Michelle Bowman, ARC/GNY Assistant Director of Training and Logistics, writes about her historic trip to Israel to work as an MDA Ambulance Responder.

This weekend marked the end of our first two weeks on the ambulance. Most of us felt like doing nothing more than getting some sleep and relaxing, but we also had a lot left to see in Israel. Now that we're working full time, it"s much harder to find time for sightseeing. Kathryn, Francis and Paul chose to spend the weekend in Jerusalem, but I decided this would be an ideal time to visit Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv is located on the Mediterranean Coast in the middle of Israel, a mere 60 minutes away from Jerusalem by bus. Given this proximity, it is surprising that we have not made it to Tel Aviv more frequently. The city is supposedly much more secular than Jerusalem; many people have told me (with either admiration or disgust in their voice) "Tel Aviv is just like any European city, it might as well not be in Israel”. I was curious to compare Israel’s two major metropolitan areas.

However, there was no reason to rush my trip, so I woke up late on Friday and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with Kathryn. Around 1pm I hopped on a sherut, a small mini van that leaves from downtown Jerusalem whenever it is full for the short trip to Tel Aviv. I fell asleep instantly, and seemed to wake up in a different world.

Tel Aviv’s skyline is tall and modern; maybe not quite New York, but similar to Boston. The entire town immediately seemed to have a much more commercial focus, with numerous large hotels and office buildings. I disembarked from the bus and immediately headed toward Tel Aviv’s biggest draw (in my eyes): the beach. I have always loved the beach, and Tel Aviv’s pristine Mediterranean shoreline is beautiful. A long promenade divides the city from a wide expanse of white sand that, given its metropolitan nature, is remarkably free of litter. Although it was too cold for swimming, many people were walking by the beach, sitting at beachfront cafes, or surfing in the waves (wearing thick wetsuits). Before even finding accommodations, I pulled out my camera and started taking countless pictures.

As expected, my weekend in Tel Aviv turned out to be quite relaxing. The city does not have many official tourist sites, so I spent most of time wandering the streets, trying to “absorb” the city. After visiting the beach, I dropped my stuff off at a hostel, and then visited Tel Aviv’s bustling marketplace, which puts Jerusalem’s market to shame in terms of both quantity and diversity of offerings. Then, I walked a few blocks east to visit Tel Aviv’s bi-weekly artisan market, which indeed felt just like Europe. Local artists sold beautiful homemade goods in small booths along a charming brick street that could have been lifted right out of Paris.

The next day, I walked from northern Tel Aviv to Jaffo, a neighboring town just south of Tel Aviv that is actually the oldest part of the city. Modern Jaffo is a growing tourist destination, with a charming old town, several art museums, and a picturesque park on a hill overlooking the Tel Aviv skyline. On the way to Jaffo I passed a large mall, a developing artist’s village within Tel Aviv proper, countless cafes, and a few tired-looking Israelis who were still wandering home from their long nights out at the clubs. I stopped for one last meal at a restaurant along the ocean, watched the sunset, bid adieu to another Shabbat, and made my way back to Jerusalem.

After visiting Tel Aviv, I feel that I must express my opinion in the omnipresent Tel Aviv vs. Jerusalem debate. In all honesty, if I were to move to Israel permanently I would probably settle in Tel Aviv, simply because I love the beach and the café culture. However, I am very happy that I have spent the last month in Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv. Jerusalem is so much more rich in culture and history; there is no way that I will have enough time to see everything I want to see in Jerusalem, whereas I felt that two days was just about sufficient for Tel Aviv. Moreover, I agree that Jerusalem is a distinctly unique city that will offer me a much more in-depth portrayal of Israeli life than I could find in Tel Aviv. Diplomatically, I must say that I love both places for their unique characters. However, once again I definitely felt like I came home when the sherut returned to Jerusalem’s Zion Square.

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