Tel Avivin’ and Beachin’

***For more pictures, visit my dad’s blog or my sister’s blog!***

Tonight was our third in Tel Aviv. Sarah has finished her dig and videoing at Tel Gezer, and my dad and I had a great journey here through New York (and Paris). We spent our long layover in New York in the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Chelsea with family. After a fabulous nosh at Russ and Daughters, we took my cousin Benjamin for red bean buns and bubble tea, shopped in several small stores throughout the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Little Italy, then walked through Madison Square Park and Chelsea. After a short LIRR ride, we were back at JFK checking in for the first leg of our flight to Israel.

Upon our arrival in Tel Aviv, we picked up our rental car (our first driving experience in Israel!) and came to the apartment where we are staying near Jaffa port. After dropping off our bags, we went to our first Shabbat dinner in Israel with other friends visiting from NYC, along with Sarah’s friend Felipe from the dig at Tel Gezer. Dinner in Florentin was a perfect way to spend our first night in Tel Aviv.

Yesterday (Shabbat) began early by driving Felipe to Ben Gurion to catch a flight. From the airport we drove to Latrun, where we glanced into the Mini Israel park and stopped for breakfast and coffee at Si, near the Tank Museum. A quick drive to Ayalon Canada Park (named for the JNF trees planted by Canadians) followed, with a peek into the Emmaus site on the way. We were directed by mountain bikers to drive to the top of a hill in the park, where we hiked up to the tel of a Hasmonean fortress (Hurvat Eked), then took pictures of Gezer and Modi’in. After enjoying the views from the top of the park, we visited Neve Shalom, the kibbutz where Sarah stayed during her dig. We visited the lobby (she video chatted with us from there many times), her living quarters, the dining room, and the cafe. From Neve Shalom, we drove to Tel Gezer, where we received a very personalized tour from Sarah! She described their work in the (supposed) water system, Eli’s house, and the Canaanite Gate. Visiting just after the end of the digging season was unique since the dirt covering the dig is fresh, and you can feel where the work has just been finished under your feet. We drove through farms, vineyards (of grapes and peaches), and a rural community before ending up on Highway 1 back to Tel Aviv.

After a long nap, we walked to the beach through Jaffa Port. The shops were bustling, and the beach was full. The Mediterranean water was cool at first, and perfect for a warm afternoon. As always, the sand and salt water was hard to leave behind. We walked through Old Jaffa on the way back, stopping at the tel, weaving our way through the streets and historical houses, reading signs, and enjoying the artwork. Later, we went out for a late dinner in an Arab neighborhood. The chicken shawarma was excellent, followed by a visit to the Tachanah for halva gelato.

This morning I slept late (good news – I’m not tired anymore!), then we ate a late breakfast at Cafe Finnigan a couple blocks from the apartment. We shared a vegetarian omelet plate (with Israeli salad, labaneh, tahini, olives, tuna, and jelly) and merguez shakshuka, along with cappuccinos. After finishing some videos, we drove up to Tel Aviv University, where we visited the Eretz Israel Museum. We showed Sarah the Judaica gallery, Tel Qasile, Jotham’s Garden, the olive presses, the Man and Work exhibit, and the Rothschild exhibit, then we visited the special Bar Kochba exhibit. Afterward, we ate a late lunch of pizza while working on videos again. After a short drive around nearby neighborhoods, we walked around Yarkon Park for about an hour, including a visit to the zoo. From there we went to Rothschild Boulevard, enjoying the mild weather in an upbeat neighborhood. Sarah was able to see the Hagana Museum and Independence Hall buildings (we’ll visit properly Tuesday), then we ended the night with drinks and a mini boureka from Aroma.

We’ll see what the next few days bring in Tel Aviv…