Arrived in Tel Aviv

The flight from JFK to Ben Gurion Airport in Telaviv was uneventful but not particularly comfortable. We were either hot or cold and always assaulted by low/no humidity. We sat next to a nice woman who was Jewish and visiting Israel for the first time. I had forgotten what it felt like to be surrounded by so many Jews for the first time and it brought me back to my first trip in 1962 when I was a wee lass. I could not get over the fact that Jews were everywhere doing all the jobs. Of course, as we know now, that it not exactly the truth but it was enough for an 18 year old.

The hotel Dan Panorama where we are staying is across the street from a park that is at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. The sun was setting as we arrived at the hotel and it was a lot warmer than NYC. After a nap, we walked over to the Neve Tsedek area and ate dinner at a lovely restaurant called Suzanna's on Rachov Shabazzi.

Neve Tzedek, (Abode of Justice) is a neighborhood located in southwestern Tel Aviv, Israel. It was the first Jewish neighborhood to be built outside the walls of the ancient port of Jaffa. For years, the neighborhood prospered as Tel Aviv grew up around it. Years of neglect and disrepair followed, but today, Neve Tzedek has become one of Tel Aviv's latest fashionable and expensive districts, with a Greenwich Village-like atmosphere.

It would be an understatement to say that Suzanna's restaurant is gay friendly. I will not be surprised to meet any one of the waiters when we hook up with TA gay group.

Tomorrow Bonnie and I are going to Ramle to see the Open House school talked about in Sandy Tolan's book, The Lemon Tree. I wrote to Dalia Landau the co-founder of the school but did not get a response. Maybe we will be lucky and catch her there tomorrow.

Glad we came early and look forward to no falling asleep tomorrow evening at dinner.
And grateful for our boring flight. I love boring flights.

Shalom, Lay-la tov chavarim v'chavarot. L'hitraot