024 Starting Anew

Aug 7

Tel Aviv has officially claimed its place among the world's most expensive cities for purchasing an apartment, according to a new report from Deutsche Bank's research institute. The average price for a 100 square meter apartment in the heart of Tel Aviv now stands at no less than 6.2 million shekels - nearly matching prices in New York City and surpassing most European and American cities. Slightly below the Big Apple, Tel Aviv ranks 8th globally, reaching almost 2 million USD for a three-bedroom apartment.

This astronomical figure places Tel Aviv ahead of major global cities like Paris, Sydney, and Berlin, while trailing only behind Hong Kong, Zurich, Singapore, Seoul, Geneva, London and NYC. The report attributes these sky-high prices to several factors: dense population, severely limited land availability, rigid planning policies, and in recent years, the booming high-tech sector that has driven unprecedented demand.

Property prices in Tel Aviv - perhaps it should now be called the Little Apple? - have surged by 100% in just the past five years - among the sharpest increases in OECD countries. Salaries are only partially keeping pace with housing costs, wages increased by just 70% during the same period. The housing affordability index reveals that purchasing an average apartment in central Tel Aviv is something most Israelis won’t be able to do as it requires 132% of a dual-income household's monthly salary for decades.

This economic reality persists even as the city faces challenges unmatched by other cities across the world. With 11,000 claims submitted to the governmental department in charge of compensating for damages caused by the Israel-Iran 12-day war last month, Tel Aviv tops the list of Israeli cities impacted by ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, workers in cultural institutions and sports facilities are threatening to strike over stagnant wages, potentially shutting down over 400 city-owned establishments, including Gordon Pool, the Cameri Theatre, and numerous community centers throughout August 2025.

I was thinking about this paradox as I walked by Benedict - a restaurant on Rothschild Boulevard that had to shut down after 15 years of operations. The owners cited the light rail construction on Allenby Street, absence of tourists, and ongoing conflict as factors that made the iconic 24/7 breakfast spot unsustainable. What was once a symbol of Tel Aviv's non-stop energy has become another casualty of the city's current reality. It goes to show that yes, there are challenges, and yes, they are unparalleled. And yet, the city manages to keep its ranking as one of the world's most coveted cities worldwide. Perhaps what truly makes Tel Aviv unique is its ability to maintain its economic magnetism even in the face of extraordinary events. The skyscrapers continue rising, the tech companies keep expanding, and the housing market remains as heated as ever - a testament to the city's enduring belief in its own future.

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 -

The Gutman Museum of Art sits quietly on Rokach Street, housed in a beautifully restored building that perfectly captures the intimate spirit of Neve Tzedek. This small but captivating museum is dedicated to Nahum Gutman, one of Israel's most beloved artists, whose colorful paintings and illustrations helped shape the visual perception of early day Tel Aviv. The museum showcases his whimsical depictions of the city's founding days - from sand dunes dotted with one-storey tiled-rooftop houses to the luscious orange groves surrounding Jaffa.

What makes this museum particularly special is its connection to the neighborhood's literary golden age. The Gutman Museum was formerly the home of Yoseph Hayim Brenner, Yoseph Aharonovich and Devorah Baron - all of whom lived and worked in the early 1900s, reviving Hebrew culture at a time that the Jewish community aspired to revive its national identity in the Land of Israel. Gutman did the same thing that the writers did, but instead of re-inventing Hebrew culture in writing, he did so with paint and a brush. The museum's intimate galleries offer visitors a window into the genesis of Israeli art, with Gutman’s works encapsulating the rebirth of Hebrew culture in modern times. It also holds changing exhibitions for contemporary Israeli art.

The museum makes for an ideal mid-tour stop during my Neve Tzedek audio tour, where you can step inside and immerse yourself in the artistic heritage that flourished here. As you explore Gutman's paintings of old Jaffa and early Tel Aviv, you'll gain deeper appreciation for the stories I share about the revolutionaries who shaped the roots of Israeli culture as we know it today.

This walking experience through the first Jewish neighborhood built outside the walls of ancient Jaffa shows the bedrock on top of which modern Tel Aviv was later founded. Arguably the most beautiful part of town today, Neve Tzedek’s nickname “Le Petit Paris” is right on the nose. Beginning at the Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance and Theatre, my voice will guide you through the picturesque streets unveiling their hidden secrets - from a shutter holder once used to communicate messages between lovers, to the scandalous mayoral rivalry between the founding families, to the roofless cinema where resourceful locals watched movies for free.

You can make sure you've downloaded my Neve Tzedek 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 -

Picturesque Neve Tzedek: A Tour around Israel’s Petit Paris

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.

Travelers arriving in Tel Aviv in September 2025 will encounter a city preparing for the Jewish High Holy Days. On the evening of September 22nd begins Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year, as the sun sets, marking the start of a ten-day period of reflection and renewal that culminates with Yom Kippur on October 1st, 2025. Unlike the quiet "cucumber season" of August, September is when Tel Aviv comes alive again as the oppressive summer heat begins to relax and Israelis return from their summer holidays abroad, ready to embrace the new school year and the rhythm of the autumn festivals.

During Rosh HaShana, which spans two days (September 23rd and 24th, 2025), expect many businesses, restaurants, and attractions to close or operate on reduced hours. Public transportation will be limited, and the usual bustling energy of Tel Aviv's streets will give way to a more contemplative atmosphere. Many of the young adults living in the city will take some time off to travel abroad or drive to their parents’ house in the suburbs, making the city feel more vacant than usual. On Rosh HaShana Families gather for elaborate meals featuring symbolic foods like apples dipped in honey and seeded out pomegranates - all representing hopes for a sweet and complete new year. The sound of the shofar (ram's horn) will echo from synagogues across the city calling onto the heavens to accept our prayers.

Following closely behind is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when the entire country essentially stops. Even secular Tel Aviv observes this solemn day - businesses shut down completely, the streets empty of cars and bicycles take over the roads. The holiday period concludes with the week-long Festival of Sukkot beginning October 6th, 2025. Temporary outdoor structures appear on balconies and in courtyards throughout the city, reliving the time period that the Jewish People escaped slavery in Egypt and had to live in makeshift houses on its way to the Promised Land. This is also prime time for Israeli domestic tourism, as many locals use the holiday break.

In the theme of starting anew, that defines Rosh Hashana, let’s recount Tel Aviv's own origin story. In April 1909, sixty founding families gathered on sandy terrain they had purchased together, seeking a fresh beginning outside the crowded walls of ancient Jaffa. Kids were sent beforehand to the beach to gather seashells - white ones inscribed with family names, black ones numbered for land parcels. On that spring day, these pioneers drew lots from seashells to determine where each family would build their new home, literally founding their city from the sea.

What began as an escape from Jaffa's narrow alleyways became the foundation of modern Israel's beating heart. Those families, looking for space to breathe and room to grow, established not just a neighborhood but a vision - a Hebrew city built in the ancestral homeland of the Jewish People, blending European urban planning into the landscape of the Middle East. Within decades, their sandy experiment had transformed into a thriving metropolis, manifesting the Zionist dream.

Today, as Tel Aviv prepares for another new year, the city embodies that same spirit of renewal and possibility that motivated its founders. The autumn festivals serve as a reminder that even in this non-stop city, there's time for reflection, gratitude, and the eternal hope for a sweeter year ahead.

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.