007 Two in One

Apr 10

The echoes of cheering fans still resonate across Israel as Maccabi Tel Aviv reclaimed the coveted State Cup in basketball, defeating their fierce rivals from Hapoel Jerusalem with a commanding 87:72 victory. This triumph marked Tel Aviv's 46th time hoisting the trophy, reestablishing their status as the dominant force in Israeli basketball, after suffering defeats to the capital city in the cup finals of the previous two seasons.

Picture this: The final buzzer sounds in Jerusalem's arena, and the visiting section erupts in celebration, awash in yellow and blue, as Maccabi Tel Aviv players embrace on the court. The contrast is striking – jubilant celebration in the visitors' section, stunned silence among the local red-clad fans. Yet there were no victory parades back in Tel Aviv, no city-wide celebrations despite the significance of reclaiming the trophy. The Maccabi squad was already focused on their next challenges in European competition, their minds immediately shifting to upcoming continental matches. This business-like approach speaks volumes about the club's ambitions – domestic dominance is expected, but their true measuring stick has always been success on the European stage, where they've established themselves as a basketball dynasty and global ambassador for Israeli sports.

What makes this basketball rivalry particularly fascinating is how it mirrors the contrast between the two cities themselves. Jerusalem, with its ancient stones and deep-rooted traditions, plays with calculated precision, while Tel Aviv, the non-stop city, brings an energetic, innovative style to the court. Just months earlier, Jerusalem had dominated Tel Aviv on their home court with a stunning 101:84 victory, leading by as much as 23 points. The pendulum of sports fortune swings back and forth between these sister cities, each representing a different facet of Israel's character.

I was thinking about the Tel Aviv - Jerusalem “special relationship”, sort of speaking, as I walked past the old Maccabi Tel Aviv court on HaMaccabi Street. The former court, nestled in the heart of the city, often goes unnoticed by tourists focused on Tel Aviv's beaches and Bauhaus architecture, yet it represents an important milestone in the local sports culture. If you look for it, not far from Tel Aviv’s HaCarmel Market, you’ll find that where the basketball court used to be are now the handprints of former pro-athletes who played for Maccabi Tel Aviv when the team first won the European Basketball championship back in 1977.

My name is Tomer Chelouche and I've been guiding tours in Tel Aviv since 2008. I started out of fascination with my family history - the Chelouche family was one of the founding families of Tel Aviv. My ancestors built this city - and I'm telling its story.

The best way to get to know Tel Aviv better is by purchasing one of my audio tours. After creating audio tours in my hometown, I decided to complement my collection with an audio tour in Jerusalem. Here's one way to experience it -

The JLM Mamila Hotel in Jerusalem offers an affordable yet comfortable base for exploring the Old City. Located just a short walk from the Jaffa Gate, this strategically positioned hotel features a rooftop pool with a great view of the city. After enjoying a traditional Israeli breakfast buffet featuring different breads, local cheeses and fresh salads, you're perfectly positioned to begin my "Old City of Jerusalem" audio tour.

Make your way towards the Jaffa Gate, one of the seven open gates in the Old City walls. Follow along with the audio tour to learn about the origin story of the three Abrahamic faiths - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - and discover how this compact space became sanctified in the eyes of over two billion followers worldwide.

From Jaffa Gate, you'll explore the four quarters of the Old City - Armenian, Jewish, Muslim and Christian - each with its distinct character and cultural heritage. You'll visit iconic sites like the Tower of David Museum and the Western Wall. You will also walk in the footsteps of pilgrims re-living the final moments of Jesus Christ in the path known as Via Dolorosa to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where He was laid to rest. Before circling back to the starting point, you’ll also have the opportunity to shop along the way in the many bazaars which fill the alleyways of the Old City.

You can make sure you've downloaded my Old City of Jerusalem audio tour before you head out, or you can download it on the go if you're set with a data package allowing for uninterrupted internet access. There's a link in the show notes to purchase my audio tour -

The Four Corners of the Historical Old City: A Self-Guided Jerusalem Tour

If you have any questions - you’ll find all the ways to contact me on telaviv.tours (telaviv as one word, no space, no hyphen) and there’s a link in the show notes for your digital convenience.

It's amazing to see the change in the way Israel has presented itself in tourism campaigns along the years. Flipping through old magazines you see long ads under the tagline: “Israel: No one belongs here more than you”. The text is riddled with cliches, such as: "It's not just a place. It's a place in your heart. Some ads tried to leverage Israel’s positioning as the Holy Land: "The Bible is outside each hotel room," that’s one of the slogans you can find. Additional ads informed potential tourists of the brilliant sunshine Israel enjoys about 300 days of the year.

