Tel Aviv, the New Mecca?

[Suradit69]

Interesting take on a gay friendly place that wouldn't be the first to come to mind … for me at least ... primarily because of religious implications. Also interesting that some people view this as a political ploy to earn the equal-human-rights label, while distracting attention from less pleasant claims of abuses against others.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Suradit69

[onthemoon]

Come on... you want us to watch a 25-minute video?

[sustento]

Has it got any hotties in it?

[Jingthing]

We have discussed this topic before on this forum.

The emergence of Tel Aviv as a major gay travel destination is really old hat now.

Not sure what's new.

Gay freedom especially in Tel Aviv is real and there is no doubt that's the gay freedom hub of the entire middle east.

It's also true the government of Israel likes to "use" the reality of gay freedom at least in Tel Aviv for PR purposes to the western world. Some call it pink washing propaganda, suggesting it is used to mask the human rights issues with the Palestinians.

As far as religion, be clear Israel is only mildly theocratic compared to many Islamic states and a significant percentage of Jews in Israel identify as SECULAR Jews (also home of 20 percent Arabic Israeli citizens Muslim and Christian). Jewish is both a religion AND an ethnicity, you can be ethnic with no religion, no problema.

Sadly I haven't been to Tel Aviv but I hear it's like Southern California but much nicer!

So anything new?

Edited January 20, 2014 by Jingthing

[sustento]

Answer the question Jing! Hotties or not?

[AyG]

Tel Aviv is nothing like Mecca. In Mecca there are no LGBT rights, and you can be lashed up to 200 times or be stoned to death for being gay.

[mallyrd]

Tel Aviv is nothing like Mecca. In Mecca there are no LGBT rights, and you can be lashed up to 200 times or be stoned to death for being gay.

Ignorance can sometime be bliss, do a bit of googling for Mecca

Edited January 21, 2014 by mallyrd

[AyG]

Tel Aviv is nothing like Mecca. In Mecca there are no LGBT rights, and you can be lashed up to 200 times or be stoned to death for being gay.

Ignorance can sometime be bliss, do a bit of googling for Mecca

Last time I checked Mecca was still in Saudi Arabia - one of the most fervent, fundamentalist Moslem countries in the world where homosexuality is illegal and people have been lashed and/or executed on account of their sexuality, so what's your point?

[mallyrd]

Tel Aviv is nothing like Mecca. In Mecca there are no LGBT rights, and you can be lashed up to 200 times or be stoned to death for being gay.

Ignorance can sometime be bliss, do a bit of googling for Mecca

Last time I checked Mecca was still in Saudi Arabia - one of the most fervent, fundamentalist Moslem countries in the world where homosexuality is illegal and people have been lashed and/or executed on account of their sexuality, so what's your po

There is more than one meaning to Mecca, the word in itself can be likened to paradise. I am sure the OP was not intending to make reference to SA Mecca, his mind was on something else.

[Jingthing]

OK, this is new.

Mecca chat.

[Suradit69]

Tel Aviv is nothing like Mecca. In Mecca there are no LGBT rights, and you can be lashed up to 200 times or be stoned to death for being gay.

Ignorance can sometime be bliss, do a bit of googling for Mecca

Last time I checked Mecca was still in Saudi Arabia - one of the most fervent, fundamentalist Moslem countries in the world where homosexuality is illegal and people have been lashed and/or executed on account of their sexuality, so what's your point?

It was meant to be a play on words. Mecca in casual usage means "a place that a lot of people visit because it is famous for something that they want to see or do," but since it actually refers to a holy city for Muslims it wouldn't normally be used when describing a destination in Israel. It wasn't meant to be deeply thought provoking or otherwise provocative.

We have discussed this topic before on this forum.

The emergence of Tel Aviv as a major gay travel destination is really old hat now.

Yes, I realize that anything posted by anyone other than you has been discussed before by the mysteriously royal "we" and is "old hat." It hardly seems worthwhile posting anything without your imprimatur.

