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Dizengoff Flea Market
Tina Silverman
(July 3, 2000)
Tel Aviv Municipality is sprucing up Dizengoff Circle, once the social and commercial center of the world�s first Jewish city. Surrounding buildings are being renovated, sidewalks repaired, and on a hot Friday morning my nose discerned that even leaky underground sewer lines are getting fixed.
On Fridays, half of the sidewalk space around the circle is turned over to dozens of flea-market entrepreneurs. In the heart of what was once Israel�s busiest thoroughfare, you�ll find tables laden with swap-meet wares, which are extremely diverse and sometimes wondrous.
For only 50 shekels ($12 at last counting) anyone can rent a table and chair and haul out anything for sale. Everyone bargains for everything. There are tables full of goodies from all over the Middle East, what was once the Soviet Union, Europe and even the US Beyond the old Judaica, pre-state paraphernalia and funky jewelry, you can find sheet music from the 20s (I picked up a few Irving Berlin homages to the ol� South), terrific Mandate-era kitchen gadgets that still work, Depression glass candy dishes and tons of kitsch.
Nostalgia is everywhere. Book collectors will find a wonderful array of early Israeli and pre-state publications, including children�s books and dime romance novellas. One vendor has an eerie stack of what look like photographs of folks left behind in pre-war Europe. I also spotted a hysterically funny French postcard fold-out of 50s ladies in states of undress which were considered risqu� then, but wouldn�t even rate as soft-core by today�s standards.
There�s a special section for clothing and accessories, all second-hand, with some good buys among the junk.
Next Friday, I�m joining the sellers, with a bunch of old stuff that might bring in a few shekels. Besides, all the vendors I talked to were having a great time. They brought their own sun-umbrellas and lemonade and, between sales, were shmoozing away.
Dizengoff Circle, Tel Aviv Fridays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Good Taste
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