with 26 consecutive years in office under his belt Tel Aviv-Yafo Mayor Ron Huldai won’t allow himself time to sit back and relax without considering his next step He is Israel’s most significant and passionate reformer in the transport sector having introduced unpopular changes such as eliminating traffic lanes and parking spaces in favor of bus lanes and bike paths He is also identified as a political independent often taking positions opposed to those of the government In a comprehensive interview with "Globes," Huldai discusses his relationships with Ministry of Finance and Transport officials and the cost of living in the city he manages with a strong hand ranked consistently among the most expensive cities in the world "The government is trying to establish an authority that won’t be able to function" attempted to import Western transport reforms to Israel in which a professional transport authority consisting of local authorities within a metropolitan region management is centralized under the Ministry of Transport where allocation of resources is subject to political pressure Huldai succeeded in mobilizing both neighboring authorities and government ministries but the move was blocked by then-Minister of Transport Israel Katz followed by subsequent transport ministers who would not agree to relinquish their authority just as the reform has come up again in the pending Arrangements Law and just when it has a real chance of passing 'We're in favor' but they're in favor of something completely different from the reform we wanted," Huldai says "They're trying to establish a non-functional authority Either make a change or there's no point in doing it - that's the whole story," he concludes "There are exceptional transport systems in the world If a minister doesn’t set a goal for the travel time between Ashdod and Tel Aviv a decade from now there’s nothing to measure their performance against." Huldai says that he himself tries to set measurable goals car use in Tel Aviv fell below 50% for the first time we have 90 kilometers of bus lanes compared with about 30 kilometers in other cities in the metropolis along with 183 kilometers of bicycle paths that will reach 250 kilometers by the end of my term you will see the government has taken over the authorities it is proposing to establish." The government has 20% of the voting power "It’s inconceivable that someone would hold elections and a town near Paris would be chosen to run the metropolitan authority It’s unimaginable that [suburban] Kiryat Ata could be chosen to run the Haifa metropolitan authority The only one giving up something for this authority is Tel Aviv The state says that the authority chairman will be elected by the representatives - that's not serious And it's not a political matter; the Shafdan [Dan Region Wastewater Treatment Plant] has been controlled by the Tel Aviv central authority for 26 years." But maybe that's exactly what's bothering the other authorities At Forum 15 [the Israeli Forum of Self-Government Cities] which you founded a meeting blew up because you opposed holding elections for chairman I don't understand what you're asking me." I’m asking you if the story is Ron Huldai or the transport system they started talking about unifying authorities I said I was ready to unify authorities and even resign to make it happen this metropolis needs to function as a single transport system that serves the whole The fact that there are too many authorities If you want to create a bus lane that passes through a neighboring city that mayor says he won’t let it because it will ruin his main street." Huldai is also angry about using bus lanes as carpool lanes (because people here are so enslaved to cars") "What can you do… there’s no technology that can check how many people are sitting in a car Two motorcycle police officers riding between Netanya to Tel Aviv anyone who enters a bus lane knows they will be caught because there are cameras "I told them it wouldn't work." Giant parking lots stay empty does not trust the government to advance transport plans and he sometimes even seems to despise the moves being made by government ministries He has sharp criticism for the fast lane construction on Highway 5 and Ayalon Highway 20 and for the adjacent giant parking lots at Shefayim and Rishon LeZion According to the State Comptroller's report published last month the state is heavily subsidizing the fast lane contrary to promises that it would be financed and operated by the private sector "The fast lanes project for the rich was so 'successful' that Israel Katz turned it into a flagship project and now they’re building huge parking lots at Shefayim," he says "I haven't seen another project like this anywhere in the world and Lod so that a person can get on public transport and get to Tel Aviv When you build a parking lot along the way "About a million people travel on the Ayalon Highway each day And they say this is a contribution to public transport?" With construction of Tel Aviv’s light rail especially after the Maariv Bridge was taken down the government was concerned about "terrible traffic jams," says Huldai and therefore decided that parking lots on the city’s outskirts with shuttle buses were needed "I told them in advance that it wouldn't work but the Ministry of Transport invested a huge amount of money If you don't understand the system and you're not a professional - and today there are no professionals at all in the Ministry of Transportation - then how will it succeed?" Do you feel as if there is no one to work with at the Ministry of Transport I didn't understand the potential of bicycles There was an organization here called Yisrael B’shvil Ofanayim ('Israel by Bike') and I met with them in [Rabin] square and rode a bicycle we created bicycle paths when we renovated Rothschild Boulevard suddenly there were cyclists because there were paths "This vehicle became very significant in the city 20 years ago so we told them that we needed a definition for what a bicycle is everything with a pair of wheels would be called that we'll be able to enforce [regulations for] two-wheeled vehicles for the first time When we made the Bograshov Street bicycle lane We simply need to get things in order here." We build three light rail lines simultaneously as mayor and also as someone who runs for elected office former CEO of NTA [Metropolitan Mass Transit System] said the municipality delayed work on Allenby and Ibn Gabirol streets before the elections "Who delayed Glick from starting on Allenby a year earlier And you didn't ask why the Purple Line was postponed for a year because of Transport Minister Miri Regev who was unable to make a decision because of 23 Likud voters in Kfar Shalem that same person you mentioned said that without Huldai there would be no Red Line." the Green Line is expected to open in 2030 "I happened to come across a document today that I signed with the state in July 2000." Huldai pulls out the document and reads: "'After lengthy discussions on the topic it has been agreed to initiate the Tel Aviv mass transit system project The first tender will include the Red and the Green lines.' This is from 24 years ago How can you say it was me who delayed it?" "It also states that 'The [light rail] line will be designed to allow for a future upgrade to metro system technology.' That’s what was written They shortened the line [the underground section] to save a few cents so now there’s no possibility of an upgrade That’s the difference between signing with the Israeli government The absurdity is that the people in those positions today are wondering 'Why did they do this nonsense of a light rail instead of a metro,' but I was there in the discussions and I saw them tell Beiga [former Minister of Finance Avraham Shochat] there would never be demand for a metro." The [above-ground] light rail also doesn’t always meet expectations "Do you know why only a few people ride it There are lots of passengers in the underground section transport on the bus lanes is very reasonable Many residents don’t bother to move their cars." Parking is another Tel Aviv policy that differs significantly from the neighboring municipalities The city recently decided to adopt a parking reform that was to have gone into effect nationwide Tel Aviv will implement it now: the city will be divided into zones meaning that holding a parking permit does not guarantee free parking throughout the city the municipality is limiting the number of parking permits for individual households "I made a mistake 26 years ago," says Huldai I said I regretted it and was going to cancel it It's true that I did this free parking thing in Tel Aviv for political reasons And ever since then I've been looking for the opportunity to cancel it." The Ministry of Transport justified postponing the law saying that improving public transport and incentives for its use are not yet sufficiently in place and in the coming year they’re going to make those changes That's what's going to change now," says