Edited January 24, 2014 by Suradit69

[Jingthing]

However you slice your matzoh, it's STILL old hat boychik.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ToddWeston]

Tel Aviv is nothing like Mecca. In Mecca there are no LGBT rights, and you can be lashed up to 200 times or be stoned to death for being gay.

Ignorance can sometime be bliss, do a bit of googling for Mecca

Last time I checked Mecca was still in Saudi Arabia - one of the most fervent, fundamentalist Moslem countries in the world where homosexuality is illegal and people have been lashed and/or executed on account of their sexuality, so what's your point?

It was meant to be a play on words. Mecca in casual usage means "a place that a lot of people visit because it is famous for something that they want to see or do," but since it actually refers to a holy city for Muslims it wouldn't normally be used when describing a destination in Israel. It wasn't meant to be deeply thought provoking or otherwise provocative.

We have discussed this topic before on this forum.

The emergence of Tel Aviv as a major gay travel destination is really old hat now.

Yes, I realize that anything posted by anyone other than you has been discussed before by the mysteriously royal "we" and is "old hat." It hardly seems worthwhile posting anything without your imprimatur.

I got it and thought it was cute.

I've travelled numerous times to Israel + 10. Tel Aviv is great city with lots of youth and the nightlife is fantastic, although I don't do the gay scene it seems very gay friendly, however I wouldn't say the same about Jerusalem.

As long as the fanatics stay in Jerusalem I suppose it will continue.

Word of caution about travelling with a Thai to Israel, they are NOT treated kindly in any city including Eilat. They have a large population of Filipino domestic maids there, some legal some illegal and being stopped multiple times in a day is NOT fun.

[Jingthing]

I think many Thais are legally employed as agricultural guest workers in Israel. Nobody would say Jerusalem is a gay mecca but I've read recent reports of gay pride activities in Israel outside of TLV.

Sir Weston, I am envious of your travels in the homeland of my people.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited January 24, 2014 by Jingthing

[ToddWeston]

I think many Thais are legally employed as agricultural guest workers in Israel. Nobody would say Jerusalem is a gay mecca but I've read recent reports of gay pride activities in Israel outside of TLV.

Sir Weston, I am envious of your travels in the homeland of my people.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I can honestly say it is one of my favourite spots on this planet. I was fortunate as a child to visit and then work related as Pharma research is huge in Israel - most generic research happens there.

I would move there in a heart beat, it's probably the safest I've felt anywhere.

And to your point about the migrant workers, indeed there are Thai farm workers but our problems were always in the daytime when I suppose the workers, would be well working we would hire a car every trip and drive from Tel Aviv to Masada with a night (s) in Jerusalem and when stopped they first words spoken were "mabuhay papers now"

Security and the police in Israel are not in the mood for jokes, however Tel Aviv is really a different story - fun fun fun, I can really see it as a gay hot spot.

[sustento]

Bina (the Mod) is from Israel and has her Thai husband living there with her.

[Scott]

I would imagine that security is a big concern in Israel. I wonder if being stopped was because there was a Thai person in the vehicle or whether it was routine.

[ToddWeston]

I would imagine that security is a big concern in Israel. I wonder if being stopped was because there was a Thai person in the vehicle or whether it was routine.

A Thai driving....... I'd stop him as well 55555 (sorry) it's routine, there are check points along many routes.

Security is everywhere, when I say kids carrying machine guns it sounds scary but after a day or so you realise the threat they live under from their neighbours and you start to appreciate the security, perhaps that is why they really seem to enjoy life. It's almost like walking into a bank a seeing an armed guard, you know why he is there. Questioning at the airport is an ordeal but worth it IMO, It's an interrogation of every passenger including clergy & the officers come right out and ask what is your relationship, they look at hotel bills ask about friends in Israel etc.

Three years back our eldest niece & nephew from Thailand joined us for a holiday in Israel and we covered the entire country, they've been to Europe, Brasil & Canada and Israel is by far their favourite, when we go out for middle eastern food in bangkok they still complain the food isn't as good as Israel and ask why don't they have a salad bar when you order a sharwarma. When I mentioned in my youth I would have loved to have worked on a kibbutz they both asked why didn't you tell us we would have done it

What I love about Israel is seeing the different religions and sects within, as a tourist you can either crank it up or chose to simply see the sites, Tel Aviv reminds me of Rio.

