Florentin
"If we compare Tel Aviv to a woman, the Florentin quarter is undoubtedly her G-spot. (The words "city" and "quarter" in Hebrew are both feminine). Florentin is more than another neighborhood in southern Tel Aviv. Florentin is phenomenon. It is lifestyle. It is a state of mind. To understand a woman, you need... nobody knows what you need. However, to understand Tel Aviv, you need to understand Florentin. If you learn to love Florentin, love for Tel Aviv will find you on its own.
Since the moment it was born, Florentin has witnessed a lot: Arab riots, British police raids, war. Its inhabitants were heroes, thieves and prostitutes, the poor and the rich, working-class people, shopkeepers, writers, actors, rabbis... Florentin was dying away, dying off, dying out and coming back to life again and again.
Florentin accepted everyone, without any exceptions, regardless of the country of origin, religion or skin color. That is why Florentin is also known as Little Istanbul... But it is warmer here. It is happier and funnier. Here, in a neighborly, door-to-door way, a religious old man from Thessaloniki and a vehement drummer from Russia, whose only faith is that Tsoi is alive, get on perfectly fine. Here, not too neighbor-like smells of hulbah, pork sausage and marijuana are wafting through the air from a neighbor’s window. Here, songs are on 24/7... Middle Eastern, Hasidic and classical music, opera, Jamaican reggae, Negro rap and Russian chanson. Music is a rightful resident here. This is the place where music lives. Love and music... “Love is in the air” is about this place... You just have to open up to feel it”.
Since the moment it was born, Florentin has witnessed a lot: Arab riots, British police raids, war. Its inhabitants were heroes, thieves and prostitutes, the poor and the rich, working-class people, shopkeepers, writers, actors, rabbis... Florentin was dying away, dying off, dying out and coming back to life again and again.
Florentin accepted everyone, without any exceptions, regardless of the country of origin, religion or skin color. That is why Florentin is also known as Little Istanbul... But it is warmer here. It is happier and funnier. Here, in a neighborly, door-to-door way, a religious old man from Thessaloniki and a vehement drummer from Russia, whose only faith is that Tsoi is alive, get on perfectly fine. Here, not too neighbor-like smells of hulbah, pork sausage and marijuana are wafting through the air from a neighbor’s window. Here, songs are on 24/7... Middle Eastern, Hasidic and classical music, opera, Jamaican reggae, Negro rap and Russian chanson. Music is a rightful resident here. This is the place where music lives. Love and music... “Love is in the air” is about this place... You just have to open up to feel it”.
This picturesque area owes its origin to the tragedies of the early 20th century. Jews who lived in Greek Thessaloniki were buying up more and more land plots in expanding Tel Aviv, with an intention to run business there. However, a massive fire and growing Antisemitism forced some of them to uproot themselves, leave homes and move to Palestine. Solomon Florentin was the person who constructed houses for arriving refugees. In fact, the quarter is named after him. Moreover, the main street bears the same name but it was named after another family member, David, who was Solomon’s brother.
For a long time, the district was not particularly prestigious, well-off families chose to leave the neighborhood when their became richer. Yet, 1990s breathed new life into this place. Thanks to the cheap rent, poor neighborhoods became popular with café society, such as bohemian artists, musicians and creative community.
So, here you are. Nowadays Florentin has its own unique face: all the available surfaces are now covered with graffiti of different artistic value. This is where you can come across both bohemian class and the Greek diaspora representatives.
For a long time, the district was not particularly prestigious, well-off families chose to leave the neighborhood when their became richer. Yet, 1990s breathed new life into this place. Thanks to the cheap rent, poor neighborhoods became popular with café society, such as bohemian artists, musicians and creative community.
So, here you are. Nowadays Florentin has its own unique face: all the available surfaces are now covered with graffiti of different artistic value. This is where you can come across both bohemian class and the Greek diaspora representatives.
Task 5.1
Find one of the most popular graffiti art murals in Florentin. This is a hint: everyone depicted in this “picture” is worldwide famous but is unfortunately no longer with us. Find a person in your team who most resembles one of these people. Choose a song from the performer's repertoire. The only thing to be done now is to record a horizontal video of no more than 10-15 sec where, hitting the right notes, the celebrity clone performs the famous hit in front of this graffiti. 5 points!
5 points
Task 5.2
Let’s see how good you are at searching. The area offers a cool cinema. It has a North American name. You have to find it and take a photo in the cinema hall seats. This is how you earn 5 points. If you cannot get inside, take a photo of you against the cinema signboard to get 3 points.
up to 5 points
Task 5.3
Find such a person in the neighborhood who knew Solomon Florentin just with one handshake. This is how you earn 5 points. For two handshakes get 4 points. Of course, we won’t be able to check whether the person you found did actually know Solomon. So we assume we can trust you. Send us a video clip lasting no longer than 15 sec in which Solomon's acquaintance that you found explains who exactly he or she shook hands with and how this person is connected to Florentin.
up to 5 points
This is the most authentic market of Tel Aviv. Here, one single quarter becomes home to all the captivating flair of the Balkans and all the best things that Jews from the Balkans and other Eastern countries brought to Israel.
The market is named after the street, which, in turn, is named after a Russian Jew, writer Elḥanan Leib Lewinsky, who described how the Jewish state would be flourishing on this land in 2040. Well, he must have had second sight!
The market is named after the street, which, in turn, is named after a Russian Jew, writer Elḥanan Leib Lewinsky, who described how the Jewish state would be flourishing on this land in 2040. Well, he must have had second sight!
Task 5.4
Choose the most delicious appetizer for the whole team at the Levinsky market but do not spend more than 10 shekels per person. The photographic evidence of you eating this finger-licking good will help you earn 2 more points. Remember to add a comment on what exactly you are eating and write its name, too.
2 points
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