Monday, May 14, 2007
5/14/2007 08:48:00 AM | 
Posted by
JoeSettler
This past winter the Settler family was invited to a (Yuppie) kosher restaurant one evening in Tel Aviv with some friends and family. Admittedly, the first time in years that we went out to a Yuppie place in Tel Aviv in the evening.
The Settler family walked in with our not-black outfits, baby carriage and a minor delay at the door because the guard didn’t know what a gun license looks like, not to mention the Orange T”Z cover.
I can’t begin to say how out of place we looked there.
The only ones not dressed in black. The only ones with children. Not the only Kippah, because it is a kosher establishment. Clothing and hair styles completely different from what we are used to seeing in say the Jerusalem restaurants.
It was a bit surreal, very otherworldly.
As many of you probably know, the Aroma café – a Jerusalem institution for some, just (or at least one branch) went kosher.
Yesterday afternoon the wife decided that we will try it out.
So in we walked, into a poor man’s Tel Aviv!
Everyone dressed in black. Almost not a single Kippah in sight. Round table discussions going on in each corner, etc.
I suddenly felt myself being transported back to that evening in Tel Aviv, merely by walking through those Emek Refaim doors.
Talk about two Jerusalems.
The truth is, I knew the Left and Yuppies of Jerusalem must hang out somewhere, but never having entered a non-Kosher restaurant in the past I never saw them.
When Aroma went Kosher, they didn’t flee their watering hole but entrenched themselves against the upcoming invasion.
Still, it’s interesting; one can still see the subtle differences between Jerusalem’s Yuppies (young and old) and Tel Aviv’s.
So while I felt transported, it felt like I entered a poor man’s Tel Aviv (just like Tel Aviv reminds me of a poor man’s Miami Beach).
I had the Portobello sandwich.
Afterwards I took the kids to Pizza Sababa and got us a pie.
The Settler family walked in with our not-black outfits, baby carriage and a minor delay at the door because the guard didn’t know what a gun license looks like, not to mention the Orange T”Z cover.
I can’t begin to say how out of place we looked there.
The only ones not dressed in black. The only ones with children. Not the only Kippah, because it is a kosher establishment. Clothing and hair styles completely different from what we are used to seeing in say the Jerusalem restaurants.
It was a bit surreal, very otherworldly.
As many of you probably know, the Aroma café – a Jerusalem institution for some, just (or at least one branch) went kosher.
Yesterday afternoon the wife decided that we will try it out.
So in we walked, into a poor man’s Tel Aviv!
Everyone dressed in black. Almost not a single Kippah in sight. Round table discussions going on in each corner, etc.
I suddenly felt myself being transported back to that evening in Tel Aviv, merely by walking through those Emek Refaim doors.
Talk about two Jerusalems.
The truth is, I knew the Left and Yuppies of Jerusalem must hang out somewhere, but never having entered a non-Kosher restaurant in the past I never saw them.
When Aroma went Kosher, they didn’t flee their watering hole but entrenched themselves against the upcoming invasion.
Still, it’s interesting; one can still see the subtle differences between Jerusalem’s Yuppies (young and old) and Tel Aviv’s.
So while I felt transported, it felt like I entered a poor man’s Tel Aviv (just like Tel Aviv reminds me of a poor man’s Miami Beach).
I had the Portobello sandwich.
Afterwards I took the kids to Pizza Sababa and got us a pie.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
Joe, I don't know how to break it to you, but the "Left" hang out everywhere, all over Jerusalem- we're even in the (gasp) KOSHER restaurants!
And that was a v. amusing post.
Yeah, but not in such large concentrations.
A number of the Aroma branches in Jerusalem have gone kosher recently.
The Ne'eman bakeries are the Chareidi hangouts, thanks to their mehadrin kashrut certification, obviously. I think you might see black and white there, among many other colors. Cafe Hillel is more colorful, and Coffee Bean seems to be the choice hangout for yeshiva and seminary kids. Just some observations.
(just like Tel Aviv reminds me of a poor man’s Miami Beach).
Perfect. That's the best way to describe Tel Aviv. I'm going to borrow that when I explain to the next visiting relative why Tel Aviv is the ugliest city in Israel.
Afterwards I took the kids to Pizza Sababa and got us a pie.
Excellent choice.
"Still, it’s interesting; one can still see the subtle differences between Jerusalem’s Yuppies (young and old) and Tel Aviv’s."
explain please
AK: It's very subtle.
The Jerusalemites are still dressed more Tzanua and more conservative in both clothing and hairstyle.
Less cigarette smoking (as in none, except for one guy who kept it in his mouth unlit).
Post a Comment