This month, our teacher Shay invites us into his Tel Aviv — a city he’s called home since his second day on earth. From quiet benches in Masaryk Square to nostalgic indie films at Lev Cinema, Shay’s Tel Aviv is a mix of personal memories, secret corners, and sky-gazing moments on neighborhood hills. Here’s how he experiences his city — one espresso, one staircase, and one theater scene at a time 🇮🇱✨
Hi there! I’m Shay. I’m the Deputy Head of the Teaching Department at Citizen Café, where I’ve been working for the past eight years. I was born in Jerusalem (at a hospital that doesn’t even exist anymore!), but I’ve basically been a Tel Avivian since day two and never left. I’m a trained actor, director, and theater teacher.
1. Where do I get my coffee?
📍 גרציאני בקינג ג׳ורג׳ King George St 105, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Usually at home — but when I don’t have time, I sit at the café downstairs from my place. It’s just a really nice, unpretentious spot (they actually have two locations in Tel Aviv). I recommend grabbing a coffee and sitting on a bench in Masaryk Square, which is just a few meters from the café. Oh, and the café is called Graziani.
2. Where do I go when I’m feeling fancy?
📍 “Bellboy” Berdyczewski St 14, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 6425813
Tzafi is my partner for all things fancy and upscale. Honestly, it’s been a while since we went, but I really love the happy hour at Bellboy — a 1920s-style bar with great cocktails.
3. Cultural hub
📍 “Lev Cinema”, Dizengoff Center, Dizengoff St 50, Tel Aviv-Yafo
I’m more of a theater person, but this time I want to recommend one of the last remaining indie cinemas in Tel Aviv — Lev Cinema in Dizengoff Center. Aside from the slightly annoying fact that all the staff are teenagers, they screen amazing films from all over the world, and the theaters are super cozy and intimate. It was also my mom’s favorite cinema (may she rest in peace), so it holds personal and nostalgic meaning for me.
4. My go-to outdoor spot
I grew up in Yad Eliyahu, a neighborhood in Tel Aviv. At the edge of the neighborhood, on a green hill, there’s a sculpture by Yaacov Agam called “The White City.” I love climbing the white stairs, lying on the edge with my head tilted back, staring at the sky and feeling like I’m flying. I’ve been doing this since I was 10 — if you’re in the neighborhood, I highly recommend trying it.
5. A place that I don’t like in the city
📍 “Dizengoff Center”, Dizengoff St 50, Tel Aviv-Yafo
I have a love-hate relationship with Dizengoff Center. On the one hand, I spent most of my childhood there and know how to get to any shop or passage in under 5 minutes. On the other hand, as a kid I was very close to the terror attack that happened at the crosswalk outside the mall during Purim 1996. To this day, my heart skips a beat every time I pass there. Overall, I definitely recommend avoiding the area on Friday afternoons when it gets way too crowded.
Photo by: Doron Ish Shalom
6. A significant person for you who was born in the city or currently lives there
I really love the actress Efrat Ben-Zur. She wasn’t born in Tel Aviv (she’s from Nahariya — I know because she was in my cousin’s high school class), but she’s been living in the Old North for years. About a decade ago, we were actually neighbors for two years. We don’t know each other personally, but I’m a big fan — both of her acting and her music. I especially recommend her album Robin, where she beautifully and sensitively set Emily Dickinson’s poetry to music.
