Idol" favorite.
Shiri Maimon will perform with Rami Kleinstein at the Avalon on June 5. For tickets, call (818) 986-7332.
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