More Memorials

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Israel - Tel Aviv - Day 4

Tried to go to our favorite salad guy last night but he was closed for Shabbos.  It was back to the Super Yuda. Nothing as helpless as aimlessly wandering the supermarket aisles not having a clue what anything is. We picked up a few things that we could recognize and did not involve cooking. Got it back to the apartment and made a "Jew-Pu" platter. Actually, rather good.

The construction started bright and early so I was immediately on the phone asking when our room will be changed. We are now in an ocean side apartment which has a great view and not quite so much noise.

We took off this morning and headed for Independence Hall. We watched a short film on the birth of Israel and the dream of Theodor Herzl for a Jewish state:

Independence Hall, originally the Dizengoff House (Hebrew: בית דיזנגוף‎) is the site of the signing of Israel's Declaration of Independence. It is located on the historic Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv, Israel. From 1932 to 1971 housing the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, it is currently a museum dedicated to the signing of the Israeli Declaration of Independence and the history of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. .

We made our way back taking side streets and popping into shops and just talking with people. Everyone is very kind and friendly - not at all pushy. Tel Aviv is a rather bland looking city. Here and there you spot something colorful or a different piece of architecture but the norm is quite bland - so I haven't used the camera here as much as in Turkey or Egypt.

Got back to the hotel to see if our apartment was ready - Ha! One thing about this place, there is always free food or drink in the lobby. Today it was orange juice and honest-to-goodness NY Style cheesecake! Coffee, cappuccino, expresso, etc and cookies are available 24/7.

Since the room was ready, we took a stroll down the beach to check out the chaise rentals - in the hopes of actually having a beach day.  Two chaises and an umbrella are 30NIS (shekels) that's about $8 for the whole day. Not bad. Today would have been Jerry B's 71st birthday - so we did the usual ceremony in the Mediterranean Sea,  Passed yet another memorial site at London Square:

During the Second World War, while the British people bravely faced the savage Blitz of London, Jews who somehow managed to survive the horrors of the Holocaust made their way across the Mediterranean to the Land of Israel, despite British mandatory restrictions. 

Tel Aviv's "London Square" memorializes this tragic period in an impressive monument shaped like a ship, lined with photos, newspaper clippings and six walls upon which are engraved the names ships that brought over 12,000 Jews to the shores of Israel.

London Square was established on May 24, 1942. In 2003, a monument to the Ha'apala (the struggle against British immigration policy) was added to commemorate the struggle to bring Jews to the shores of the Land of Israel in spite of the British White Paper Policy forbidding it. Two of the ships memorialized on the walls of the monument – the Parita and Tiger Hill – were deliberately run aground, just opposite on the shores of Tel Aviv. 

After menu hopping our way down the beach, we lunched at the restaurant right next to the hotel. Turned out to be a great deal. A real abundance of food. Back at the hotel we found that the cheese cake had been replaced with corn soup. Guess we could have just stayed in the lobby. Looks like another light dinner - except tonight we get the sunset view!

Discovered the US Embassy is just around the corner. That's always good to know. Tomorrow is going to be a toss up between another walking tour or the beach. Maybe we can do both. We'll see. For now - Shalom

Next time... Closer to the beach..

TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM: Israel - Tel Aviv - Day 4