How to Be a Tel Avivian: An Unofficial Guide

1 min read
Yonatan Engler
Yonatan Engler

Buy a second-hand bike that’s old enough to not get stolen, but new enough that its brakes are still intact.

Keywords: אוֹפַנַיִם, יָד שְׁנִיָה

Translation: bicycle, second-hand

Transliteration: oh-fah-nayeem, yahd-shnee-yah

Set your watch 30 minutes early, so that you can also be late to all meetings and rendezvous.

Keywords: פְּגִישָׁה

Translation: meeting

Transliteration: p’gee-shah

Thinking about adopting a pet? Leave some cat food outside your door instead and adopt the first cat to take the bait.

Keywords: חַיַּת מַחְמָד, חָתוּל

Translation: pet, cat

Transliteration: chai-yaht mahch-mahd, chah-tool

Insist you’re not a hipster.

Keyword: לְהִתְעַקֵשׁ

Translation: to insist

Transliteration: leh-heet-ah-kesh

Always have a prepared salad, challah or bottle of wine on hand in case you get invited somewhere for Friday dinner.

Keywords: לְהַזמִין, אֲרוּחַת שִׁשִּׁי

Translation: to invite, Friday dinner

Transliteration: leh-hahz-meen, ar-oo-chaht shee-shee

Sample all the local cafés, choose a favorite, then make it your home away from home.

Keywords: מְקוֹמִי (m), מְקוֹמִית (f)

Translation: local

Transliteration: meh-koh-meet (f), meh-koh-mee (m)

Then, sample all the local hummus places, and claim you know where to find the best hummus in Tel Aviv.

Keywords: לִטעוֹן, חוּמוּסִיָּה

Translation: to claim, hummus restaurant

Transliteration: leet-ohn, choo-moo-see-yah

Become friends with the bartenders or owners at your favorite bar.

Keywords: בַּרְמֶן (m), בַּרְמֶנִית (f)

Translation: bartender

Transliteration: bar-mah-neet, bar-mahn

Buy all your produce at the market and insist on choosing your own container of cherries.

Keywords: אַרְגָּז, שׁוּק

Translation: container, market

Transliteration: ar-gahz, shook

Do everyday activities at the beach … because you can.

Keywords: חוּג, חוֹף

Translation: activity, beach

Transliteration: choog, chohf

Buy a backgammon board and practice at home until you’re good enough to play in the big leagues at HaMalabya or Tepale.

Keywords: לְהִתְאַמֵן, לְשַׂחֵק

Translation: to practice/train, to play

Transliteration: leh-heet-ah-men, leh-sah-check

Come to terms with the fact that everything tastes better inside a pita (including ice cream).

Keywords: לִטעוֹם, גְּלִידָה

Translation: to taste, ice cream

Transliteration: leet-ohm, glee-dah

Become one with the sunsets. They never get old.

Keywords: שְׁקִיעָה

Translation: sunset

Transliteration: shkee-ah

Most importantly: Be your weird, awesome, true self.

Keywords: מוּזָר (m), מוּזָרָה (f)

Translation: weird

Transliteration: moo-zar-ah (f), moo-zar (m)

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