Our trip to Israel started over a year before during lunch with Marilyn Faulkner, when she asked where are you guys going next. The answer was “the Holy Land” and she said “I would love to do that” so we started planning. Tony Huffman organized our trip, our fifth fabulous experience planned by his organization. After a delay due to Covid in 2021, we arrived in Tel Aviv on Monday, March 14, 2022. Our touring started the next day after meeting our guide for the trip Jeremy Avon, who turned out to be a gem. The first day was spent in Tel Aviv exploring the relatively new city on foot, while we got over the jet lag. In the morning we walked through interesting neighborhoods, an older market area with unique shops, sampled some street food, got a view of the city, and learned about the short history of the city and the country.

Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 as the Jewish suburb of the mainly Arab city of Jaffa. It gets its name “Spring Hill” from a novel by the originator of the idea of a Jewish State, Theodor Herzl. The declaration of independence was signed in a building owned by Herzl in 1948. In the afternoon Libbi Cohen joins us to show us street art, local cuisine, and architecture with an off-the-beaten-path tour.  We see the work of the street artists who have achieved fame and fortune, such as the band-aid man, see repurposed buildings supporting a thriving young people scene and a building boom that is in progress. We also sampled pastries baked by the city’s best baker, which were heavenly.

After a great first day, we look forward to experiencing the rest of Israel.