[img]96|left|||no_popup[/img] Dateline Jerusalem — This week I traveled to Tel Aviv, along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Its pristine white beaches and turquoise and aquamarine clear blue waters make it a popular vacation spot despite its heat and humidity. Known as “The City That Never Sleeps,” some have compared it to Las Vegas with its 24-hour entertainment, clubs, bars and all night partying. But it is also a city of culture, with several museums, an opera house, live theater, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra directed by world-renowned conductor Zubin Mehta.
With a skyline that rivals New York City, the architecture of Tel Aviv's high-rise buildings fascinates me. Not only are they beautiful, they are unique. One building reminds me of the “Leaning Tower of Pisa.” It was purposely built to actually look like it is leaning on one side and ready to tip over. A few buildings look like they have giant concrete champagne glass shaped structures sitting atop their roofs. At first I thought they were the largest satellite dishes I have ever seen, but upon closer examination, their diameters are about 1,000 times that of major communication satellites. It was explained to me that these structures were actually helicopter pads on top of the skyscraper office buildings. Another unusual trio of buildings is the Azrieli Towers, connected by a 4-story shopping mall at the base. Ranging from 42 to 49 stories, the towers each take on a different geometric shape, that of a circular, triangular and square tower.
But besides high-rise buildings, Tel Aviv's White City is a World Heritage Site, and Tel Aviv is famous for Bauhaus architecture. In the center of the city, there is a group of old buildings that looks like they have heavy wooden doors and thick shutters covering their windows, similar to those found on homes in New Orleans. Upon closer inspection, these doors and shuttered windows are fake. They are realistically painted on large boards attached to the windowless exteriors of the buildings!
Not only is Tel Aviv the most expensive city in Israel to live, it is the most expensive city in all of the Middle East, and the 19th most expensive city in the world. It is an interesting place to visit, but I would not want to, nor could I afford to, live there. What I pay to rent a 3-bedroom apartment in my town would not even cover a single-room apartment in Tel Aviv. Although Tel Aviv is famous for its humid climate, it was comfortable in comparison to the muggy unbearable heat of my town.
Tel Aviv is in central Israel and has not been plagued by the hundreds of rockets still raining down on southern Israel during this so-called “cease fire” that is nothing more than fewer rockets being launched than usual. However, during the Gulf War in 1991, scud missiles from Iraq landed in Tel Aviv. I personally know a woman who had a scud land on her balcony. And the Palestinians claim that Tel Aviv is now within range of their rockets and missiles. So far, they are just bombarding southern Israel.
After what I wrote last week, I am amazed and sickened by the hateful comments of those who believe Israeli civilians, women and children, are fair game. The most hurtful of all to me are comments made by people who refer to me as their “friend.” They know I live in Israel, and they apparently could not care if I were to become another victim of Palestinian terror, G-d forbid, because they believe the terrorists are justified in their actions. With friends like these, who needs enemies?.
However, I must admit that of the comments I have received, more friends expressed concern for my safety and welfare and that of the State of Israel than those who made hateful comments. I thank those of you who have told me that Israel and I are in your prayers.
L'hitraot. Shachar.