Huldai Isn't it clear this is a result of incompetence and ineptitude They’re simply helpless in the face of reality." I don't want to get into what I think about 'gems' like these and the others I want to see action from government ministers in all areas Do you think the so-called 'achievements' in education stem from a plan If I appoint a person because he's my friend and not because he is a professional suited to the position How do you explain the gap between the way transport is perceived in Tel Aviv and the way it is perceived by other authorities in the metropolitan area and around the country "Some things are not because of Ron Huldai This is the country's main city and it has many relative advantages this municipality was bankrupt and lived at the mercy of the government or others to those who say that actions have no effect in which 70 parking spaces on Bloch Street were taken away in favor of a bicycle lane "It made waves in local politics and there was a lot of noise about it There are 400 parking spaces in the new city hall building Some might argue that the municipality isn’t sticking to the agenda it promotes called the 'company car.' This didn't start with me and it’s everywhere The problem is that canceling it is a matter with the Histadrut [General Federation of Labor] Does anyone expect the Tel Aviv Municipality to enter a dispute with the city and the municipal employees to not have company cars "We are consistently adding parking spaces in construction projects eliminating street parking in favor of public transport and public space and within 3-4 years this city will be like a European city in the 1980s and 1990s There will be three train lines and 69 stations here which is more or less a station within 500 meters of your home." Clearly the reform is correct from a professional standpoint The question is whether it is right to promote it all at once which also includes limiting individual parking permits and raising prices [on parking] This comes together with a retroactive municipal tax increase and assistance for children with learning disabilities All this during a time of war and an economic downturn Can you understand why this process is being criticized "I haven’t heard the process being criticized and because you can't compare apples and oranges I understand it’s hard for residents and now there's a war and I can't give the same discount 'Lower the level of service,' or 'Close the community centers.'" While many enjoy the city's transformation and its accessibility to public transport and bicycles others claim the volume of infrastructure and housing construction makes it difficult for travel hasn’t had their lifestyle disrupted I can say what I am responsible for: 'Na'im Busofash' [Shabbat buses] in 14 local authorities I assume you walk around Ibn Gabirol Street What are you doing to make it easier for the businesses that are closing on these streets [due to light rail construction] "I don't know how to answer these questions anymore because they will quote everything I say without understanding the context and I admit that we’ve not been able to reach the point where we can help properly because we don't have cooperation from the Finance Ministry and the state." "Ibn Gabirol is not the same street it was when I came to the city Rents were 50% lower than streets nearby; today And the businesses on the street are not the same businesses that were then they have changed and adapted to what's happened in the city I'll put it this way: a business owner on [lower rent] Jerusalem Boulevard will have his property value increase and will also do good business." Without taking away from the courage it takes to make unpopular moves "You have to know how to read the municipality's website you didn't count the new immigrants who entered the city I don’t know of any data about people leaving Tel Aviv -- there is always turnover And I'm not talking about the fact that we don't count the foreign workers who are also residents here and don't appear in the statistics." what about the fact that Tel Aviv is becoming an increasingly expensive and difficult city to live in and the city has been through a lot since then There are towers here where each apartment is worth NIS 12-20 million Because you voted for those who want a free market there are those who can buy and those who can't there are residents here who save thousands of shekels because they can get around the city without a car [city council member] Dov Khenin pointed a finger at me and said 'The cost of living here is because of you.' I'm also to blame when cottage cheese goes up and when vegetables go up Florentine matures along with its residents Many of the world’s famous major cities have gone through a process of maturation leaving these vibrant cities devoid of diversity When asked if he fears Tel Aviv will also suffer a similar fate and leave its great success in its wake "That's the cycle of life." "Many cities have prospered and become 'so-so' cities and neighborhoods also change all the time Tel Aviv did experience an aging population phenomenon "Today's Florentine is completely different from the neighborhood it was when I became mayor I thought it would be better to keep it that way But it turns out that these young people began staying today's Harlem is not the Harlem of my youth are in no rush to approve thousands of housing units at the same time the municipality actually went along with the Israel Land Authority and a tender was issued to build 7,200 housing units simultaneously The municipality is expecting huge revenues from this neighborhood does that benefit municipal revenue or go against it?" when land is being sold at astronomical prices I have never stopped housing construction in Tel Aviv-Yafo for economic reasons I am constantly concerned about creating employment I opposed the evacuation of Sde Dov airport - it was a colossal mistake we see what's happening during wartime [in the absence of another local airport] I’m considered guilty for approving housing at Sde Dov we issued permits for 5,000 housing units and it may reach 6,000 in another month but because of these I have 5,000 apartments and I have to provide education and culture while property taxes never cover the expenses of an average family I looked at Tel Aviv - where else would I have the possible opportunity to have 7,000 apartments built all at once This is a unique land division that didn't exist before and was created because they unjustifiably shut down Sde Dov [airport] I’ll be very happy if we market all the apartments and I’ll be very happy if there are children running around this city and I have to take care of opening kindergartens "Reinvention instead of learning from others" Some developers claim that even after changes to the Metro Law the metro taxes to the municipality and the state still make planned projects unprofitable I think the Metro Law was passed too fast; it isn’t ready I don't think it is the thing to grant the opportunity as to whether or not to build a metro The Finance Ministry can’t determine urban planning just by looking at stations I repeat that I wish they had built just a metro here from the start because light rail lines are much more disruptive instead of learning from what others have done we invent something new because we are 'smarter.' So there’s always a law that needs to be made fast and that creates a law which is neither meat nor milk and won’t contribute the way it should Why should the residents of our region be burdened today just to benefit people 30 years from now?" Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 15 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/liveblog_entry\/rocket-warning-sirens-sound-in-tel-aviv-and-surrounding-areas\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=tz9X6x9bvgkGwVeNT.4VDv6gqinWkEBu0PnakSXDYZs-1746483696-1.0.1.1-d.uCDj8abwYYKgBICmO0rLCEjGhslw8b9e8_uMqP3H8" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); This video, which has been verified by the BBC, shows missile strikes near the Ayalon Mall, Tel Aviv, Israel, on Tuesday evening. No injuries have been reported yet and Israeli authorities say civilians can leave bomb shelters. The latest escalation follows Israeli troops entering Lebanon, in what the Israeli military calls a "limited, localised and targeted" ground operation against Hezbollah. Video casts doubt on Israeli account of Gaza medic killingsThe video was published by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), which said it was obtained from the phone of a paramedic who was killed. Watch: 'Dangerous fool' Khalife sentenced to jailThe former solider collected information and passed it to Tehran, before escaping from HMP Wandsworth. Hugs and tears: How Israeli hostage return unfoldedThree freed hostages are returned to Israel after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into force. Watch: Three freed Israeli hostages arrive in IsraelDoron Steinbrecher, 31, Emily Damari, 28, and Romi Gonen, 24, were seen getting out of a