It’s a funny thing about Tel Aviv.  It’s probably one of the most livable cities in the world.  Right up there with Sydney, or Paris, or Shanghai (on a rare clear day).  But whenever people come home from Israel, they’re talking about the complex history of Jerusalem, or the pulsating politics of the country, or legendary sites like Masada.  But the fact of the matter is that Tel Aviv was our favorite part of Israel, so much so that for the first week we were there we never even left town.  For seventeen days, we were Tel Avivians.  It’s the perfect combination of New York and LA, a great walking city on a beach.  The food is world class, the people are smart and funny, the weather is terrific, and our friends lent us their awesome apartment.  We couldn’t think of a reason to leave.