Israel for Beginners

By now, you should know that one of my favorite places in Israel is Mahane Yehuda ( the marketplace or shuk in Jerusalem); as such, I am quite familiar with the ins and outs of the market. I still enjoyed and learnt from the tasting tour of Mahane Yehuda given by Tali Friedman, a trained chef. She takes participants to her favorite food stalls and provides anecdotes at each stop. But the highlight of the designated stops are the tasting samples which included borekas , dried fruit and nuts, spiced dishes, and halva . At the fish store, Tali prepared tuna ceviche on the spot - both a visual and culinary treat. Afterwards, we went up to her charming cooking studio and rooftop garden, located right above the marketplace. There, we got a small tutorial in cheeses (all bought at the shuk ) which we proceeded to nibble to sample with glasses of wine. Tours can be given in English or Hebrew. Tali Friedman - www.haatelie.com - to schedule a tour or cooking class call 050-461-9687...

I was a huge fan of Lilith when it was a dairy restaurant and I love the concept of Lilith - it is partnered with Elem, an organization that aids teens at risk. However, I have been to Lilith twice since it became a meat restaurant, and, neither time did I walk out with a burning desire to return. The decor is lovely - very modern and sleek, and, overall, Lilith presents an upscale dining experience, but, the food, while good, did not stand out. In fact, even though I was there several weeks ago, I cannot even describe or remember what I had. Lilith - Asia House - 4 Weitzmann Street, Tel Aviv - 03-609-1331 - reservations recommended

Through the end of April, the Litvak Gallery is exhibiting the works of the famous glass artist, Dale Chihuly . The Litvak Gallery is a lovely art space in Tel Aviv and Chihuly's colorful works come alive there. It is not a large exhibit - an hour is sufficient - but the works are absolutely spectacular. I recommend using the audioguides that are distributed at no extra charge. Tickets can be ordered in advance or purchased at the gallery. Litvak Gallery - www.litvak.com - Museum Tower - 4 Berkowitz Street, Tel Aviv - 03-695-9496

In the 1860s, the Russians built the site known as the Russian Compound near the Old City which included a hostel for women making pilgrimages to the Holy Land. When the British came to power, the building was transformed into the central British prison; until 1948, hundreds of Jewish underground members of the Haganah, Etzel and Lehi were housed there together with Arab and Jewish criminals. In 1991, the building was reopened as a museum depicting the unique stories of the underground prisoners. One can walk through the recreated rooms of the prison and see two short films. It is a fascinating piece of history. I did not bring my children but I am told that there are some great activities for children. Museum of the Underground Prisoners - 1 Misheol Hagvurah Street, The Russian Compound, Jerusalem - 02-623-3166

This is the second tour that I have taken with the Tel Aviv Municipality (see September 24, 2010 entry) and once again, I totally enjoyed. The tours, given in Hebrew, are led by different guides and are quite quirky and original. I have yet to find an English tour of Tel Aviv that brings an area of Tel Aviv alive like these tours. The Florentine tour, held on designated Friday mornings, is led by Doron Ozer who is quite familiar and active in the south Tel Aviv area. The historical content of the tour is entertaining (don't look for a comprehensive historical treatise here) and tends to focus on the modern history of the area. The tour ends with a visit to the Lechi museum which I skipped. The real charm of the tour is hearing about and meeting the individuals from all over the world who have made this gritty section of Tel Aviv their home for the last 100 years. Also, the stops at a Greek bakery and a Bukharian eatery for tasty samplers made the tour all the more fun. Tel ...

In the words of Galit Gaon , the creative director of the Design Museum of Holon , "the building itself is the biggest object in our collection". I found the exhibitions of the museum too avant- garde for my taste, but I was blown away by the building itself and its brilliant design. Upon admission to the museum, one is given an audio guide (with a screen) that highlights the many unique aspects of the building that combine creativity with practicality. And, there is a small film that discusses the challenges in constructing such a special building. If you do nothing else on your visit, make sure to see the film and use the audio guide . Also, there is a gift shop that is very pricey but offers some very unusual and interesting objects. If you have time, there is a lovely indoor outdoor cafe tucked in the belly of the building where one can enjoy a cup of coffee among the amazing architecture. Design Museum Holon - 8 Pinhas Ellon Street, Holon - 03-215-1515

Gabriela is the dairy counterpart to Gabriel, an upscale meat restaurant located on the Ben Shetach pedestrian mall in downtown Jerusalem. Gabriela is located right next door, and like Gabriel, offers both indoor and outdoor seating. But, there were two pleasant differences. First, Gabriela offers a much more reasonably priced meal. Second, I am one of the few individuals who has never been a huge fan of Gabriel, but I thoroughly enjoyed the meal at Gabriela. I find that here in Israel there are an abundance of great cafes but few dairy restaurants that leave me satisfied. Gabriela definitely feels the void. We sampled pizza, pasta and fish dishes and all were good to excellent. And the chef makes good use of dairy ingredients to create delicious desserts. I left with a good feeling in my stomach but not at a huge expense to my wallet. Gabriela - 5 Shimon Ben Shetach, Jerusalem - 02-624-6261 - reservations recommended