Delta Flight Enables Taste of Tel Aviv, With a Side of Protest

Editor’s note: A longtime traveler to Israel, Rough Draft Atlanta Publisher Keith Pepper reconnected with the country via Delta’s nonstop flight, relaunched in March after a 12-year hiatus.

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After many years of regular international travel for both work and fun, I had not left the country since the start of the pandemic.

When Delta Air Lines announced the resumption of direct flights between Atlanta and Tel Aviv, I jumped at the chance to get back to one of my favorite cities in the world. 

While I have spent a significant amount of time in Israel, this trip was my first from my current perch atop a local publication, and it was a unique experience for me to see the country alongside local journalists who were first-time visitors. 

Celebrating Delta’s new route meant arriving at Ben-Gurion International Airport to a celebratory water salute and ceremony in the terminal. Landing in Tel Aviv amidst massive anti-government protests meant that my phone was constantly abuzz with questions from home, especially after the airport was shut down just minutes after we touched down.

Israel’s Thriving Food Scene

My trip was centered on experiencing Israel’s thriving food scene. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that the tiny country has some of the world’s best cuisine that maximizes its agriculture industry to serve innovative dishes that go beyond your grandmother’s Jewish cooking. But, if you just want an amazing bowl of hummus or a street falafel, options abound. 

Both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have bustling nightlife that runs the gamut from cozy wine bars to gay discos which, even on Shabbat, were teeming with energy into the wee hours.

Young, stylish Israelis, having grown up surrounded by constant security threats, live for the moment, chain smoking and generously offering shots of Arak, the anise-flavored spirit that’s having a moment. 

For the most part, the protests were on the outskirts of Tel Aviv or at major highway exchanges, far from where we were staying. But, the energy and tension were palpable at places like the tragically hip Port Said, where Israeli-flag-clad young people were on the way to late-night demonstrations. In fact, my bartender rushed me through settling the bill because he was on his way to meet friends and head to a protest.  

AgTech and Tourism

While recent political divides have Israel’s tech sector facing an uncertain future, our visit to Asif, an AgTech hub in central Tel Aviv, showed the remarkable innovation in vertical farming and other cutting-edge food technologies, including remote monitoring and advancements in Israel’s heralded drip irrigation products. The lush rooftop urban garden would be the envy of every weekend green thumb in Atlanta.  

Since I was first exposed to Israeli culture at the 1985 Israel Expo in Atlanta to my time as a volunteer on an agricultural kibbutz in the desert, I developed a love for the country, its culture, and its people.

Working for and with Israelis in New York and traveling there for business helped me deepen my understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing modern-day Israeli society. 

Israel is undoubtedly going through an identity crisis that seems to be bending its democracy to the point of possibly breaking. I’m not an international affairs expert, but I do know that Israel’s small businesses need a healthy tourism industry, and with Delta’s daily nonstop service, it’s not unreasonable for Atlantans to hop over for a long weekend of eating some of the best food in the world.