037 Early Sunset
Last week Israel shifted away from daylight saving time, with smartphones automatically shifting the clock one hour back. Many were delighted to have had one more hour of sleep that night, but the shorter days now feel like a seasonal tax we all have to pay.
It’s been a long summer here in Tel Aviv. Towards the end of the hot season, the weather had gotten chillier by the day and the sun had set slightly earlier with each passing day. But with this one move of the clock, Tel Avivians now mourn what seems to be the loss of an entire daytime hour.
The sun now sets even before 5 PM, leaving residents in the dark, literally. As the sun disappears behind the high-rise buildings on the coastal promenade, casting long shadows across the city streets, one can hear sighs of many, going something like "It's already dark?!" - as if the early sunset were a sort of personal betrayal.
For me, the longer evenings are actually an opportunity, at least in my view as a tour guide in Tel Aviv. With a five o’clock sunset, I can start a couple’s tour at the most romantic time of the day, as the sun washes the sky with deep orange. My tour of Neve Tzedek is probably the most fitting for this atmosphere, the Tel Aviv neighbourhood most Parisian in style. Starting to walk in the alleyways of Neve Tzedek, we see kids playing soccer in the nearby park and young adults starting a jogging session. It’s the time of the year that some people even wear long clothes, though the mild autumn in Tel Aviv means that you can walk around in a T-shirt even in November.
The sun sets into the Mediterranean Sea seen from the Tel Aviv Coastal Promenade
One couple who went on a tour with me recently was also kind enough to leave this review: “We took a couple's walking tour of Neve Tzedek with Tomer Chelouche, and it was an extraordinary experience. Tomer is a great guide: he has vast knowledge, conveys things in a fascinating way, and knows how to combine historical stories with smart and interesting anecdotes. The tour went enjoyably smoothly and we learned a lot from it. There was even a small surprise waiting for us halfway through the tour, which made the experience even more unique. We highly recommend this one to anyone who wants to get to know Neve Tzedek from a different angle, one that’s deeply enriching.” My heartfelt thanks to you guys.
Cycling by the place where I handed that sweet couple the surprise which they mentioned in the review, I was thinking about how the early sunset of these days carry a reputation problem. We complain about the end of the day coming too soon, stealing our daylight hours, forcing us indoors when we'd rather be outside. But with the days passing by, Tel Avivians quickly adapt. We will grow to appreciate these magical, romantic hours, when the sky deepens to indigo and the streetlights start to flicker. The rhythm of the city changes in these moments, making it simply cozier.
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 Joseph Hotel in Jaffa was opened in 2021 in a refurbished building famous for being the headquarters of the leading Israeli firm for polls. Back in the 1990s and the early 2000s, this is where first exit polls were analyzed and from here came out the forecast of who’s going to win the Israeli elections.
It’s located on Jerusalem Boulevard - the main artery of Modern Jaffa, built in the start of the 20th century copying the style of European cities. Across the nearby square is also a reform synagogue and a community centre, so it’s more of a neighbourly atmosphere surrounding it, in contrast with the hotels centered in the touristic areas of Old Jaffa.
The hotel’s design is more minimalistic and modern, quite different from the ones in the area of Jaffa’s Flea Market, which are designed in a more classic middle eastern style. Prices are much more affordable for a night’s stay and you’d also enjoy the in-house self-serviced coffee bar, that also has treats such as seasonal fruit, cakes and cookies, and complementary wine in the evening hours.
Staying at the Joseph Hotel you’re ideally located to experience my tour of Jaffa’s American-German Colony. Perhaps around 4PM you indulge in the hotel’s treats and right afterwards you come outside to see that magical hour of the day slightly before sunset. After a ten minute stroll along Jerusalem Boulevard, you’d find yourself at the starting point of the audio tour, near Gesher Theatre.
