Thoughts on Tel Aviv

Dear Friends and Family,
Please feel free to skip lightly through this post, our reflections on Tel Aviv, nothing dramatic, just collected observations.
Tel Aviv is a bustling, metropolis city that overlays the older city. There is little here, outside of Jaffa, that is worthy of historical excavation so the city is rebuilding itself. If there were nothing here, a new city of Tel Aviv might have grid iron streets, easy traffic, parking structures, and underground parking. Instead, all of this new growth is coming on top of the existing infrastructure so you still have winding streets, hillside parking, and dense population areas. The building code requires there be a safe room in every home, and safe areas in office buildings. But you wouldn't know any of that from the exterior. Here high rises tower over the older areas and would not look out of place on Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, or Madison Avenue, New York, or Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. While the city grows through its industry, especially the high tech giants, it becomes much like any other thriving metropolis.
Even the area where the Carmel Shuk (finally got the correct spelling from Charlie) is located, and which we've enjoyed so much, is changing. The buildings surrounding the Shuk are being renovated, upgraded, refaced, and turned into a yuppie paradise. It will be very chic to have an address in the Ha'Carmel.
Yesterday we drove the length of Rothschild street and viewed its promenade of majestic trees, wide pathways, and coffee shops. New condos in the area have underground parking and security guards, tall stately window fronts, and planned landscapes. There is evident money in this town and it is being used as it is in all thriving areas of the world.
The particular section where we are staying, on Dizengoff Street, teems with young adults, full cafes, street seating. A new prominent feature is the renovated port area. Its classy shops, including Hugo Boss and Steve Madden, among others, could be found elsewhere as well--only not abutting the Mediterranean.
None of these comments are meant as criticism. We want Israel to thrive, we want young people to establish themselves and their careers here. But we came to Israel for spiritual connection and we are not feeling that here in Tel Aviv. Yes, there are orthodox as we saw in Abby's family's neighborhood, and continue to see throughout the city, but they are not integrated as they were in Tiberias. We see fewer Kepa wearing men, and many more immodest women. Again, not a criticism of Tel Aviv which has a thriving university that attracts young men and women from around the country, and world. Tel Aviv has been home to the formation of Israel, perhaps because it is more free from some of the restrictions a more religious community would impose.
In spite of their exterior appearance, many of the young adults working here, have come because of their Jewish inner life. We met one young man from South Africa who made aliyah five years ago, came because he found G-d here. He does not wear Kepa, but he is spiritually home. And there is much pride of Israel evident in the 150 foot flags draping a major high rise and smaller flags displayed elsewhere, on balconies, in shops, on car antennas. Perhaps if we were younger, ready to join the work force, we would feel differently. But we are not, we are seeking spiritual connections and although we have very much enjoyed our Tel Aviv stop, we are ready to move on.
We're very happy to have seen Tel Aviv at this time, while it still retains the flavor of the Shuk, and the Jaffa flea market, before it is cleaned up any more.
Adrienne and Stu