< Journey in Israel >

Turns out it's a complicated message to transmit. What are they trying to say? Is it a serious historic trip or a relaxed vacation? The mixed messaging wasn't persuasive. People just didn't get it.

It seemed like no matter what, the share of Israel in the global tourism market is not going to get any bigger. In the 2010’s, the number of incoming tourists stabilized slightly below three million arrivals annually. These were the years I started guiding tours in Tel Aviv and so I've met some of those tourists. It did seem like Israel could do a lot more to attract more visitors. The breakthrough came in the summer of 2016.

< Two Cities One Break >

The "Two Cities One Break" ad ran in 20 different countries simultaneously. It gave people a clear message. The selling point was that you get two vacations in one. During your trip to Israel, you can take in all the history and culture that the place has to offer, as well as enjoy the nightlife, the sunbathing and the culinary scene.

The number of visitors to Israel immediately breached the three million mark and the numbers continued to increase rapidly, year after year. Israel saw three and a half million visitors in 2017, four million in 2018 and four and a half million in 2019. Israel also hosted international grand scale events in these years, such as the first stage of the Giro d'Italia bicycle competition, which was launched in 2018 from Jerusalem, and the 2019 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest hosted in Tel Aviv.

Of course, then came 2020 with the COVID pandemic, that brought everything to a halt, and then came the war that began in October 2023, which temporarily downscaled tourism to Israel. And still, one can appreciate the power that a clear and simple message can have on people.

< Tel Aviv Jerusalem - You only need a cabin bag! >

Now, you see, my family roots are in Tel Aviv. I guide tours in Tel Aviv, I'm a Tel Aviv University alumni and I live in Tel Aviv. I'm also raising two wonderful kids in Tel Aviv, which I consider to be the best city in the world. But, I'm also open-minded. Seeing how powerful the combination of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is, I decided for the first time to create an audio tour outside of my hometown.

I was amazed how quickly I got from the center of Tel Aviv to the Old City of Jerusalem - using the underground in Tel Aviv, then traveling by train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and finally taking the light rail line within Jerusalem. These infrastructure projects, all of which started to operate not long ago, really shrunk the distance between the two cities. Now you can easily squeeze in a day trip to Jerusalem on your visit to Tel Aviv. Even half a day will suffice to visit just the Old City of Jerusalem.

The contrast between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv couldn't be more stark, yet they complement each other perfectly. Jerusalem, with its ancient stones, religious significance, and traditional atmosphere, offers depth and historical connection. Tel Aviv, with its beaches, nightlife, innovation, and cosmopolitan energy, provides the modern Israeli experience. Together, they present the full spectrum of Israel's identity - both the ancient and the contemporary, the spiritual and the secular, the traditional and the progressive.

For visitors with limited time, I recommend spending at least two days in Tel Aviv and one day in Jerusalem. With Tel Aviv as your base, you can enjoy the Mediterranean beaches, explore the White City's Bauhaus architecture, indulge in the culinary scene, and experience the vibrant nightlife. Then, take a day trip to Jerusalem to walk through the Old City, visit the religious sites, and absorb the unique atmosphere of this ancient capital. It’s entirely possible to have breakfast on a Tel Aviv beach, lunch in Jerusalem's Old City, and dinner back in a Tel Aviv restaurant. The train ride between the cities takes about 40 minutes on the high-speed train, but realistically you should account for 90 minutes door to door by public transit. It’s also possible to drive, but I don’t recommend that because of traffic and the high price you’d pay just for parking.

As someone deeply connected to Tel Aviv, creating a Jerusalem audio tour felt like a natural extension of my work. While the cities may compete in basketball arenas and long for tourists' attention, they ultimately tell different chapters of the same story. The true magic of Israel lies in the complementary contrast of these two extraordinary cities. It’s like mixing together two colours - maybe red like the colour of Hapoel Jerusalem and yellow like the colour of Maccabi Tel Aviv. By experiencing both, you gain a more complete understanding of the Israeli psyche - and the remarkable diversity that exists in this tiny dot on the map.

Thanks for listening and you'll hear from me again when the next episode comes out next week. Until then - I am Tel Aviv tour guide Tomer Chelouche, signing off and hoping to see you soon in Tel Aviv... and Jerusalem too!