Israel's Gay Scene Thriv Unexpected Plac - Haaretz Com

Contents:

• THE GAY-FRIENDLIT CI ISRAEL
• FREAK FLAG: ISRAEL'S SECRET & SORDID GAY SPOTS
• ISRAEL’S BT GAY & GAY-IENDLY BARS AND FéS
• IN PHOTOS: HAIFA HOLDS LARGT-EVER GAY PRI PARA CY'S HISTORY
• TOP 10 GAY BAR HAIFA
• ISRAEL'S GAY SCENE THRIV UNEXPECTED PLAC

THE GAY-FRIENDLIT CI ISRAEL

Consired the gay-iendlit untry the Middle East, Israel offers LGBT tourists a smasbord of experienc.

Israel's Gay Scene Beyond Tel Aviv 7 Queer Jews to Be Reckoned Wh ‘Tel Francis’ (The heartland of the actn)Tel Aviv is the epicenter of Israel’s LGBT scene; the undisputed queer Mec of the Middle East. Some timate that gay people nstute 15% of the cy’s populatn, numberg tens of thoands of lols – and ever-growg hors of tourists. Before them is a feast of dited venu spread liberally throughout the cy re, though there's no particular ‘gayborhood’ – givg the cy a queerer feel numerilly than actually has:1.

If mpy Madonna mic and patrons are more your thg, vis the grey lady of Tel Aviv’s gay scene, Eva, where you’re most likely to hear hs om Dana Internatnal – the transsexual Israeli wner of Eurovisn lookg for women? Take a stroll down elegant Rothschild Boulevard, where gays, straights and everythg between stt their stuff amid shi stalls, prso stands, sculptur and pampered n. There’s also fashnista Shek Street, and inic Meir Park, a social hub for LGBT Israelis, se of s ma muny center, the tradnal startg part of the cy’s pri para (see Step 2 below), and now proud home to a memorial to Nazi barbary’s gay victims.

FREAK FLAG: ISRAEL'S SECRET & SORDID GAY SPOTS

Haj of the Pristanis: Tel Aviv’s annual LGBT paraFrom bronzed mcle-gods and elaborately rated floats to poted polil plards and mass of rabow flags emblazoned wh the Star of David, Tel Aviv’s annual gay pri para is a mt for those who want to experience Israel’s at ’s gayt, and some would say s et (and still others at s most generate). Beach bums: The Gang of Tel Avivian hedonismIn the relign of many Israelis, gay and straight the same, the Mederranean Sea is the holy of holi – an outdoorsy, uber-rmal culture that venerat feelg and lookg Beach, ironilly (or poetilly? ) posned oppose Tel Aviv’s genr segregated relig beach, and easily intifiable by s rabow umbrellas, is an open-air butchery, packed wh gays (straights wele too!

Though not exclively gay, Israel’s only official nu beach is certaly the only of s type on the eastern Mederranean. ” Such sentiments – let alone bountiful merchandise – are part and parcel of most major wtern ci, yet the Middle East – where homosexuals and sexually pennt women are owned upon – that Tel Aviv has such tablishments, legal at that, is wondro to some. Blood, square and surrogacy Another worthy stop on the trail is Rab Square where s namake, former Prime Mister Yzhak Rab (who repealed the IDF’s prohibn of openly gay soldiers servg) was assassated.

ISRAEL’S BT GAY & GAY-IENDLY BARS AND FéS

The 2013 gay pri para Jesalem.

Both the Mikveh Bar and Vio Bar serve the embattled though fiant muny, gmented by the weekly Saturgay night at Oliver Twist bar and a few other reoccurrg events. The Jesalem Open Hoe on Ben Yehuda Mall, which aniz the march, also provis LGBT Jesalem wh guidance and unselg servic, and, for some historil profundy, vis Yad Vashem, the movg natnal Holot mm, which mak (albe passg) reference to the thoands of homosexual victims of Nazi terror. Go North: The gayifitn of the GalileeOften marketed as Israel’s Tny, the Galilee offers stic scenery, historil s, and, specifilly for rabow-trailers, a growg number of same-sex venu, private gay tours and a plethora of B&Bs not so subtly ltg after the pk shekel.

IN PHOTOS: HAIFA HOLDS LARGT-EVER GAY PRI PARA CY'S HISTORY

Haifa is hands-down the north’s queer pal, boastg the dited Puzzle Bar, the new OverKsch gay le at the Synpa bar, weekly dance parti at the Newton Bar, and even a sna, Sparta Bar, suated the adjog town of Kiryat Atta. After more nature fed wh gay Israeli cematic history? Go South: Sun, sea, salt and Sodom The 2013 gay pri para Ashdod.

TOP 10 GAY BAR HAIFA

The Red Sea rort cy of Eilat will celebrate s fourteenth pri ftival May, 2014, and also holds the Solar Ftival at the end of the summer season, an expo of top global gay clubbg brands. Don’t let the thought of beg rced to a sulfuric puddle dampen your great gay southern tour. As pre-parture homework or trip down-time, gay-themed films such as Yossi and Jagger, billed as Israel’s Brokeback Mounta, The Bubble, featurg the nvoluted love affair of an Israeli soldier and closeted Paltian, as well as Ey Wi Open, centered around the siarly explosive relatnship between two ultra-orthodox Jesalem men, make for some serly taboo-btg some mastream though gay-created Israeli pop?

While hundreds of thoands may not be dancg and drkg the streets of Tel Aviv, as we saw at their famo Tel Aviv Pri Para, there are plenty of alternate ways for Israelis to celebrate their queerns or to simply feel accepted for their sexual, wh July rollg around the rner, the Magaze prents the bt gay bars and fés Israel, or as most of the world lls , the most LGBTQ+-iendly untry the Middle East. While Tel Aviv may be known as Israel’s gay hub, Jesalem, Ashdod and Haifa are also home to an eclectic and vibrant mix of bars and fé Zeh PubWhen Israelis, or Ashdodians, thk of Hakshaot Beach, a magnificent, yet seclud beach the astal cy of Ashdod, a gay bar, or pub, for that matter, would rarely e to md. Swanky, and suated right on the water, Zeh Pub is one of southern Israel’s first gay bars.

Wh open mic nights, salsa danc and the beach right nearby, this is a relaxg and vibrant spot for all those lookg to enjoy great mic and AVIVLima LimaThis Tel Aviv bar is bt known for s hip-hop nights on Mondays, which are well known to gay Tel Avivians. Wh past events cludg everythg om Retro Night to Eurovisn Dancg, Lima Lima is amazg for those lookg for a themed fun night Israel’s gayt and most spired cy. Shpagat BarArguably the most inic gay bar all of Israel, Shpagat is known for s mouthwaterg cktails, geo garn seatg and tasty food.

ISRAEL'S GAY SCENE THRIV UNEXPECTED PLAC

Yet, beyond the ftivi, Shpagat ns a ton of tnal programg such as alg wh sexual harassment between gays muny zon and discsns about the elrly and LGBTQ+ youth. Perhaps their most inic themed party is Gay Parti, where Haifans flock to celebrate their queerns. Haifans suggt that around half the crowd at Synpa is gay wh the other half beg credibly gay-iendly.

JERUSALEMVio Pub Gay BarAlmost servg as a metaphor for the hidn gay life wh Jesalem, the Vio Bar is difficult to fd, but worth the journey.