# 23 – Neve Tsedek

Hope you’re not fed up with this cuttings from daily life here in Israel.

I do have a couple more observations from you.

It has been a lovely weekend here (Friday/Saturday). Perfect weather. Aviva and I yesterday had lunch on the beach.

Eliana chose this weekend to move out – it comes to every pair of parents. But she has moved into really the most attractive area of the old part of Tel Aviv, Neve Zadek. In fact, I think I’ll attach a picture of the building. Small streets, usually a parking space for even the visitors, close to the sea, 500 meters from Tel Aviv’s main outdoor market, quaint boutiques and restaurants etc. etc.

Today, while walking along the Hayarkon river in the same-named park, I passed the scouts centre, which was packed with kids. Yes, we have them here.

Unfair: How come the European football authorities insist on Israeli teams’ matches to be played overseas, but not the basketball. On Thursday, Maccabi Tel Aviv were hosts to CSKA Moscow. Great match in front of perhaps 10,000 partisan fans, which the Muscovites snatched at the last gong.

At the same time, Maccabi Haifa were playing their football match against Valencia in the cold and almost empty Gelsenkirchen stadium. (Should have been in Turkey, but that country has joined Israel as the one to avoid because of terrorism). They were already up against it – Valencia are a class team. But the misery of playing both home and away matches abroad must get to you.

I was pleased that BBC reported the ‘phenomenon’ of an Arab Israeli winning Israel’s recent reality show – the Israeli public had the vote – and his prize is to host a show on Israeli (Hebrew) TV – the first Arab to do so. Of course, there is also an Arab Israeli channel, but this is something special. And it’s been well-documented in the local press.

Imagine Shmuel Rosenberg wining the equivalent competition in Egypt.

Continue to have a good weekend.

Stephen