Neve Tzedek

When we decided to move to Israel, a big question was "where are we going to live?" Rather than live in Jerusalem or in the suburbs, we decided to live it up in Tel Aviv, mixing beach laziness with urban comfort.

Deciding exactly where to live in Tel Aviv was an entirely different question. In August, I came out to apartment hunt. Jana and I had visited back in Dec 2009 and explored the city a little. We wanted to be in an area with a good blend of neighborhood feel and within walking distance to all the cafes, parks, and of course the beach. One of the few neighborhood which fit the bill was Neve Tzedek. And sure enough, that's where our apartment is located.

Neve Tzedek is a historical neighborhood with narrow streets and lots of character. It was founded in 1887 as the first neighborhood of what would become Tel Aviv by Jewish families looking for space outside the walls of Jaffa. Soon more neighborhoods grew around it, and the city of Tel Aviv was born in 1909. Because of the history, tour groups are commonly seen gathered in the little green area across from our apartment. (Side note: I don't know why they gather in that green area. It is one of the only green spaces in the neighborhood, and as such is very popular with the dogs. So much so that Pali even refuses to use that green space.)

Anyways, the neighborhood is now a trendy place to be and many tell us it's the most sought after neighborhood in Tel Aviv. And I can see why. It's right next to the beach. Right next to the open air market. Cafe's are all around. And it's home to many artists, including a dance theater.

Jana said to me yesterday, "Thank you for finding an apartment here." Of course she gets to enjoy it more than I do. Here are a few photos of the neighborhood.

That's our apartment.

Photos of our place to come soon...