Red Cross vehicle, in footage released by the Israeli Defense Forces. Watch: BBC reporter returns to childhood home destroyed in Syria civil warFeras Killani grew up in Yarmouk in Damascus, which saw brutal fighting between rebel and government forces. BBC goes inside Syrian prison holding IS detaineesOrla Guerin visits Al-Sina prison in north-eastern Syria, where many suspected fighters have been held for years. Watch: BBC speaks to Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-SharaaSharaa led the rebel offensive that toppled the Assad regime in Syria less than two weeks ago. Watch: Dancing crowds in Aleppo celebrate end of Assad regimeThe BBC's Hugo Bachega sees Syrians dancing, waving flags and making peace signs in Aleppo. Songs and celebrations at Damascus rallyThe BBC's Lina Sinjab says there is a joyous mood in the Syrian capital, as people mark the end of the Assad regime. Jeremy Bowen: Assad's palace, once a symbol of power, now an empty shellThe BBC's international editor returns to Bashar al-Assad's presidential palace, where he interviewed him in 2015. BBC sees crowd surge over rumoured execution of Assad henchmanThe BBC sees a crowd surge in Damascus as rumours spread that a hated Assad henchman is about to be executed. Syria rebels burn tomb of Bashar al-Assad's fatherVideo shows Syrian rebel fighters gather around the burning tomb of the late president Hafez al-Assad. Relatives of those killed and imprisoned react after Assad's fallSome Syrians are hopeful that loved ones detained under the Assad regime may still be alive. Celebratory gunfire as Syrians cross border from LebanonFootage shows the Mansaa border crossing between Lebanon and Syria after rebel groups seized Damascus on Sunday. Women prisoners told 'you can go out now' by Syrian rebelsThe video, authenticated by AP news, purports to show rebels freeing dozens of inmates. BBC reporter: 'First time I've come to Syria without fear of arrest'A Syrian herself, Lina Sinjab says this is the first time she's entered the country "without fear of detention". Watch: BBC sees looting at Bashar al-Assad's residenceBBC Middle East correspondent Lina Sinjab describes chaotic scenes in the Syrian capital. BBC in Umayyad Square amid deafening gunfireRebel fighters and members of the public have gathered in Damascus to celebrate the end of President Assad's regime. Here are 18 kosher restaurants to tryThe must-try restaurants open this Passover in Jerusalem Debbie Kandel with so many friends and family planning to spend the holiday in Israel If you’re lucky enough to be spending Passover in Israel there’s plenty of choice for eating out From high-end steakhouses to cosy cafés and beachfront dining here are a few of my tips for must-visit kosher-for-Passover restaurants across Israel: A steakhouse restaurant near Shuk Machane Yehuda with a menu focused on wagyu and grass-fed steaks with a few grilled chicken The wagyu fillet and Denver-cut are my favourite steaks Machne Asada is a street food restaurant next door by the same owners and a great way to enjoy wagyu meat at street food prices A post shared by בלאק איירון Black iron (@blackiron.bar) This dairy restaurant is on the ground floor of the recently opened Ramban Hotel a boutique hotel by the Machneyuda group in Jerusalem it serves breakfast for hotel guests and visitors while the afternoon and dinner menu focusses on interesting Middle Eastern fish and dairy dishes A post shared by Rambanhotel (@rambanhotel) This is a chef’s restaurant near Shuk Machane Yehuda in Jerusalem the restaurant will serve lunch as well as dinner A post shared by ג'קו סטריט | Jacko's Street (@jackosstreet74) Kitniyot)  A traditional British tearoom with seating in a lovely garden in Baka in Jerusalem This is the first year KumKum will be open for Pesach The menu will include a variety of gluten-free pizza and sandwiches and a variety of non-kitniyot cakes and biscuits for eating-in or taking home A post shared by Barbara Heller (@barbieheller) An Italian restaurant and lounge bar near the city centre in Jerusalem with indoor and outdoor seating I’ve visited previously over Pesach with friends with small kids and we were all delighted with our food A post shared by PALOMINO - פלומינו (@palomino_italianlounge) A boutique cocktail bar near the Old City of Jerusalem with a simple food menu and interesting cocktails Unique combinations include gin with Greek yoghurt and za’atar and an Israeli salad cocktail with vodka A post shared by סמבטיון קוקטייל בר - Sambation cocktail bar (@sambation_cb) from the owners of the popular Jacko’s Street and most dishes will be the same on Pesach for those of us happy to eat rice There is a DJ at night so if you don’t want a party atmosphere A post shared by סופר המזרח (@super_hamizrah) I still remember taking my niece and nephew to this restaurant many years ago and they couldn’t believe they were allowed to eat so many delicious treats on Pesach The savoury dishes are as good as the sweet ones A post shared by Waffle Factory וופל פקטורי (@wafflefactory) The most interesting kosher restaurant I have ever eaten in Darya in the Hilton Tel Aviv serves a fusion of Far Eastern and Mediterranean food Just as impressive is the fact that the food at Pesach is as good as the rest of the year A post shared by darya דריה (@daryatlv) Chef Eyal Shani‘s kosher meat restaurant is off the lobby of the Debrah Brown Hotel The menu changes daily but includes several of Shani’s signature dishes I have eaten at Dvora during Pesach a few times in the past and the only thing missing was the bread A post shared by Dvora by Eyal Shani (@dvora.tlv) A cafe in Ariel Sharon Park in Tel Aviv overlooking an ecological lake The menu includes fresh cheese and dairy products by Ivry Dairy in Moshav Azaria A post shared by עברי בפארק | מחלבת עברי 🧀🌾🥖 (@ivrydairy) Fish restaurant in the Sheraton Tel Aviv Hotel focusing on Levant Mediterranean cuisine using local ingredients The beautifully designed restaurant has an appropriate nautical theme A post shared by Manara Restaurant TLV (@manara_tlv) A chain of rotisserie chicken restaurants serving whole and half rotisserie chicken Branches are located in several food courts around the country including Sarona Market and North Market in Tel Aviv Azrieli Holon and Drorim Mall near Netanya A post shared by רוטיסרי צ׳יקן קלאב (@rotisserie.chicken.club) Formal style meat restaurant in the Royal Beach Tel Aviv with delicious food and good service The menu features Middle Eastern takes on classic Mediterranean food dishes A post shared by West side TLV (@west.side.tlv) An American diner-style meat restaurant in Haifa offering a large variety of burgers It is a great option for family members with different tastes A post shared by BP Kosher Bistro - מרכז חורב (@bp_horev) A steakhouse in a large barn on a cattle farm on Moshav Nov in the Southern Golan It is typically open only on Thursday night it will be open throughout chol hamoed without reservations (check social media for times) and the Gillis family hosts all their guests A post shared by גיליס בשר מהגולן Steak House (@gillisbeef) An Italian restaurant and bar located at the back of the lobby of the Brown Eilat Hotel specializing in Southern Italian food with Middle Eastern influences A post shared by CENA ITALY - EILAT (@cenaitaly.eilat) Tulum Beach (Kitniyot) It is pretty special finding a kosher restaurant on a beach in Israel but a kosher for Pesach beach club and restaurant is even more rare vegetarian dishes and a full cocktail menu A post shared by TULUM BEACH EILAT 🏝️ (@tulum_beach.eilat) Find Debbie’s complete list of Israeli kosher restaurants open over Pesach here Debbie Kandel is a food and travel writer and founder of Debbest Israel. She‘s passionate about helping others plan their adventures in Jerusalem and around Israel and offers tailor-made tasting tours of Shuk Machane Yehuda Israeli chef Israeli food Pesach Passover Three men were killed early Tuesday morning in a collision between two private vehicles near the Hakfar Hayarok Interchange Fire and Rescue Services said that two firefighting teams from the Herzliya station arrived at the scene after being alerted about the collision The teams found a burning vehicle at the scene of the crash Israel Police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the deadly collision Magen David Adom (MDA) said that first responders arriving at the scene found the three men with no signs of life and suffering burns to their bodies and were forced to declare their deaths at the scene MDA EMT David Yitzhaki and paramedic Sara Cohen said "We arrived at a very severe accident unconscious and suffering burns to their bodies While firefighters extinguished the flames and extracted them but their injuries were significant and to our great distress we were left with no choice but to declare their deaths You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Tuesday World Subscribers only Friedrich Merz bets on two private sector converts to revive the German economy and reform the state World Subscribers only 'A Pope in the tradition of Francis': From New York to Ghana Catholics hope for continuity at the Vatican World Subscribers only Chancellor Merz's diplomatic first week 2025."