Tel Aviv: Now a destination for less-traditional Jews during the High Holidays
Mentioned 152 Times in the Bible, Jerusalem was also home to the first and second Temple. That is why the Holy City is considered to be the spiritual hub of Israel and the world at large. It is also why many tourists flock to the Holy City during Rosh Hashanah.
However, on the upcoming High Holidays, Jerusalem may experience competition from the second most populated city in Israel, Tel Aviv.
That’s because Tel Aviv will offer alternative religious programs for less-affiliated Jews, specifically American Jews during the upcoming High Holiday season.
“The American market is usually the biggest market for Tel Aviv,” said Merav Uziel-Raptov, Tel Aviv’s tourism campaign manager.
According to Uziel-Raptov, over 30% of Tel Aviv’s tourists are American. However, the coastal city usually experiences a downward trend in US tourism during the High Holiday season.
Since most Americans are not orthodox, the Tel Aviv municipality is reaching out to those visiting Israel but may not find their place in Jerusalem’s orthodox atmosphere.
That’s why this Rosh Hashanah, the coastal metropolis, will offer several High Holiday-related events with a twist that only Tel Aviv trendsetters could conjure up.
‘Yay it’s Tishrei’ is Tel Aviv’s latest campaign designed to attract Jewish Americans who may feel alienated by the orthodox environment of Jerusalem during the High Holiday season. Tishrei is the first month of the Jewish calendar and is the period when High Holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot take place. The city’s list of events includes selichot at the Tel Aviv Port, tashlich at Gordon Beach, and Shacharit (morning prayers), followed by meditation at the Pisgah Park in Yaffo.
An ad for Tel Aviv’s ‘Yay it’s Tishrei’ campaign (courtesy)
“Tel Aviv can offer a great alternative for Jews ranging from Reform to modern-orthodox,” Uziel-Raptov said. She adds that all types of Jews can now celebrate the High Holidays while enjoying religious flexibility without diminishing the holiday spirit.
As part of the campaign, Tel Aviv’s Beit Tefillah Yisraelit will host egalitarian events that begin on the eve of Rosh Hashana and run through Simchat Torah.
“The Prayers and Jewish services are suitable for all streams of Judaism,” Uziel-Raptov noted.
Other holiday events include selichot tours of old synagogues throughout the city and yoga on the beach.
The campaign features virtual ads aimed at merging ancient tradition with Tel Aviv’s beach/nightlife culture. One ad features the ‘four species,’ an expression used to describe the four crops mentioned in Leviticus 23 that Jews pray with on the Sukkot holiday. But instead of a palm, etrog, willow, and leafy branches, the image features four cocktails, each a different color. And while the Tashlich ceremony traditionally involves throwing bread into lakes and rivers, the ‘Yay it’s Tishrei’ ad features a woman throwing a frisbee into the Meditteranean Sea.
Hollywood actress Claire Danes once called Tel Aviv “the most intense party town I’ve ever been to.” The ‘Yay it’s Tishrei’ campaign could signify that the city is also branching out to become a spiritual alternative to Jerusalem as well.
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