Nalagaat Center

For a completely different dining experience, T in Tel Aviv recommends an evening at the Nalagaat Center in Jaffa.

Nalagaat ("do touch" in Hebrew) is Israel's first deaf and blind theater company. In addition to the theater productions at the Nalagaat Center there aretwo restaurants for pre and post theater. Even a non theater evening is a pleasure.

Café Kapish (Hebrew site only) is a casual restaurant where the staff is deaf. We enjoyed our light dinner of salads, soup and pasta. Communicating is not at all challenging as the young staff is attentive to your every request and eager to please. The menu has some sign language tips in it and the paper tablecloths also offer some basic sign language expressions that you can use such as "thank you, please and drink". One of the three waiters that served us wrote a few words on the mini-white board that was on our table – game, basketball, cake, family and play – and gave us a quick sign lesson.

The performances start at 8:30 p.m. If you are not attending the show I would recommend dining after the performance begins since the space is not at all sound proof and is quite noisy until the crowd enters the theater. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST. Note that the dairy menu is not overly child friendly (pasta was in a wine sauce) but very tasty.

There is another restaurant on the premises – Blackout. Under the auspicious of Israeli celebrity chef, Nir Tzuk the restaurant is in the dark, the staff blind and your food ordered before entering the darkened space. There are two options for dining here. One is a meal that is served from 6:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m. (before the performance) and is 90 shekels per person. The second is a 3 course meal for 140 shekels per person that is served from 9:00 p.m. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST.

The Nalagaat Center is open for dinner and the performance on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information – 03-633-0808.

2008 President's Medal for Volunteerism

On Wednesday, July 3, 2008, President Shimon Peres presented the 2008 President's Medal for Volunteerism. Among the 12 recipients was T in Tel Aviv's cousin, Mr. Wolf (Zeev) Factor. Wolf was honored for his work on behalf of 30,000 needy Israeli Holocaust survivors.



The President presented a special citation to the parents, sister and twin brother of the late Omri Gilor "for an extraordinary act to benefit society". Omri Gilor, a 12 year old boy, was critically injured in April when a mound of sand that he was playing on collapsed, burying him alive. About two months before this tragic accident he had told his mother that if something happened to him he wanted to donate his organs. To make sure that his wishes were carried out he carried an organ donor card with him. Following his death, his organs were transplanted into the bodies of 7 children ages 8- 16.

Only in Israel - UPDATE July 27,2008

Until the end of July (that's one more Friday) Beit Tefilah Israeli is holding seaside Kabbalat Shabbat services at the Tel Aviv port (Hebrew site). Due to popular demand the services will also be held on Fridays throughout the month of August!!

Beit Tefilah Israeli is a relatively new congregation of secular and traditional Jews that celebrates holidays and Shabbat together in a way that combines Jewish tradition and Israeli culture.

Services begin at 18:30 (don't be late, they start on time) and are very child friendly. The music is ala Carlebach and BCI accompanied by piano, flute and cello.

T in Tel Aviv was one of at least 250 people that gathered this past Friday at sunset on the wood deck across from Hangar 14. Fortunately the crashing waves drowned out the sound of the show off on his jet ski doing acrobatics in the background.

A wonderful Tel Aviv experience!

La Traviata in the Park


Los Angeles has its legendary outdoor concerts at the Hollywood Bowl but Tel Aviv has its annual Opera in the Park performance.




The Israeli Opera and the Municipality of Tel Aviv presented Verdi's La Traviata in Tel Aviv's main park, Ganei Yehoshua. For opera buffs: Israeli soprano Mirela Gradinaru portrayed the title role of Violetta. American tenor Scott Piper made his Israeli Opera debut as Alfredo and the role of Germont, Alfredo's father, was performed by Israeli bass baritone Vladimir Braun. The performance was conducted by Omer M. Wellber, the Israeli Opera conductor in residence, who most recently conducted La Gioconda at the Israeli Opera. The moderator of the evening, was the Mayor of Tel Aviv Yafo, Mr. Ron Huldai.




More than 70,000 people gathered in the park for the free performance on July 10th. T in Tel Aviv supplied her family with a picnic dinner and plastic water bottle containing a Dalton Fume Blanc. (glass bottles not allowed)

At the end of the concert Mayor Huldai announced that as part of Tel Aviv's centennial celebrations in 2009, the famed La Scala Opera of Milan is coming to Tel Aviv! Verdi's Aida and a one time performance of Verdi's Requiem will be on the program. More on the Tel Aviv celebrations as time goes by.

Summer Limoncello

Summer has arrived. It is hot and humid in Tel Aviv. The same is probably true for your location. Limoncello is the perfect hot weather drink to finish a great meal with. I've been making my own limoncello for past few years.

Here's an easy recipe:

2 - 750 ml bottles of Everclear (pure grain alchohol) - use Vodka as an alternative*
18 - Lemons
4 - Cups of Water
4 - Cups of Sugar


Pour the bottles of Everclear or vodka into a pot. Peel the lemons making sure that you only peel off the rind, not the pith. Place the peels in the liquid. Let this stand covered in a cool place for at least 2 weeks until the rind is white. The longer the better.

After 2 weeks have gone by boil the water and sugar to make a syrup. Remove the now white lemon rinds. Add the syrup and let this mixture sit for another 3 weeks. If you remember, try to give the mixture a little movement from time to time. After three weeks pour the mixture into glass bottles (remember to save the empty bottles of Everclear/Vodka + about 2 more bottles).

Put the bottles in the freezer but be careful if they are on their side. The bottles might leak...and yes, limoncello is sticky. You can store the bottles upright in the refrigerator and put a bottle in the freezer a few hours before serving. Serve in ice cold shot glasses.

You can also polish furniture with limoncello. (joke)

Note that vodka is lower in alchohol than Everclear and can freeze.

*It is illegal to sell the 95% (190 proof) version of Everclear in the following states:Ohio, California, Minnesota, Pennyslyvania, Maine, Michigan, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Hawaii, New York, Massachusetts and Florida.