Page 4 - Issue 8
P. 4

Up  to  now,  what  could  we  say  about  Ramat  Gan?  Established  in  1921,  it  is  home  to  Israel's
           tallest building, 130 synagogues, 3 hotels, 2 cinemas, the diamond exchange, the embassy of the
           Ivory Coast and the national football stadium. But Ramat Gan has now been well and truly put on
           the  map  by  not  one  but  two  Habonim  Dror  kvutsot,  who  have  decided  to  live  there.  We
           interviewed  Nik  John,  a  current  resident  of  Ramat  Gan,  on  Gmail  chat.  Nik,  formerly  on  the
           Mazkirut of HDUK, later becoming Desk Anglo at World Habonim Dror, tried hard to oblige, by
           telling us what's hot, and what's not, in the poor man's Tel Aviv.

           Iton:  can i interview you?         Nik:  there is no "top shop"        Iton:  no name!!!!! - much like
           Nik:  what about?                   Iton:  burtons?                     the new HD kvutsah that has
           Iton:  ramat gan                    Nik:  that neither                  moved into the hood
           Nik:  sure                          Iton:  no, whats the best shop      did u hear about them
           i like ramat gan                    on bialik?                          Nik:  you told me
           i mean, i like tel aviv more, but i   Nik:  dunno                       Iton:  Habonim Dror and Ramat
           can't afford to live there          but it's a good street for          Gan - a partnership made in
           Iton:  how long have you been       shopping on                         heaven?
           living in ramat gan                 if you want a lot of shops but      Nik:  why not
           Nik:  ooh, have we started the      don't want to go to the mall        Iton:  why?
           interview?                          probably the bookshop is the        Nik:  why? no special reason i
           Iton:  yes                          best shop                           guess
           Nik:  i lived in ramat gan for 1    it's my favourite one anyway        it's not run down like migdal
           year in 1997-98, then to tel        Iton:  whats the last book you      i wouldn't say that living in
           aviv, then to bnei brak, and now    bought there?                       ramat gan = the realization of
           i've been in ramat gan for 6.5      Nik:  who knows                     my aspirations
           years                               Iton:  you?                         living in tel aviv would be MUCH
           Iton:  what brought you back        Nik:  probably a birthday           better
           to ramat gan?                       present for etty                    but i like it
           Nik:  wanted to buy a flat;         i don't remember                    other highlights of ramat gan,
           couldn't afford to buy one in       i don't go shopping there that      by the way, include the view
           tel aviv                            often                               from yad le'banim
           didn't want to live further         my neighbourhood is a highlight     Iton:  go on
           away from the centre though         of ramat gan                        Nik:  definitely tell the group
           Iton:  is there a big difference    it's lovely                         to go there
           in prices?                          Iton:  how so?                      it's amazing
           Nik:  huge                          Nik:  quiet leafy streets           it's really really high up
           Iton:  what are the highlights      it's even got a neighbourhood       Iton:  what is yad lebanim
           of ramat gan?                       cafe with wireless internet         what do u see from there
           Nik:  um                            Iton:  do you pay for the           Nik:  fallen soldiers memorial
           the national park                   internet?                           place
           (park haleumi)                      Nik:  nope                          you see pretty much everything
           where you can feed the ducks        lovely owners                       especially looking
           the safari                          really neighbourhood style          north/northwest
           Iton:  so its a haven for           Iton:  the best cake on the         Iton:  best shwarma in town?
           animals                             menu is...                          Nik:  shemesh on jabotinsky
           Nik:  rechov bialik and the         Nik:  best cake? lots of 'em        not that i eat shwarma
           square                              they have lovely yoghurt with       it's the most famous one
           Iton:  whats special about          lots of fruit and lots of granola   Iton:  best bus line?
           bialik?                             Iton:  what is the cafe called?     Nik:  61
           Nik:  nice high street              Nik:  not even sure it's got a      Iton:  why?
           beautiful lights in the trees at    name actually                       Nik:  goes from outside my flat,
           night time                          but it's on hagilgal street         past the rakevet, down
           Iton:  top shop?                                                        arlozorov, along
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