> World Trump's proposal to reopen Alcatraz deemed 'absurd' in San Francisco World Subscribers only Founder of Sant'Egidio community fears next pope could undo Francis's legacy Opinion Subscribers only 'Russian gas and Europe is an old story that ended badly Economy Subscribers only Europe's steel industry flattened by crisis World Subscribers only How European countries plan to fund defense efforts France Subscribers only Macron announces citizens' convention on school schedules France Subscribers only 21 charged over French prison attacks as investigation narrows in on drug traffickers France Subscribers only French mosque stabber was driven by 'morbid fascination,' prosecutor says France Subscribers only At the trial of Kim Kardashian's robbers Videos World expos: From Paris 1855 to Osaka 2025 Videos How the Trump administration is attacking scientific research in the US Videos Tesla cars set on fire in Las Vegas as calls to boycott Musk's company grow worldwide Videos Can France's nuclear deterrent protect Europe Opinion Subscribers only 'It is pointless to imagine a significant wave of American academics leaving' Opinion Subscribers only 'The American dream is dying' Opinion Subscribers only 'The trade war creates new opportunities for Europeans and France' Magazine Subscribers only Tracking down the pianos taken from French Jews during the Nazi Occupation Magazine Subscribers only Eve Rodsky the American helping couples balance the mental load Magazine Subscribers only Desecration or more glory Joan Didion's private diaries are revealed Magazine Subscribers only For Jewish cartoonist Joann Sfar 2025."> Pixels Subscribers only Golden Owl solution is revealed but leaves players of 31-year hunt disappointed Pixels Subscribers only Secrets of decades-long Golden Owl treasure hunt to be revealed Lifestyle Inside Chanel's French leather workshops Culture Subscribers only The marvelous bronzes of Angkor on display at the Musée Guimet in Paris France's main carrier Air France said it was extending its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut until end-Friday after 37 people were killed and thousands injured when hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies exploded in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday People wait for their families after their flights land at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport a day after hand-held radios used by the armed group Hezbollah detonated across Lebanon's south AMR ABDALLAH DALSH / REUTERS Lufthansa and Air France announced on Thursday that they were extending a suspension of flights to Tel Aviv as regional tensions soar following deadly explosions in Lebanon this week France's main carrier Air France said it was extending its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut until end-Friday citing "the security situation" in the region German group Lufthansa said flights to Tel Aviv and Tehran will now be canceled until September 24 due to "the current situation." Flights to Beirut will be suspended until October 26 Delta Air Lines announced Thursday that it is suspending direct flights between New York and Tel Aviv through the end of the year amid rising tensions in the Middle East Hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies used by the militant group Hezbollah exploded across Lebanon this week killing 37 people and wounding more than 2,900 others The unprecedented attacks have fuelled fears of an all-out war engulfing the region The Lufthansa group -–whose carriers also include SWISS Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines – has repeatedly modified its flight schedule in recent months due to heightened tensions in the Middle East "The safety of our passengers and crews is always our top priority," Lufthansa said adding that it would reassess the situation "in the coming days." Affected passengers can rebook for free or ask for a refund Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur En cliquant sur « Continuer à lire ici » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez mais en les utilisant à des moments différents Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article merci de contacter notre service commercial Shortly before Monday’s top of the table clash against Maccabi Haifa at Bloomfield Maccabi will hold a ceremony marking the contribution of one of its’ best players of all time Maccabi will pay tribute to Giora Spiegel who played won trophies and even coached the first team as the Former Players Club returns to honor one of the greatest careers at Maccabi Tel Aviv and Israeli football Spiegel was born on July 27th 1947 as the son of former Maccabi Petah Tikva player and coach Eliezer Spiegel before making his first footballing footsteps at Maccabi’s Youth Academy made a dream senior debut as he scored 5 goals in a 10-1 State Cup preliminary round victory over Beitar Mahne Yehuda Spiegel continued to impress in his first season as he added 5 more goals in all competitions and at the age of 17 was marked as the club’s future star In his second campaign with the senior side Spiegel scored 21 goals in all competitions six of which in one game against Hapoel Tel Mond in the Cup The talented young midfielder continued to shine and kept scoring in double figures in every full season he played for Maccabi In one of the most memorable derby victories of all time Spiegel scored a hat trick to help Maccabi to a 5-0 victory over arch city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv in the 1969/70 season who was identified with the number 8 shirt scored 97 league goals and 26 in the State Cup With 128 goals in 304 appearances in all competitions Spiegel is ranked 6th amongst Maccabi’s all time goal scorers Spiegel won no less than 10 trophies: 4 League championships (67/68 69/70 ) including the League and Cup double of the 1969/70 season as well as 2 historic Asian Club Championships (68/69 Spiegel played a key role in Maccabi’s first Asian Cup 1968/69 campaign as he scored six goals in as many matches including a hat trick in the 6-1 Semi Final victory over Indian outfit Mysore State In the second successful Asian Cup campaign Spiegel captained the side and scored two goals on the way the final which Maccabi won by default following a no-show of the Tehran Police Spiegel moved to France and joined Strasbourg (1973-1976) and Olympique Lyon (1976-1978) before returning to Israel for a second tenure at Maccabi (1978/79) which resulted with the league championship at the end of that season Spiegel also played a central role in Israel’s footballing history as he led the national U19’s side to win the Youth Asia Football Championship in 1965 beating Burma in the Finals which was played in Tokyo he set-up the winning goal for Mordechai ‘Motalle’ Spiegler in the victory over Australia (1969) which booked Israel’s historic qualification to the 1970 World Cup Spiegel then repeated the feat at the finals in Mexico as well setting up Spiegler’s goal in the 1-1 group stage draw against Sweden which was the Blue and Whites only goal to date at that stage of the competition Spiegel scored 18 goals in 44 international appearances for Israel between 1965-1980 began a coaching career returning to Maccabi in 1988 and guiding the first team to a State Cup victory in 1988 beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-1 in the final Sign up for FREE in 2 easy steps to gain access to all online content and our newsletter: We are excited to welcome you to Maccabi Tel Aviv FC online please confirm your email address by opening the link in the email we sent you when you signed up In the email you will find your membership number In order to complete your registration please sign in Your spot/s will be saved for 10 minutes in order for you to be able to complete the registration A code was sent to your mobile phone please click on it in order to confirm your registration Victory Supermarket Chain (TASE: VCTR) CEO Eyal Ravid is in talks to sell the seven Tel Aviv branches of the Victory City sub-chain The companies interested in buying Victory City are not large chains by three small companies The companies will be prepared to operate the Victory City branches on Friday nights and Saturdays thus allowing rivals to reap the profits instead Victory City has seven branches in central Tel Aviv in Ahad Ha'am Ravid announced that he planned opening 50 Victory City branches in the Tel Aviv Metropolitan region on the AM:PM neighborhood format to compete with rivals like Shufersal Express Ravid announced that he was reconsidering the chain's options after Victory City contributed to a 0.4% decline in operational profits in the first half of 2023 Victory prefers to focus resources on large branches in more peripheral locations Victory plans to open four such branches - 1,000 square meter