Culture In Israel

The summer attacks Tel-Aviv every year. But this summer this city becomes even hotter in the renewed harbor of Tel-Aviv (for summer’s program in English see below). For a long time now, this harbor is not anymore a harbor for large ships but only for yachts in the marina. Once it was not a nice place to hang out as the criminal activity center of Tel-Aviv, but now it is no longer how it was. Recently, it has been a trend to hang out in what is called “The Deck” for its new wooden platform. There you can find coffee shops restaurants and pubs to hang out at night. The harbor’s deck is also a great place for jogging or bicycle riding, to feel the Mediterranean air and to see some beautiful Israeli girls and boys.

            A coffee shop on “the deck”

To whom interested in Tel Avivian designers’ fashion and art, check the north side of the harbor’s deck (direction of the ridings’ chimney). There near some coffee shops and restaurants, the ‘comme il faut’ style lounge is located. In this lounge there are designers’ stores for clothing, sculptures, design items and more. These shops are full with various items made by local designers. The main problem for me, chez le ‘comme il faut’, was to confront my wallet and resist these relatively expensive products. In the same lounge you can also find the ‘comme il faut’ coffee shop and an elegant Spa called ‘Coola’ (http://www.coola.co.il)- a space designated only for women. This space offers a special beauty care only for women, where women, as they say in ‘Coola’ redefine themselves. Amongst several beauty care available there are chocolate massage, pedicure, manicure, treatment for mid age women, treatment after breast cancer disease and treatment after a sexual assault.

                 ’Coola’- a space for women                                                             
 For all other attractions in the harbor see http://www.namal.co.il (in Hebrew)

Tel Aviv Harbors’ program (in English) for this summer (All Free of charge):

Mondays- 18:00- 20:30 on the wooden platform, for families+kids:

23.7- Sword and knife juggling, magic stories, sculpturing in sweet dough.
30.7- Clown show, magic stories and juggling balls workshop.
6.8- Juggling show, pantomime and dancing show of retarded actors, colored sand bottle workshop.
13.8- Sword and knife juggling, magic stories, balloon sculpturing workshop.
20.8- Royal outdoor show, story teller, art workshop.
27.8- The “Cocoloko” brazilian dance show- an ending summer show for all the familiy. And a workshop.

Tuesdays- Movies from 21:00 on the west pier:
24.7- Little heroes- an Isreali film for all the family.
31.7- The fifth element- science fiction
7.8- Whale Rider- audiences’ favorite
14.8- Bend It Like Beckham
21.8- Ninja turtles- for all the family
28.8- Ocean 11.
 

Wednesdays- Fresh music and design on the wooden platform:
Every Wednesday from 18:30 a young design fair.

25.7- 20:30 Anat’s rock show.             15.8- 20:30 Or Zovelski’s acoustic show.
         DJ Turtle 106 FM                                 DJ Lasimo
        21:30 The girls rock show.                    21:30 “Etliz”s’ rock show

1.8- 20:30 Jonatan Gat                         22.8- 20:30 “Hayahalomim” rock show
        DJ Lasimo                                              DJ Guy
       21:30 Ram Orian’s rock show                 21:30 Amit Erez rock show

8.8- 20:30 Sarit Shetzki                        29.8- 20:30 Hadara’s acoustic show
          DJ Magic                                              21:30 “Hamasrihim” rock show
          21:30 Novelman’s rock show               22:00 DJ turtle 106 FM.
 

Fridays- Every two weeks from 13.7, 18:30- “Kabalat Shabat” with live music, Hebrew poetry and prayer.
 

Thursdays & Saturdays- Art fair and antiques.     

From Elvis to the remix- “The Annals of Music” class provides lectures from famous lecturers about unique artists, genres, phenomenons and the evolution of contemporary music.

For the last three years “Gordon 17″ café” (the former “Tam café”) host every Monday “annals of the music class”. In exchange for symbolic price of 10 shekels, the participants invited to hear lecturers from Yehuda Nuriel who gave lecture about cinema journey towards the evolution of electronic music or Eran Sabag on the Grateful Dead.

Behind these great meetings stands Yashiv Cohen, DJ and a musical editor, who wanted to create a home like gathering. Most of those who attend these “classes” are young people that want to expand their knowledge, not necessarily like these that search a social frame.

Over the years, guest’s lecturers, that came in as part of the audience and later have requested to carry their lectures, and alongside them musicians like Hemi Rudner, Sharon Ben Ezer and reporters like Ari Ketorza, Niv Hadas & Eran Sabag. The list of the subjects, that is unlimited, included as of this date lectures on Blues, Punk and Pop, creation of bands like ” Kraftwerk”, “Grateful Dead” and lectures, part of them accompany in the segments of movies, on Rock n` roll in the cinema and even place the Jews in the rock music. The lecture about Nick Drake was accompanied by a performance of Amit Erez.