This audio experience is a bit off the beaten track, as the story behind the American-German Colony of Jaffa isn’t well known in Tel Aviv (or, indeed, in Israel), so even locals might find it difficult to explain where exactly it is and what’s interesting about it. The colony started with a group of more than one hundred Americans who came to settle in the Holy Land in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Jaffa’s American-German Colony
The homes built by the Americans were later sold to German Templars and the looks of the neighbourhood today make it feel like it’s completely taken from somewhere else. In this audio tour I share the secret stories behind the silent facades of the historical buildings, stories of love and devotion, as well as strife. At the end of this short audio tour (less than an hour) you’ll be back near the starting point and you will have the opportunity to check out the chic Noga neighbourhood, filled with trendy coffee places, artisanal workshops and fashion galleries.
You can make sure you've downloaded my Jaffa’s American-German Colony 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 -
A Jaffa Tour: The Story of its American-German Colony
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.
Travellers to Tel Aviv this December will enjoy the early sunsets and long evenings. Average temperatures are between 12-20 degrees celsius (that’s about 55 to 70 Fahernehit) - a very mild December in comparison to Europe and North America. You can actually see people still going to the beach during the month; Tel Avivian swimmers and surfers can continue with their favourite hobbies with only minor adjustments.
Are you coming to Israel in December 2025? Watch out for some major events happening towards the end of the month.
The most significant event is Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. Jewish holidays are scheduled in accordance with the Hebrew calendar, which is somewhat correlated with the international calendar, so dates shift slightly from one year to the next. This December 2025 will see Hanukkah starting in the evening hours of Sunday, December 14th, with the lighting of the first candle of the menorah. One more candle will be added to the menorah with each passing day, until the holiday will culminate on the eighth day of Hanukkah on Monday, December 22nd, 2025.
Hanukkah is celebrated in commemoration of the Jewish triumph over the Greek Empire. The Greeks ruled the Land of Israel in the second century BC. They put forward restrictive laws against Jews and desecrated the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The Jewish fighters known as Maccabees rebelled and went on to win the war against the strongest empire in the world at that time, creating, in the Land of Israel, the Hasmonean Kingdom. It was the first Jewish state since the Kingdom of Judea headed by the dynasty of biblical King David.
To this day, the Hasmonean Kingdom is highly regarded as the last instance of Jewish sovereignty over the Land of Israel before modern Israel was established. This year is extra special, as the state of Israel has existed for 77 years, which is exactly how many years that the Hasmonean Kingdom had existed almost two millennia ago.
The Maccabees purified the Second Temple in Jerusalem of paganic symbols and reinaugurated it. Inauguration in Hebrew - Hanukkah, hence the name of the holiday. What makes this holiday into a festival of lights is the Miracle of Hanukkah. As they reclaimed the desecrated temple, the Maccabees found the golden menorah that used to be lit in religious services, but only a small container with little olive oil, enough for just one day. Miraculously, the oil lit the menorah for eight full days and that’s the reason for the eight-day celebration.
A reproduction of the Golden Menorah at the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem
The fact that oil makes an appearance in this story is only an excuse to eat Sufganiot, plural for Sufganiya (and you should use the plural, since one is simply not enough). A Sufganiya is a donut fried in deep oil, filled with jam or chocolate and sprinkled with sugar powder. Latkes - a savory potato pancake, which is also fried in deep oil - is another traditional Hanukkah delicacy.
Unlike the High Holy Days, Hanukkah doesn't bring the city to a standstill - businesses, restaurants and attractions remain open with regular hours and public transportation operates normally. However, schools are out for the entirety of Hanukkah and it’s time for families to participate in festive events.
This year will see yet another edition of the Festigal - a long-lasting tradition Israeli kids anticipate each Hanukkah. It’s a large-scale music and dance performance in participation of major Israeli singers and actors popular among school kids. Major theaters in the city will also hold special matinées while other public events are expected in museums and community centers across town. Traffic is expected to be even worse than it usually is, so I recommend walking or cycling whenever possible and take into account longer travel time if you’re taking a bus or a taxi.
You'll notice the city takes on a festive look. Menorahs appear in windows and public spaces throughout Tel Aviv, with candles being lit each evening at sunset. Families gather to light the menorah together, enjoying sufganiyot, while hotels and public squares host candle-lighting ceremonies that visitors are welcome to attend.
While Christmas and New Year's aren't Jewish holidays, they are also celebrated to some extent in Israel. I’ll talk about that in the next episode.
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.