stores in Tel Mond and Harish and a more than 3,000 square meter store in Dimona Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 13 Second-hand apartments sold Tel Aviv and central region Tel Aviv: A 80-sq.m. in Park TLV was sold for NIS 2.34 (RE-MAX - Ocean) fourth floor roof-apartment with an 80-sq.m seventh floor apartment with an elevator but no parking on Sheshet Hayamim Boulevard was sold for NIS 1.58 million ground floor apartment with no elevator and no parking on Herman Cohen St was sold for NIS 2.98 million (Anglo-Saxon) fourth floor apartment on David Yisrael St in the Marmarek neighborhood was sold for NIS 950,000 seventh floor mini-penthouse apartment with a 20-sq.m was sold for NIS 2.34 million (RE-Max - Metropolitan) three-floor semi-detached house on a 502-sq.m sixth floor apartment with an elevator and share parking in need of renovation on Menucha Venachala St was sold for NIS 1.382 million (Anglo-Saxon) lot on Dan Street was sold for NIS 3.05 million third floor apartment with an elevator and parking on Shnir St garden apartment with parking on Slutzkin St was sold for NIS 1.88 (RE-MAX - Miktzoanim) Haifa and the north Kiryat Bialik: A 107-sq.m. was sold for NIS 740,000 (RE-Max - Family) third floor apartment on Kibbutz Galuyot St was sold for NIS 525,000 (RE-MAX - Halutzim) lot was sold for NIS 1.795 million (RE-MAX - Halutzim) Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 28 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd The brother of an Israeli woman who survived the Hamas-led attack on Israel a year ago only to die by suicide on her 22nd birthday blames government agencies that failed to treat her post-traumatic stress disorder Shirel Golan and her partner Adi were among thousands who fled the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im as militants began murdering and kidnapping the partygoers on Oct says she was supposed to spend last Sunday celebrating with her family her boyfriend found her dead in the garden at her parents' home in the central Israeli town of Porat Shirel Golan was buried Monday at Tel Mond Cemetery Her brother says she died because the state social security and welfare agencies failed to help her "They are 100% accountable for my sister's death," said Golan who said he also has suffered from PTSD stemming from his military service in 2021 my arrows are pointing at those two elements." Golan fondly remembers Shirel as an infant how he helped his parents change her diapers He said with a laugh that when he had a daughter Shirel became more interested in his family than him That was before Hamas-led militants swarmed across the border into Israel killing almost 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage Nearly 400 of the deaths took place at the Nova music festival The entire family worried about her and seldom left her alone for long adding that the government agencies provided little assistance They didn't do any active measures to help." Golan said he hopes his sister's death will spur the government agencies to be more proactive "PTSD is a problem not just in Israel," he said "The problem is worldwide and we need to stand up." 'We know they were raped' in captivity: Chilling details of what hostages faced ∎ Israel's retaliation for an Iranian missile barrage three weeks ago will likely only be a symbolic “limited attack,” Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari told the Iranian Student News Network Israel has warned of a significant retaliation ∎ Seven East Jerusalem residents have been arrested on suspicion of planning attacks in Israel including the assassination of an Israeli nuclear scientist and a mayor in central Israel The suspects are all ages 19 to 23 and were recruited by an Iranian agent Israel has not only killed the leader of the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon but his heir apparent as well Hashem Safieddine, expected to succeed the slain Hassan Nasrallah, was "eliminated'' three weeks ago when the Israeli military hit Hezbollah’s main intelligence headquarters south of Beirut, the IDF said in a statement It was the first confirmation of his death The IDF said the strike also killed Hezbollah intelligence head Ali Hussein Hazima The assassinations are the Israeli military's latest achievements in a campaign to decapitate Hezbollah's leadership claiming its top prize by killing Nasrallah in a Sept had been appointed to Hezbollah's Jihad Council − the body responsible for its military operations − and to its executive council in charge of financial and administrative affairs In recent weeks Israel has significantly turned up the heat on its previously simmering border conflict with Hezbollah the most potently armed of Iran's proxies in the Middle East Right after Hamas-led militants launched their brutal invasion of Israel border communities on Oct Hezbollah began launching rockets toward northern Israel in solidarity Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to capitalize on the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by ending the conflict in Gaza and securing the release of Hamas-held hostages also emphasized the need for Israel to boost humanitarian assistance into Gaza the department said in a statement following their meeting The Biden administration has repeatedly expressed hope that the death of Sinwar would help expedite a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of more than 100 Israeli hostages has rejected any further hostage releases until Israeli troops exit the battered enclave The leaders discussed a postwar Gaza that Blinken said "allows Palestinians to rebuild their lives and provides governance rights chief said he was “appalled” by a deadly Israeli strike nearly a Beirut hospital late Monday and demanded a “prompt and thorough investigation.” Officials in Lebanon said the attack killed at least 18 people “I am appalled by the Israeli strike near Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut’s densely populated Jnah neighborhood,” Volker Turk said in a statement “The fundamental principles of international humanitarian law concerning the protection of civilians must be respected.” The Israeli military said Tuesday that its jets hit a Hezbollah target near the hospital late Monday but did not hit the hospital said the hospital was damaged: "Whether it was targeted or not The Israel military says one of its Hezbollah financial targets attacked this week was a bunker that contained tens of millions of dollars in cash and gold Daniel Hagari did not say whether the money had been seized or destroyed in the attack “One of our main targets last night was an underground vault," Hagari said at a briefing "The money was being used to finance Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel." Hagari also said another bunker filled with cash and gold was under a hospital in Beirut but said the vault had not been targeted yet there is at least half a billion dollars in dollar bills and gold stored in this bunker,” Hagari said “This money could and still can be used to rebuild the state of Lebanon.” The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency called Tuesday for a temporary truce to allow people to leave areas of northern Gaza as health officials said they were running out of supplies to treat patients hurt in a three-week-old Israeli offensive said the humanitarian situation had reached a dire point as bodies are abandoned by roadsides or buried under rubble people are just waiting to die," he said in a statement on the X platform to enable safe humanitarian passage for families who wish to leave the area & reach safer places," he said If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services Affluent Israelis Set Their Sights on a New Suburban Dream'Wake up to an ocean view walk to the beach barefoot and play tennis in the backyard': Massive homes with few neighbors are turning Haifa's coastal communities into prime real estate Azoulay wrote in the Davar newspaper in April 1964 “The Jewish Agency and the other settlement institutions keep promising to improve the standard of living in our moshav The small agricultural plots have been worked for years already and have been depleted and the Israel Land Authority won’t let us build factories Does the Jewish Agency intend to bury the moshavim This is how you abandon 700 souls in Israel.” "\/liveblog_entry\/idf-announces-4-soldiers-killed-fighting-hamas-in-southern-gaza\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=3b3xm4Bl7vVKNJdDddyDlXFu4Ymo3bstPMSbxxOvXGs-1746483741-1.0.1.1-2DeMyxisLucvJuFexJoixXGSGxBhXnIcePX9tLc.seo" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null The Tel Aviv coastline is crowded with a mishmosh of skyscrapers, Ottoman-inspired villas, and four-story cubes painted a sunlight-reflecting shade of white. Eclecticism is synonymous with the city, whose architecture matches its melting pot of residents. But in a place where stylistic jumble is the standard, one strain stands out as the defining architectural aesthetic and a beloved