010 Free in Our Country

May 1

Readers of the Urban Studies Journal were recently informed of a new study published online, offering an interesting perspective regarding Tel Aviv and its role in the Israeli political discourse. As more and more countries seem to be swept away by illiberal governments, major cities find themselves serving as a beacon of liberalism, sort of progressive enclaves within a sea of conservatism and reactionism. “In the USA, Sanctuary Cities restricted their cooperation with federal immigration authorities to accommodate illegal migrants and refugees in their communities,” the study goes, to name a prominent example of this phenomenon.

Almost a decade ago, London stood in fierce contrast to the UK’s vote on Brexit. More recently, Madrid and Barcelona were “governed by coalitions originating in anti-austerity social movements that embraced the local level as a means to instigate large-scale social change,” according to Israeli researchers Tal Alster, Harel Nachmany, and Nufar Avni. Political turmoil in Turkey’s Istanbul - a mega-metropolis of over 20 million souls - climaxed with the arrest of the city’s mayor who opposed the nation’s path to dictatorship, which instigated large scale protests.

This is all too familiar for politically-aware Tel Avivians, who have seen many major demonstrations in recent years. The Israeli government, controlled by right-wing coalitions for more than two decades, holds a conservative agenda and incumbent ministers are fiercely criticized in the past two years for what seems to many as an anti-democratic pushback. The new study finds that more than 80% of Tel Aviv residents believe the city should be doing more to advance a liberal agenda. Better serve LGBTQ+ communities, cultivate the city’s secular education system and offer services prohibited by the national government due to religious reasons (such as civil unions) - to name a few strategies. Almost 30% of residents think that the local government should even prioritise these efforts over local issues, such as traffic management and waste management.

I was thinking about the ramifications of this new study as I was crossing HaBima Square on one Saturday night, seeing yet another demonstration with thousands of participants. Some demonstrators were holding signs saying “free in our country” - a segment taken from Israel’s national anthem, perceived as a cry for freedom both for Israeli hostages being held in the Gaza Strip for more than a year and a half by now and for Israelis who wish to be free of tyranny and oppression.

If one needs further proof that Tel Aviv is the central arena of opposition to Israel’s national politics, I recommend coming to witness one of these protests taking place weekly, and sometimes even more frequently than that. This episode is airing on Israel’s 77th Independence Day with many Tel Avivians both rejoicing in public celebrations across town, but at the same time concerned about their country’s future. The wish to be “free in our country” - is one with which I strongly identify.

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. Here's one way to do just that -

Gan HaHashmal neighbourhood is one of Tel Aviv’s hidden gems. A bit further away from the busier tourist attractions and the city center, its boutiques and galleries, cafes and restaurants, offer a more authentic experience for those who really want to feel the Tel Aviv vibe. Not far from Allenby subway station is the starting point for my audio tour of Gan HaHashmal.

In this audio tour you’ll hear about the neighbourhood’s layers of history while seeing them with your own eyes. As you spot 1920’s eclectic style and Art Deco architecture, as well as 1930’s Bauhaus, I’ll share with you the stories hiding behind the walls of these century old buildings. You’ll hear about one of Tel Aviv’s greatest love stories and also get to know the story of the place, which saw years of urban decay until its remarkable comeback in recent years.

Along this route you’ll be able to pause for a break whenever you wish - visiting a gallery for a quick inspection of the local art, or popping into a fashion boutique seeing if the local fashion fits your taste. Perhaps a good break will be at the newly opened coffee house and wine bar called Boser. On 5 HaHashmal street you’ll find this day and night hangout filled with locals, sipping specially brewed cold coffee or enjoying a glass of wine, well-earned after a busy workday. You’ll easily spot the place with its pots of brewed coffee on a stylish white marble counter on the backdrop of long wooden shelves holding several rows of wine glasses.

You can make sure you've downloaded my Gan HaHashmal 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 Electrifying Story of Gan HaHashmal and Its Architecture

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.

Packing a suitcase before coming to Tel Aviv this Spring should be a breeze. No coats, no umbrellas, no sweaters needed. Temperatures in June can hit the 30’s Celsius (or 90’s Fahrenheit). Having already reached unprecedented global heat levels, June 2025 in Tel Aviv will probably be even hotter than previous years, so plan accordingly. Short pants and T-shirts are all you need for the outside. Sometimes, public places go crazy with the air conditioning, making the indoors a bit colder than what most people would consider comfortable, but that would be the only reason to bring a hoodie or a sweatshirt.

Now, I wanted to share with you a list of essential apps to download in preparation for your visit. They will make your life in Tel Aviv much easier and I hope you’ll find them as useful as I find them to be. Here’s the list and you can use the links in the show notes to easily find and download them either from Apple’s App Store or Google Play for Android.

