When many people thk of Israel, is often terms of morn war or ancient relign. But there is much more to the Jewish state than missil and prayers. In his but as a documentary filmmaker, adult-film entreprenr and polil lumnist Michael Lus exam a si of Israel that is too often overlooked: s thrivg gay muny. Undrsg Israel featur terviews wh a diverse range of lol men, cludg a gay member of Israel's parliament, a traer who served openly the army, a young Arab-Israeli journalist, and a pair of dads raisg their kids. Lus also viss Tel Aviv's vibrant nightlife scene and a same-sex weddg this guid tour to a untry that emerged as a pneer for gay tegratn and equaly.
Contents:
- ISRAEL'S GAY SCENE THRIV UNEXPECTED PLAC
- FREAK FLAG: ISRAEL'S SECRET & SORDID GAY SPOTS
- BT GAY BARS TEL AVIV
- THE GAY-FRIENDLIT CI ISRAEL
- UNDRSG ISRAEL: GAY MEN THE PROMISED LAND
- THE SHOCKG LIFE OF ISRAEL'S MOST FAMO GAY PORN STAR
ISRAEL'S GAY SCENE THRIV UNEXPECTED PLAC
The Ultimate Gui to Hotspots for the Gay Tourist, and Lols Too, From 'Tel Francis' to Mt. Sodom. * israel gay scene *
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. 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).
FREAK FLAG: ISRAEL'S SECRET & SORDID GAY SPOTS
Lbian & gay bars and events Israel: Time Out offers Israel’s bt gui to gay clubs, gay bars and LGBT events throughout Tel Aviv and beyond * israel gay scene *
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.
BT GAY BARS TEL AVIV
As Acceptance Grows, the LGBT Communy Begs to Shun the Undisputed Capal of Gay Israel Favor of Other Towns. * israel gay scene *
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.
THE GAY-FRIENDLIT CI ISRAEL
Celebrate Pri week at Israel's hottt unrground gay snas, beach and more. * israel gay scene *
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.
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?
Although Tel Aviv’s Gay Pri was celebrated nearly half a year ago, people are still hummg the ftival’s official theme song, which was prented by a young (and straight) sger, Omer Adam. The song says “Sahte al Tel Aviv” – which uld be translated as “Good for you, Tel Aviv” – and the gay scene there is ed flourishg.
UNDRSG ISRAEL: GAY MEN THE PROMISED LAND
As the LGBT pal of the Middle East, Tel Aviv has some of the bt gay bars around! Here are the top 7 gay clubs the cy. * israel gay scene *
But while Tel Aviv is Israel’s gay pal, there is a growg gay scene other ci around the untry, hostg more and more parti and events terg to the LGBT muny. Won't Move Hassled Gay Tenant Israeli Schools Don't Reach Out to Gays Dana Internatnal: 'I Am Israeli Cher' Gay Pri Central to Israel Pilgrimag When Gay Haredi Men Marry Women First JCC-affiliated LGBT Group Viss Israel A Same-sex Couple? Not My Hoe The Ultimate Gui for Tel Aviv's Pri Week 7 Queer Jews to Be Reckoned Wh Tel Aviv Pri Week: More Than Jt Parti The IsRabow Trail: The LGBT Scene “Bee there is more openns today to gay pri, there is the feelg that this subject has bee a social norm outsi Tel Aviv as well, " says Michal Sher, 31, a member of the executive board of Agudah (the natnal LGBT associatn Israel) and who aniz s weekly dance parti and social activi.
"As a rult, there is a growg mand for activi for the gay muny other [Israeli] ci. There are amazg gay muni Be’er Sheva, Jesalem and Haifa, and weekly dance parti are now begng to bee a feature Kiryat Gat, ” he not. Avishag Tabib, 26, who produc the weekly Monroe multisexual dance parti at Be’er Sheva’s Grace Bar, c another reason for the crease the number of gay events Israel’s outlyg regns, and also scrib the procs that led her to anize weekly dance parti Be’er Sheva.
But I really love the cy I live , my iends are here and is important to tablish a gay base here.
THE SHOCKG LIFE OF ISRAEL'S MOST FAMO GAY PORN STAR
Tel Aviv Pri is fally here and ’s g hot! We've prepared a plete list of the gay-iendlit ci Israel to have the most fun . * israel gay scene *
” “When we began to anize weekly dance parti nearly three years ago, all we wanted was a place where gays uld party, " she adds. "There was no gay scene and there were hardly any events for gays here.
Today, straight adolcents are gettg the msage that there is a gay muny Be’er Sheva, and they are ol wh that ia. ” Assi Nahum, 33, who produc weekly dance parti for the Newton Bar Haifa, attribut the crease gay events outsi Tel Aviv to the enomic suatn. “We are today wnsg a trend: Young gay people are returng to their hom northern Israel, where there are many gays, " he says.
Gays are promently reprented on mastream media every field – as prenters of products [i. Once upon a time gays had to pe to Tel Aviv; today they n enjoy peace of md anywhere Israel. ” There is also a gay awakeng Jesalem, says Sarah Weil, 29, producer of weekly gay dance parti the natn’s pal var ntexts, cludg Women’s Gatherg.
We take a look at the celebrated gay scene Israel wh an eclectic variety of some of the most ntroversial and celebrated LGBT films wrten directed... * israel gay scene *
The weekly dance parti anized by Noa Maharevsky for Bat Hayam are a big succs, and The Vio Pub, which openly advertis self as a gay bar, has recently opened.
There is a [gay] awakeng and there is a need - sharp ntrast wh the suatn the past. ” 'Welg environment' Judgg om the ments by producers of gay events, there appear to be addnal differenc - not only the nature of the events but also their quanty.
* israel gay scene *
“In Tel Aviv, ” Tabib pots out, “there are parti for subtegori [of gays], which prov that the muny is really big. However, om the standpot of muny feelg, there are hardly any parti for gays of both sex.
In Be’er Sheva, homosexuals and lbians participate jot events and parti. They want to feel that they tly belong to the gay muny and want to create a welg environment. ” Israel's LGBT muny was unified last week as prepared to anize a prott party after Moshe Abutbul - the ultra-Orthodox mayor of Be Shemh - spoke disparaggly of gays.