household name: Bauhaus Even Tel Avivians with limited design backgrounds will proudly tout that their city is a Bauhaus destination But given Tel Aviv’s distance from the Bauhaus’s German birthplace—both geographically and culturally—how did Israel’s cultural capital become such a stronghold for Bauhaus design But shuttering the school had the opposite effect: It launched Bauhaus design ambassadors into a worldwide diaspora allowing modernism to take root outside Germany led the architecture department at Chicago’s Illinois Institute of Technology The 700 total students that enrolled at the Bauhaus during its short 14-year existence dispersed globally and Shlomo Bernstein—who moved to British Mandatory Palestine in the 1930s a modernist architect’s dream: the chance to shape a 20th-century city almost from scratch serving thousands of newcomers in need of housing and urban amenities That city was the newly established Mediterranean metropolis of Tel Aviv Locally dubbed “The White City” for its pearly plaster veneers the cluster of buildings arose from a unique combination of circumstances It was partially a happy accident: An urgent demand for housing overlapped with the style’s popularity “[Tel Aviv’s adoption of the International Style] was a historical coincidence,” Micha Gross “During the years Tel Aviv was being constructed the International Style in architecture was ‘in.’” Modernist architecture also appealed to the large influx of German Jewish immigrants who many of whom had to leave significant assets behind low construction costs that didn’t sacrifice style were a major draw “One thing that made it easier to adopt the International Style in Tel Aviv was the fact that it was very simple, for a society that couldn’t afford affluence,” Eran Neuman, an architecture professor and the curator of a recent Arieh Sharon retrospective at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art you didn’t need a lot of money to build an International Style building.” No decorative tiles or ornamental plasterwork meant cheaper construction that could be executed by less-specialized craftsmen And the communal ideals of the Bauhaus—which aimed to break down barriers between fine artists and manufacturers—resonated with Tel Aviv’s mostly working-class founding generation who wanted architecture that reflected egalitarian values the mirror of society,” Sharon wrote in his book Kibbutz + Bauhaus: An architect’s way in a new land (1976) directing future development of the community.” Sharon used architecture to forge community in his crowning achievement of the 1930s: the Cooperative Workers Residences (1933–35) in central Tel Aviv whose inspiration has been attributed to the Gropius-designed Bauhaus dormitories in Dessau included many shared spaces for residents to meet The majority of Tel Aviv’s International Style buildings didn’t recall their Bauhaus predecessors Tel Aviv architects adapted the International Style to the city’s harsh Mediterranean climate in order to reduce the potential greenhouse effects of the strong Middle Eastern sunlight The horizontal ribbon windows that graced European International Style buildings were replaced with dramatic balconies creating horizontal lines that broke up otherwise geometric exteriors; while they functionally allowed for shade and ventilation they were also a sneaky form of embellishment since the striking shadows cast by the balconies ornamentally shifted throughout the day A tour guide at the Bauhaus Center Tel Aviv emphasized: “Bauhaus in Tel Aviv is a Tel Avivian Bauhaus.” Derech Begin by Shlomo Liaskovski & Jacob Orenstein When the Nazis expelled the Bauhaus from Berlin they couldn’t have imagined that the school’s design aesthetic would find a warm embrace in the outstretched terraces of the first modern Jewish city which allows us to envisage a new aspect of architecture,” Gropius wrote of the beginnings of the International Style in his book The New Architecture and the Bauhaus (1965) which severed ties with birthplaces in Europe the International Style helped sketch blueprints for a new future the current head of the Tel Mond council and former mayor of the Haifa suburb of Kiryat Yam was arrested on Monday on suspicion of corruption The brown smudges on Sima Amsalem’s forearms exude a chocolaty aroma as she extends a hand of greeting at her Sweet N’ Karem chocolate factory in Jerusalem’s artsy Ein Karem neighborhood For a woman whose waking hours are enrobed in chocolate like a fine praline It could be that the demand for her sweets doesn’t leave her much time for munching “My customer base is always growing,” she tells ISRAEL21c while piping fillings into pralines for a wedding as a co-worker rolls truffles for guestrooms at a boutique hotel across the lane “Every time we think we’ve finished all the orders The gourmet chocolate scene in Israel is as hot as the molten brown liquid spinning in Amsalem’s tempering machines It reportedly accounts for about $5.3 million of the overall $40 million domestic chocolate market The Jewish high holidays are also high season in chocolate retail sales The much-loved confection is not new to the region. Elite, Israel’s leading mass-marketed brand of chocolate, was established in 1933 by three immigrant families and is still going strong after merging with the Strauss Group Israel’s second largest food and beverage company Ornat was Israel’s first manufacturer of handmade pralines Today it runs a visitors center and factory store in Gush Tel Mond strictly kosher items are sold in many outlets throughout Israel and over the Internet But the idea of premium chocolate as an Israeli product entered the global consciousness only in the last decade, with Strauss Group’s 2001 acquisition of Max Brenner “Chocolate by the Bald Man” Business partners Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner founded Max Brenner in 1996 with the goal of creating “a new culture of chocolate” in Israel Inspired by Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka character they concocted first-class treats from beans grown in Ecuador with accessories to evince a whole-chocolate environment Max Brenner chocolate boutiques and Chocolate Bar eateries dot Israel and Australia with additional locations in Singapore and the Philippines has relocated to New York and the confections are no longer made by hand gourmet chocolate shops have sprung up selling their own and/or other brands of handcrafted goodies Israeli-made pralines and truffles are distinguished by their Middle Eastern/Asian flavors and fillings such as passion fruit Amsalem’s intimate relationship with her chocolate rubs off on her workers and the drop-ins who come just for the chance to package the finished products prettily “We speak with the chocolate; we tell it how much we love it “It’s all women here,” adds Gil “We talk about our families and lives while we work.” Sweet N’ Karem was founded by Amsalem’s husband Ofer about six years ago Ofer makes the premium ice cream in the retail chocolate store around the corner while Sima manages the factory because chocolate keeps people together,” smiles Sima though oddly enough the couple’s eight-year-old son does not care for chocolate You’ll hear the same passion in the voice of Galit Alpert, another young mother. Her Galita Chocolate Farm at Kibbutz Degania Bet is based on three years of intensive chocolate- and ice cream-making internships she completed in Belgium I found myself by accident leaving Israel for Belgium for several years,” says Alpert “I got there and discovered a whole new world of chocolate and I fell in love.” she perfected her pralines before moving the operation to Degania What I created here is not only a chocolate shop café and factory but also a tourist center about chocolate for adults and children two and up.” She employs 30-40 female kibbutzniks and area college students who churn out 27 different kinds of pralines as well as fun gift items such as chocolate spoons and shot glasses sold online and to a growing number of Israeli mall stores She’s working on getting Galita into some foreign markets The raw materials are sourced from Belgium and the staff is trained by Alpert in Belgian methods Galita products are made with fresh ingredients and contain no colorings much of the premium chocolate business in Israel is firmly in the hands of women working on their own or with their husbands scientific studies have confirmed that the stuff appeals to the female gender in particular: A much-cited US survey even found that many women would rather eat chocolate than have sex Karina Chaplinski, a third-generation Argentinean chocolate confectioner, established De Karina Handmade Mountain Chocolates in Ein Zivan after emigrating to Israel with her husband and children eight years ago Products are sold in the airport’s duty-free shop and in high-end hotels De Karina operates a popular visitor’s center where adults and kids can watch the preparation of truffles and candies sculpt with chocolate and sample tantalizing treats