Home Pretty, a Look Beauty Everywhere Pretty: Tel Aviv
Meet the Girls & the City
Tel Aviv is one of those few cities that can boast of both high rises and beach.
Gabby, a model and all around cool girl, is a great example of the diversity that exists in Israel, having a Brazilian, Moroccan and Israeli heritage.
We interviewed Gabby in Dizengoff Square, “the center of Tel Aviv,” as she put it, where you’ll find lots of families and business men passing through.
A Tel Aviv landmark, Fire and Water Fountain, commonly known as the Dizengoff Square fountain “is a kinetic sculpture, the work of the Israeli artist Yaacov Agam,” per Wikipedia. Wait long enough and you’ll see it blow out flames of fire.
Among lots of things, Tel Aviv is known for its Bahaus architecture. As explained by About.com, “Generally, Bauhaus buildings have flat roofs, smooth façades, and cubic shapes. Colors are white, gray, beige, or black.”
When we interviewed Gloria she had just finished high school with plans to study medicine.
Gloria’s family fled The Congo and took refuge in Israel.
We interviewed Gloria in South Tel Aviv in park near the church, Kibbutz Galuyot. She liked the location for its escape from busy TLV life and because of the beauty it brought to an “underprivileged” part of the city.
We learned that Israelis are required to join the army once they turn 18. Gloria attributes the love Israelis have for their country and value of their land in part to their army experience.
In the ‘Old City,’ Jaffa, now a part of Tel Aviv, one can catch beautiful views of the Tel Avian coast line and visit this beautiful monument, the Statue of Faith in Abrasha Park.
Many aren’t aware that Israel (particularly Jerusalem) is home to the some of the world’s major religions, and it’s not uncommon to see symbols of each faith. Here we see the minaret of the Mahmoudiya Mosque of Jaffa.
We took a small break from Tel Aviv and headed south, down to Beersheba, the largest city in the Negev desert. There we met Mayana (left) and Efrat (right).
Mayana (left) is often mistaken to be American because she speaks with an American accent when speaking English, but she was born and raised in Israel. Her accent can be attributed to the small communities she was raised in, of people with mostly American heritage, as well as her farther being from Connecticut and mother from the US Virgin Islands.
An MA student at the department of Politics & Governance at Ben Gurion University of the Negev and a columnist, Efrat (right), speaks out against the issues facing the Ethiopian community in Israel and advocates for more diverse stories to be told as part of the Israeli narrative.
Abulafia bakery is regarded as an institution in Jaffa (the “Old City” in Tel Aviv). A few steps from the famous clock tower, stop by Abulafia to get a taste of authentic Israeli pastries and more.
Tel Aviv’s Old City is full of charming little winding nooks and crannies.
The Suspended Orange Tree is a landmark you may stumble upon in the Old City among the galleries that line its streets.
Yityish (also known as Titi) made history in 2013 by being the first Black woman to win the Miss Israel title.
We interviewed Titi at the Port of Tel Aviv, a great place to go with friends or family.
At the Port of Tel Aviv you can have brunch at one of the many restaurants that line the board walk or take part in any of the fun water activities available.
Titi partnered with the Netanya Foundation to create an after school program for young children in the Azorim neighborhood of Netanya. http://www.netanyafoundation.org
Titi explained that she went from being a regular girl, after finishing her time in the army, to seeing her face on posters all over town. It took some time to get used to but she embraced the position and the ability to have a positive impact on young girls.
No trip to Israel is complete without a visit to Jerusalem. The heart of Jerusalem is a maze of winding streets and markets and monuments divided into four neighborhoods–Jewish, Christians, Muslims and Arminians.
The Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock are two important monuments in Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock has deep religious meaning for Christians, Jews and Muslims. Per Wikipedia, the Western Wall has been “site for Jewish prayer and pilgrimage for centuries.”
Related Reads
- prev
- next
Black Women of Israel
As we take our "Pretty" journey around the world, we're getting acquainted with some of the Black women in the media in Israel.
Working Girl: Metasebia Yoseph, Creative Director
Creative director Metasebia Yoseph discusses "Design Week Addis Ababa" and how she's aiming to grow the arts infrastructure in a developing country.
Hair Story: Tanya Rogers
YouTuber Tanya Rogers shares her hair journey as a Black women in Israel.
Explore More Pretty Cities
Pretty is a digital postcard from women around the world to women around the world as told through a weekly documentary series. It explores just how nuanced beauty can be by not only taking a look at how beauty standards vary from country to country but also how they might vary within a city.
Don’t miss a beat! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to follow the series.
Visit the Pretty Program Page.