The word is out – Tel Aviv is cool! For years, while tourists were guided through historic and holy sites in other parts of the country, people in Tel Aviv went about their normal lives, sunbathing on the beach, hanging out in cafés, and that is what makes it unique. An unabashed celebration of individuality, Tel Aviv has become a travel destination in its own right, and after 100 years, it even has history! For an alternative look at the city, the Association for Tourism Tel Aviv-Jaffa and the “Aguda” (Israel’s GLBT Association) launched Gay City Tours this past summer.
The leisurely three kilometer stroll interweaves the history of Tel Aviv with that of the gay community. How gay-friendly is Tel Aviv? Hebrew speakers can check out the gay community page on the municipality’s site , everyone else is invited to check out the tour and look around. The Mediterranean ambiance and live and let live nonchalance have created a city of contrasts and diversity, where you can walk into the Habad center on Sheinkin to buy a CD of your favorite recording of Psalms, then stroll across the street to get a new body piercing, or whatever else your heart desires.
In rhythm with the relaxed vibe, the guides on the gay tour are low-key, friendly, and in this writer’s estimation, very cute. There were 290 applicants for the program, of these 10 guides were selected and trained by Igal Zeevi, a tour guide and café owner thoroughly versed in what he calls “this country of extremes – Diva and the holyland.” Tours start at Nahum Gutman’s mosaic at the Shalom Tower, site of the former Herzliya Gymnasium.
I walked the walk in June, as part of a press tour. Our guide Eyal, explained that the destruction of the school became a rallying symbol for the preservation of historic sites in Tel Aviv.
We walked down Rothschild Blvd. past the city’s first kiosk (now a café), to view the home of Meir Dizengoff, where the Proclamation of Independence was made on May 14, 1948. One may be amused to learn that Dizengoff, the first Mayor of Tel Aviv, narrowly missed apprehension by the police on July 3, 1921 for riding his horse through a public garden. On the corner of Allenby, Eyal pointed out the oldest gay bar, Evita, on Yavneh Street, as well as indicating other routes for tourists to explore after the tour: turn right to the beach, left to Florentine.
Architecture is not neglected, nor is street art. As the style shifts from an eclectic art-deco to a more international style with its clean lines and flat roofs, the tour’s emphasis shifts to the history of the gay community. “Fridays in Tel Aviv are like a spontaneous party,” said Zohar, who lead the second half of the tour to the home of Yaacov Pazy, where the “Aguda” is currently located. Gay parties abound in Tel Aviv, but in the 1970s it wasn’t so easy being gay, and the only parties were the ones gay activist Pazy organized in his home.
This quiet building on Nahmani Street is the heart of the tour, the place where 12 members of the gay community gathered in 1975 to form the “Association for Preserving Individual Rights in Israel.” Sadly, in the time that has passed since I took the tour, on Saturday, August 1, this home and the youth centre it housed became the site of a shooting incident in which two people were killed and other young people wounded. Yet the spirit of the place lives on, as the GLBT community and the Tel Aviv community came together not only to mourn the loss, but to transform it into a catalyst for action and a reminder that there is still work to be done.
Maintaining a balance between past and present, city and community, the tour offers not only a look at gay life in Tel Aviv, but a pleasant introduction to the city and all it has to offer. Rommey Hassman, marketing strategist and lecturer at IDC, who has researched “branding” Israel for the past 10 years, explains the benefits of gay tourism for Israel. Tourism, he says, “Is an industry of experiences. 51% of tourists are experience seekers. Israel is not part of the experience seekers market. There are few cities in the world that have an urban center on the beach. Gays are trendsetters; if they turn Israel into a target destination for experience seekers then others will follow.”
City council member Yaniv Weizman concurs, “There is a political statement that goes beyond the tourist statement. People come with a certain perception of Israel and are surprised to see the openness.” As the tour makes its way from the flamboyant chic of Sheinkin, past the shabby chic of King George to Gan Meir, the year old Gay Center in the park sends out a clear message. An integral part of the city’s infrastructure, with activities for all ages, entirely funded by the city of Tel Aviv: the Israeli flag and gay flag side by side on the rooftop and a café below.
Lesbians should not be deterred by the proliferation of male images in the brochure. The tour points out women’s hang outs as well as gay bars and groups can book a tour with a woman guide. As we ended our tour, Shai Doitsh, Head of Gay Tourism in the “Aguda”, added with a smile: “All our guides are comfortable with being addressed in the feminine.” Future plans include the possibility of a night tour of Tel Aviv led by Ziona Patriot, the popular drag queen – count me in!
Booking and information:
+972-03-5166186 Sun – Thu 9:30 – 17:00, Fri 9 :30 – 13 :00
Gay-tours@glbt.org.il
Image credit: Eytan Tal
A different version of this article was printed in The Jerusalem Post, June 18, 2009