1) Gett - This Israeli-developed ride-hailing app connects you with licensed taxis throughout Tel Aviv and Israel. With no Uber or Lyft in Israel, this is your next best thing. I would download it even before taking off to Israel, but you can also get it upon arrival at Ben Gurion airport (codenamed TLV for Tel Aviv, of course). This is crucial, because Gett has a monopoly over taxi rides departing from the airport, so you either pre-order a ride through the app or use an electronic kiosk on the way out of the terminal. This is even more crucial if your plane is scheduled to land some time between Friday afternoon and Saturday after sunset, since public transportation is almost entirely prohibited in Israel on Shabbat - the Jewish day of rest (plus, several other days marked in the Jewish calendar as holidays), making a taxi ride your only way to get from the airport to Tel Aviv proper.

Gett is also useful for getting around town, but do be aware of the fact that taxi rides in Israel are not cheap and tourists constantly complain, and rightfully so, on the poor quality of service. That’s actually another advantage for using the app instead of hailing a taxi in the street - if anything went wrong in a ride you took, you can contact Gett’s support system and they’ll do their best to remedy the situation. Plus, some call Tel Aviv “the smallest big city in the world” and it is quite on point - its small scale makes the city extremely walkable.

One more thing about Gett - you can download the app using the affiliate link in the show notes and you’ll get a bonus of 45 Shekels to use according to their terms of use (plus, they’ll know you came from me and I’ll get the same credit as you). If you download the app any other way, you can still use coupon code GTZLVOI after opening the app to claim your bonus.

2) Moovit - yet another Israeli-developed app is your citymapper alternative. It’s not just a local version of Google Maps, helping you to navigate from A to B, but also an easy to use payment method. When embarking on a bus you can open the app, scan a QR code and the app will process your card payment. Bus rides are highly affordable and you can switch between lines with no extra cost. Plus, there’s a daily cap meaning that after three or four rides, you won’t be charged for additional rides. Sometimes it could take the same time to take the bus as it is to walk to where you want to go, but I would opt for a bus ride when it gets hot - and Tel Aviv does get hot, especially in June, July and August and especially between the hours of 12pm through 4pm.

Like other public transit apps, Moovit will provide you with real-time information for Tel Aviv's public transportation, including buses, trains, and the light rail system, but where it comes most handy is during Shabbat. Unlike other apps, Moovit accounts for Tel Aviv's unique transit schedule from Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon, when regular bus service shuts down and alternative buses - operated by the local government - start to run. They are numbered 701, 702 and so on, alluding to the fact that they run on the seventh day of the week. The app can also help you plan efficient routes using other transportation methods, such as electric bikes and scooters, but I personally haven’t tried this feature.

3) Wolt - whether you’re using DoorDash, GrubHub, Uber Eats, Glovo or Deliveroo back home, in Israel there’s one app to rule them all and it’s the Helsinki- headquartered app called Wolt. Walking the streets of Tel Aviv, you’ll notice their omnipresent fleet of delivery vehicles and delivery drivers, known as Wolters. Their uniform and delivery boxes, mounted on the back of any two-wheeler, from scooter to motorcycle, are colored with fluorescent light blue. Though originally from Finland, the app’s large-scale operation in Tel Aviv made it a part of the local identity, with some Tel Avivians now calling a food delivery simply “a Wolt”.

The app connects you with restaurants that might not offer their own delivery service and includes user ratings and reviews. Now, you’re probably thinking “I’m not coming to Tel Aviv to have a stay at home evening”, and you’re probably right, but if you’re coming over for more than a week, you might not want to go out every single night of your visit. Plus, imagine yourself on the beach thinking about having lunch and having zero patience to pack everything and go to a restaurant - just click the Wolt app, choose from dozens of nearby places, and you’ve got your lunch! In these cases I think that you’ll find the app very useful; and quite recently I’ve been on a trip abroad and used a local delivery service to buy candies and souvenirs to bring back home to family and friends. It was such a great trick, that I had to share it with you.

One more thing about Wolt - you can download the app using the affiliate link in the show notes and you’ll get 30 Shekels to use in your next two orders (plus, they’ll know you came from me and I’ll get the same credit as you). If you download the app any other way, you can still use coupon code O3G4 after opening the app to claim your bonus.

4) Tel Aviv Beaches - this app was developed by the local government to offer you an easy way to pay for beach equipment rental. When arriving at one of the city's 13 declared beaches, you’ll see parasols, chairs and sunbeds just waiting for you to rent them. Grab whichever you want and then open the app to pay for the rentals. They’ll be yours for the entire day and if a beach attendant comes up to you - just open the app and it will show a payment confirmation.

The Tel Aviv Beaches app also displays the current conditions at the coast, including air temperature, water temperature and wave height. Plus, for each beach you’ll be able to see a flag showing whether bathing is permitted (white flag), somewhat dangerous (red flag) or prohibited due to rough seas (black flag). This makes the app useful even before leaving your hotel room or rented apartment, knowing which beach you should be heading out to. From surfing the waves to getting a tan, if you’re any kind of sea lover, this one is mandatory just as much as sunscreen.

This list has gotten quite long so I’ll stop here. In the next episode, I’ll continue this list with some more apps for you to download in preparation for your visit.

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.