Recently, the group established “The Soul Club” in the “Mersand Café” with the same idea (plus parties…).

So everybody can join and take a break from the week routine with a beer and good music. Details for the next lectures one can get by sending an e-mail to tasoulclub@yahoo.com

 

Barby, January is just around the corner and cold winds blows in the southern part of the city. I`m breezing into the bar waiting for Boom Pam to warm up the air with pretty girls dancin` the Balkan-Gypsy music…

As the story goes, Dick Dale helped invent surf music by borrowing from traditional Middle Eastern melodies thanks to his Lebanese dad. Like the fusion between greek songs and 60s rock of New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, Boom Pam, located down the coast in Tel Aviv, help bring it all back around, combining their love of surf with Eastern European as well as Mediterranean styles and creating a unique new stew.

So after this short intro… lets get back to the Barby scene- crowded with free spirit young adults warming up the atmosphere, the band begin to play….and it takes three tunes to notice that Boom Pam is currently doing the hottest, most interesting and refreshing thing in Israel. There isn’t a moment’s rest. The beat (and the off-beat) is so exciting that it makes one to shake….and everybody shake, you just automatically move your feet. Despite the crowdedness of the venue, everyone starts moving, screaming, dancing, jumping and letting the body and heart go wild from the very first note. 

Uri Kinrot and Uzi Feinerman, the two guitar players, are super instrumentalists. During the show they correspond with each other, continuing each other’s lines and playing in the most exciting virtuosity you can find around. The killer ace in the hole for Boom Pam is a slightly unexpected instrument — tuba, which can get a bad rap for its ungainly size and association with bad high-school marching bands. But Yuval “Tuby” Zolotov rocks on that thing, providing the hyperspeed basslines and warmth that drummer Dudu Kohav matches

Although it sounds like a circus, their music is so tight and precise it doesn’t leave a chance to get lost. It captures you immediately and makes you surrender to it without condition s

The show evolves quickly- beginning at the peak and climbing up from there. The crowd, which is definitely the fifth member of the band, responds to every beat, every jump and every dance move of the band members

One song aside, all the tunes are originals. while specific lyrics are the exception rather than the rule, the singing on songs like “Khatul and Khautla” and the saucy “Let Me Touch” is strong and vibrant, suiting the music. Some moments are so great that to describe them removes the charm, but hearing things like the crystalline guitar breaks on “Souvlaki” and the brawling tuba kick on “Dalida” is just wondrous. Smoother song like “Love Song” cut back the tempos for an equally good time for the slow dance…     

     

 

The hit “Boom Pam”, with which they end the show, becomes a huge celebration. Tuby literally sings his part on the tuba. Kinrot and Feinerman surround him, making love with their guitars…

Boom Pam is here, it`s Israel and the middle east and it fills the chest with great pride, it makes you smile with a mouth full of white teeth and alcohol scented breath. The feeling after the show is like coming out from a super turbo washing machine- after the final spin they spit you out into the cold air to dry off, relax and dream sweet dreams of far off places

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Many of the resident and visiters at south villages, that during the time become citys (like Rehovot, Nes-Ziyona, Rishon-Leziyon), have been looking their place at the Israeli culture for a long time. The first that been cut off here culture of agriculture and wine was Rishon-Leziyon, that been blessed with a good clubes and pub’s scene. Lately have been developed a very interesting night live at Rehovot (much better then R-L….). Probably because the new wave of young students that start studying at the university (bio-technology…).

The first place you need to visit is the LA MORSE, that known as the IRISH PUB… for many years he was a very lonley place at town… The LA MORSE as existent since 1996 at the city center, and form 2000 near HERZEL pub and the MA pub the competitors. The main difference between the LA MORSE and the others is that the LA MORSE is a pub in the full mean of the word - its have a billiards table, 70s rock music, nice dimness, beer barrels as tables, guitars and ruck stars on the wall, enormous choice of whisky and of course some TV’s on the sport channel.

But the best thing is the company… the pepole at the LA MORSE are pepole that I would be happy to go out with them to a pub. Lately thay add a second floor - a little less successful. Anyway I will continue order my black label at the first floor…

My recommendation for the middle of the week is to sit back with a good beer and a very good sandwich of sausage & cheese ….

The LA MORSE - herzel 203, Rehovot - web site: http://www.lamorse.co.il

Have a great time….