Join us for the second session in our online “Walkabout Tel Aviv: Tel to Towers” series when we will visit the earliest neighborhoods beyond Jaffa’s city walls.
As residents of 19th-century Jaffa grew restless within the city walls, they looked outward—and began building the future. Our path traces the earliest breakaway neighborhoods: the serene charm of the American and German Colonies, with their red-roofed houses and tree-lined lanes, to the artistic enclave of Neve Tzedek, the first Jewish neighborhood established outside Jaffa.
This session captures the essence of Zionist vision: the dream of building a Hebrew city by the sea. We’ll walk the path of the early aliyot (Jewish immigrations) and track the founding of Tel Aviv on April 11, 1909, a date that would mark a turning point not just in city planning, but in Jewish modern identity. Inspired by Herzl’s utopia “Altneuland” (Old New Land), Tel Aviv became a physical and symbolic embodiment of old hopes and new beginnings.
We’ll follow the footprints of poets like H.N. Bialik, who once described Tel Aviv as “a small town with few people,” and trace how it evolved into a buzzing center for startups, street food, and creative culture. Traversing Park HaMesila, the former Ottoman railway line turned green promenade, we move through eclectic Florentin and bustling Levinsky Market until we arrive at Rothschild Boulevard, the pulsing heart of the modern city. This is Tel Aviv in motion: layered, expressive, and unapologetically alive.
About our guide:
After moving to Israel in 2005, Gila Levitan pursued her career in physiotherapy and also studied for a master’s in public health from Hebrew University. After working in health policy research, she decided to become a licensed tour guide to pursue her passion for exploring and traveling around Israel. Gila loves to travel all over the world and brings the knowledge and experience of a well-seasoned traveler to her explanations. Gila is very curious and likes to know all the little details; being a guide enables her to teach people about a place she loves. She loves to add touches of local culture to her tours, off-the-beaten track places and local delicacies; the best way to travel she believes is to taste new flavors and make new friends. Gila is proud to have been awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for the past five years in a row.
This series is made possible by a grant from the Congregation Ahabat Shalom Religious Fund and other generous donors.
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