Cross-Cultural Yemenite Quarter Tour
“The essence of culture is not what is visible on the surface. It is the shared ways groups of people understand and interpret the world.”
– L. Hoecklin
I discovered the Yemenite Quarter through spice mixes, scents, flavors and stories told to me by local people. I remember once, while waiting for my slow-food beaf soup to be served, the elderly owner joined me and told me stories of how she remembers the Yemenite Quarter. I had left hours later with a full stomach, the aroma of the Hawaedj seasoning still on my lips and with new stories and tales: food for thought.
This Tel Aviv tour leads you into the colorful, quiet and narrow streets of the Yemenite Quarter. This quarter is a feast for your senses unveiling: Yemenite Jews, spices, little houses, singing and extraordinary life stories. You will hear why this quarter was the first in Tel Aviv but last to be recognized. You will taste varied authentic culinary dishes, hear fascinating stories and biographies that I carefully collected from the elders of the quarter, accompanied with strong spiced coffee or sprinkles of colorful nibbles. You will hear about the local healer and midwife and many other forgotten Yemenite women. You will observe the only quarter in Tel Aviv that was built with a touch of Muslim architecture. During this tour you will discover deep conflicts and tensions between Mizrahi and Ashkenazi jews and fragments of the Israeli society and its various ethnic groups.
Entering this captivating neighborhood, you are sure to experience multiple encounters with locals and their delicious homemade food that will leave you too with Cross-Cultural food for thought.
Meeting Point: Allenby St. 54, Tel Aviv
Timetable: 2 Hours
Languages: English, Hebrew, French
What People Are Saying
“We met with interesting people that their life stories are a journey between the Yemenite tradition and the Western culture and we got to taste some real Yemenite dishes. Ilyll’s enthusiasm made this into an authentic and lively experience of understanding what happens when different cultures meet.”
– Tova B.
“Ilyll was a truly insightful guide, bringing with her a wealth of information sprinkled with hidden treasures and delicious bites from the Yemenite Quarter. I highly recommend this tour to anyone, Israeli or not, who wants to learn they still have so much left to discover about Tel Aviv.”
– Liat K.
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