in a strictly kosher chocolate dessert café “We have so many people coming from all around the world that you have to book in advance,” says marketing director Ruth Sade “Many groups from the [United] States ask their tour operator to schedule a stop here.” De Karina has capitalized on its location to associate its brand with the picturesque Golan Heights a chocolate cone filled with dulce de leche dipped in white chocolate a popular Rosh Hashanah treat made with milk These sell well in the airport duty-free shops “To see someone who made aliyah [emigrated to Israel] and established a company that’s successful and sweet gives tourists a good feeling.” chocolate is making Israel into a sweet startup nation This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment Indiana University provides funding as a member of The Conversation US View all partners Israeli officials and Jewish South African activists inaugurated a memorial park in Tel Mond Gan Siyabonga (We Thank You Garden) commemorates several dozen Jewish South African anti-apartheid activists who had personal connections to Israel The main sponsors of Gan Siyabonga are the Jewish National Fund South Africa and South African Zionist Federation The park’s creation is a milestone in the South African Jewish community’s decades-long introspection into its complex relations with the apartheid regime This memorial site is unique in Israel, where an estimated 20,000 South Africans live Gan Siyabonga is the first site in Israel to highlight the involvement of Jews in the anti-apartheid struggle. It is also unique because it calls attention to a group that was both anti-apartheid and pro-Zionist, or at least not anti-Zionist. The combination is considered unconventional today. That’s because Zionism the political ideology that favours a Jewish state is largely associated in South Africa with collaboration with apartheid and the oppression of Palestinians Gan Siyabonga is a reminder that relations between Zionism and apartheid In the last few years I have been working on a PhD dissertation that explores this complexity Digging into archives and historical periodicals revealed a fascinating story that defies some assumptions Israel is commonly remembered as one of the last allies of apartheid South Africa. From the mid-1970s, the Israeli government maintained close relations with the minority white regime in Pretoria The accusation that Israel practises apartheid-like policies against Palestinians is another reason Israel hasn’t been seen as anti-apartheid. Recent anti-Zionist rhetoric by some Jewish veterans of the South African struggle, such as Ronnie Kasrils strengthened this feeling of unbridgeable contradiction between Israel and anti-apartheid values But anti-apartheid activism and Zionism were not always in conflict many radical anti-apartheid activists were sympathetic towards Israel and Zionism’s more progressive strands In 1948, most radical activists in South Africa supported the establishment of the State of Israel and its war against the invading Arab armies in Palestine. The Guardian, the main radical weekly in South Africa at the time (linked to the South African Communist Party), rooted for an Israeli victory Young Israel was a symbol of opposition to racial persecution and fascism. Those two themes strongly resonated with South African anti-apartheid activists. They tended to see the Afrikaner National Party as an ideological relative of the Nazis The initial Soviet support for Israel and a prominent socialist element within Zionism Sympathy towards Israel diminished considerably after the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967 and 1973 But relations between anti-apartheid activism and Zionism remained complicated But they acknowledged its role in forming their radical worldview Jewish liberal activists usually expressed support for Israel in various ways Developments since the mid-1970s have largely overshadowed the complex history of Zionism’s engagement with the apartheid regime The anti-apartheid struggle became tightly associated with the Palestinian struggle the ANC reaffirmed its commitment to its Palestinian allies Israel and South Africa’s Jewish communities have a long and ambiguous history of entanglement with race politics There were admirable moments in this history But there were also periods of complicity with racism both sides of this history are largely forgotten Gan Siyabonga is an important first step in placing this history in the Israeli public sphere you are probably a self-confident individualist with no hesitation to stand out from the crowd So says Yael Cohen, one of Israel’s few traditional milliners. Her home-based business, Justine Hats has attracted customers on three continents who generally fit this profile Recently, Cohen was one of 24 Israeli designers chosen to be part of a pop-up commercial exhibition in Hong Kong Justine Hats are already sold in a boutique there and I think it will be a great market for me,” she says from her workshop next door to her house in Tel Mond “They wear hats as part of their fashion identity.” Cohen studied art and design at the Holon Institute of Technology and earned a second degree in cinema at Tel Aviv University Her interest in drama is evident in her hats which she considers “three-dimensional sculptural objects that define and characterize the identity of the people wearing them.” Cohen says the last five years have seen a hat trend partly fueled by high-profile celebrities such as British royal Kate Middleton Yet the art of millinery is not widespread and Cohen spent an intense two weeks in the studio of a British milliner before starting Justine Hats in 2013 “Making hats in Israel presents challenges because all the material has to be imported,” she says “but I like that I am unique in my field.” Her skills are in demand not only by customers but also by the future fashion designers she teaches at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Ramat Gan Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem and in private and group lessons in her studio “Students find millinery interesting and different who named her business after a character in a book In addition to her online store – which also stocks hat pins and hat-making supplies — and overseas boutiques she sells her wares through Etsy.com and gets orders from places including the US Her studio produces two collections each year – winter and summer – with fanciful names such as “Wings of Desire” and “Body and Soul.” start at $80 for a straw fedora and cost up to $320 for a style made of cotton felt and fur She also makes custom hats for events like weddings Every handcrafted item is dried for 24 hours while stretched on a wooden head “I love the freedom that a handmade technique allows me because it makes me constantly re-invent,” says Cohen some creations like the one shown below are a direct result of her original idea not working out as planned “I do not always know what I’m doing,” she confides Israeli soldiers continue to battle Hamas fighters in the streets of southern Israel on Sunday a day after the unprecedented surprise attack by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip Hundreds of civilians have been killed on both sides Fire and smoke rise following an Israeli airstrike The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations Palestinian health officials reported scores of deaths from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza A Palestinian child walks with a bicycle by the rubble of a building after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building after it was struck by an Israeli airstrike Israelis run to take cover in a shelter as a siren sounds a warning of incoming rockets fired from the Gaza strip Rockets are fired toward Israel from the Gaza Strip Smoke rises from an explosion on the Islamic National Bank following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City Palestinian relatives mourn over the body of Ahmad Awawda who was killed in clashes with Israeli troops near the city of Nablus the previous day during his funeral in the West Bank city of Jenin Awawda was a member of the Jenin Battalion armed group Israelis inspect the rubble of a building a day after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip Israeli soldiers patrol a street in the Israeli town of Metula as seen from the Lebanese side of the Lebanese-Israeli border in the southern village of Kfar Kila Israeli soldiers battled Hamas fighters in the streets of Israel’s south on Sunday and exchanged strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group in the north while Israel’s retaliation strikes leveled buildings in Gaza Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike Mourners pray by the bodies of Salem Abu Quta family members during a funeral after they were killed in an Israeli strike on their house in Rafah refugee camp A relative carries a body of the Abu Dagga family who were killed in an Israeli airstrike y during their funeral in Khan