If it's not on your bucket list it should be, I know once we're properly settled here this year with my retirement visa we'll be travelling there most likely next year and hopefully many times in future years, it's an added bonus El Al flies to Bangkok.

[Fookhaht]

I would imagine that security is a big concern in Israel. I wonder if being stopped was because there was a Thai person in the vehicle or whether it was routine.

A Thai driving....... I'd stop him as well 55555 (sorry) it's routine, there are check points along many routes.

Security is everywhere, when I say kids carrying machine guns it sounds scary but after a day or so you realise the threat they live under from their neighbours and you start to appreciate the security, perhaps that is why they really seem to enjoy life. It's almost like walking into a bank a seeing an armed guard, you know why he is there. Questioning at the airport is an ordeal but worth it IMO, It's an interrogation of every passenger including clergy & the officers come right out and ask what is your relationship, they look at hotel bills ask about friends in Israel etc.

Three years back our eldest niece & nephew from Thailand joined us for a holiday in Israel and we covered the entire country, they've been to Europe, Brasil & Canada and Israel is by far their favourite, when we go out for middle eastern food in bangkok they still complain the food isn't as good as Israel and ask why don't they have a salad bar when you order a sharwarma. When I mentioned in my youth I would have loved to have worked on a kibbutz they both asked why didn't you tell us we would have done it

What I love about Israel is seeing the different religions and sects within, as a tourist you can either crank it up or chose to simply see the sites, Tel Aviv reminds me of Rio.

If it's not on your bucket list it should be, I know once we're properly settled here this year with my retirement visa we'll be travelling there most likely next year and hopefully many times in future years, it's an added bonus El Al flies to Bangkok.

As a likewise frequent traveler to Israel, I wholeheartedly concur with this poster's impressions of the country as a whole. Being an amateur archeologist, in addition, doubles the attraction for for me.

Tel Aviv has the same tolerance level as San Francisco or Seattle.

Sent from my tin can via string

[Scott]

I have lived and traveled extensively in the Middle East. My response was to this statement:

"Word of caution about travelling with a Thai to Israel, they are NOT treated kindly in any city including Eilat. They have a large population of Filipino domestic maids there, some legal some illegal and being stopped multiple times in a day is NOT fun."

[ToddWeston]

I have lived and traveled extensively in the Middle East. My response was to this statement:

"Word of caution about travelling with a Thai to Israel, they are NOT treated kindly in any city including Eilat. They have a large population of Filipino domestic maids there, some legal some illegal and being stopped multiple times in a day is NOT fun."

In all the years it was on the most recent trips that we've encountered what I thought was "extra" attention.

There are thousands of Filipinos in Israel and on one visit there was an issue that Filipino children born in Israel weren't going to be granted Israeli citizenship (anchor babies I believe the term) my husband looks Filipino. We took a bus to Bethlehem with the kids and at the border security came on and asked for all Filipinos to please exit the bus and they pointed to him & the kids when he said I'm Canadian they said but you are born in the Philippines please exit - he said no I'm Thai and they asked for his work permit - just one example.

It's not a big deal and shouldn't take away from the experience just be prepared, he's used to being called a Mexican in Mexico, Brasilian in Brasil, Cuban in Cuba, Aboriginal in Canada it adds to the experience.

He doesn't like being called a Filipino when we travel as people assume he can sing and trust me he cannot

Edit: I don't want to take away from the OP, the above was one example, granted it was exiting and re-entering Israel, at Masada he was pulled over and questioned, in Haifa they asked to see his work permit, in the Old City they wouldn't let him enter the Dome of the Rock but I was allowed, in Ein Gedi he was asked at a petrol station after being questioned if he had an Israli cell number - and no he wasn't wearing one of those Arafat scarves it's just the way it is sometimes when you don't look like tourists.

Edited January 25, 2014 by ToddWeston