Younis Israeli police retrieve weapons used by militants outside a police station that was overrun by Hamas gunmen on Saturday Hamas militants stormed over the border fence Saturday killing hundreds of Israelis in surrounding communities A Palestinian inspects the rubble of a high rise building destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City early Sunday Israeli soldiers are battling Hamas fighters in the streets of southern Israel and launching airstrikes on Gaza a day after an unprecedented surprise attack by Hamas fighters People stand outside a mosque destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis The Hamas militants broke out of the blockaded Gaza Strip and rampaged through nearby Israeli communities Palestinian militants attend the funeral of Ahmad Awawda Israeli soldiers deploy between the houses in the Israeli town of Metula Israel (AP) — The Israeli government formally declared war and gave the green light for “significant military steps” to retaliate against Hamas for its surprise attack as the military labored into Monday to crush fighters still in southern towns and intensified its bombardment of the Gaza Strip The toll passed 1,100 dead and thousands wounded on both sides Israel said it brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four Israeli sites from Hamas fighters including two kibbutzim that militants entered earlier in their attacks Footage released by Israeli police from one area showed forces kneeling in tall grass as they exchanged fire with Hamas militants across an open field The declaration of war portended greater fighting ahead and a major question was whether Israel would launch a ground assault into Gaza a move that in the past has brought intensified casualties Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group claimed to have taken captive more than 130 people from inside Israel and brought them into Gaza saying they would be traded for the release of thousands of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel was the first sign of the scope of abductions The captives are known to include soldiers and civilians children and older adults — mostly Israelis but also some people of other nationalities The Israeli military said only that the number of captives is “significant.” The Israeli military estimated 1,000 Hamas fighters took part in Saturday’s initial incursion The high figure underscored the extent of planning by the militant group ruling Gaza which has said it launched the attack in response to mounting Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza gunning down civilians and snatching people in towns along highways and at a techno music festival attended by thousands in the desert The rescue service Zaka said it removed about 260 bodies from the festival It was not clear how many of those bodies were already included in Israel’s overall toll Israel hit more than 800 targets in Gaza so far including airstrikes that leveled much of the town of Beit Hanoun in the enclave’s northeast corner Daniel Hagari told reporters Hamas was using the town as a staging ground for attacks and most of the community’s population of tens of thousands likely fled beforehand on all gathering (places) and routes” used by Hamas Civilians on both sides were already paying a high price The Israeli military was evacuating at least five towns close to Gaza A line of people snaked outside a central Israel police station to supply DNA samples and other means that could help identify missing family members said she learned that her two daughters had been abducted when a relative sent her photos from a Telegram group showing them sitting on mattresses in captivity She then found online videos of a chilling scene in her ex-husband’s home in the town of Nahal Oz: Gunmen who had broken in speak to him Another video showed the father being taken across the border into Gaza “Just bring my daughters home and to their family a tiny enclave of 2.3 million people sealed off by an Israeli-Egyptian blockade for 16 years since the Hamas takeover Israeli strikes flattened some residential buildings Nasser Abu Quta said 19 members of his family including his wife were killed when an airstrike hit their home where they were huddling on the ground floor in the southern Gaza city of Rafah with children and women,” the 57-year-old Abu Quta said by telephone The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the strike Another strike in the same city early Monday killed 11 the retaliatory Israeli airstrikes had destroyed 159 housing units across Gaza and severely damaged 1,210 others It said the number of displaced Gazans had jumped by tens of thousands said a school sheltering more than 225 people took a direct hit said at least 700 people have been killed in Israel Some 2,000 people have been wounded on each side An Israeli official said security forces have killed 400 militants and captured dozens more a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group fanned fears that the fighting could expand into a wider regional war Hezbollah fired rockets and shells Sunday at Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border The Israeli military said the situation was calm after the exchange The declaration of war on Hamas announced by Israel’s Security Cabinet was largely symbolic the head of the Israel Democracy Institute but it “demonstrates that the government thinks we are entering a more lengthy Israel has carried out major military campaigns over the past four decades in Lebanon and Gaza that it portrayed as wars The Security Cabinet also approved “significant military steps.” The steps were not defined but the declaration appears to give the military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a wide mandate Netanyahu’s office said the aim will be the destruction of Hamas’ “military and governing capabilities” to an extent that prevents it from threatening Israelis “for many years.” Israelis were still reeling from the breadth ferocity and surprise of the Hamas assault The group’s fighters broke through Israel’s security fence surrounding the Gaza Strip early Saturday even paragliders and speedboats on the coast they moved into nearby Israeli communities — as many as 22 locations A Palestinian celebrates by a burning Israeli civilian car taken from Kfra Azza kibbutz in Beit Lahiya The high death toll and slow response to the onslaught pointed to a major intelligence failure and undermined the long-held perception that Israel has eyes and ears everywhere in the small densely populated territory it has controlled for decades The presence of hostages in Gaza complicates Israel’s response Israel has a history of making heavily lopsided exchanges to bring captive Israelis home An Egyptian official said Israel sought help from Cairo to ensure the safety of the hostages Egypt also spoke with both sides about a potential cease-fire but Israel was not open to a truce “at this stage,” according to the official who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to brief media six Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers Sunday around the West Bank Julia Frankel and Josef Federman in Jerusalem; Issam Adwan in Rafah Gaza Strip; Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Samy Magdy in Cairo and Amir Vahdat in Tehran learn that they are no different from their peers 6,630 miles around the world during a trip to Sarasota sponsored by the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation and 12 young ambassadors -- participants ranging in ages from 14 to 18 -- for a weeklong cultural exchange Tel Mond is one of Sarasota's sister cities "Students staying with local host families have an opportunity to get a feel for what life is like here." said Patti Wertheimer 17-year-old Shir Amir and 15-year-old Lior Hirschowitz "It is a lot different than I imagined; it is a lot bigger and more colorful." the people are very nice and the beaches are amazing The nonprofit organization has planned a week filled with activities for the visiting students They are also giving back by doing some beach cleanup the young ambassadors will visit groups and schools sharing stories about their lives in Israel A special performance by the Sabras was held on Saturday to a sold-out crowd at the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation's Sarasota campus The group performed songs and told stories about their homeland The performance was a part of the yearlong birthday celebration the federation is holding in honor of Israel at 60 The annual exchange program designed by the federation brings students from Tel Mond to Sarasota and in the summer sends a group there for two weeks The purpose of the program is to provide youths from both countries with the opportunity to foster relationships and build partnerships between the communities "This is the first time that we are bringing kids from Israel and taking kids to Israel in the same year," Wertheimer said 27 Sarasota young ambassadors will travel to Tel Mond for two weeks during the summer.