Israel’s News Blog Magazine: Daily Stories Video and Photos

Are all Tel-Avivis terribly melancholic? After all, people do say they never smile on the streets… But perhaps there’s a different reason for the citizens of this lively city to walk with their heads down.

Walk down Rothschild Ave., and see the biggest number of dogs you’ll ever see anywhere else (unless you’re a dog show fan, that is). These dogs are usually out together with their owners, led by them or leading them. It’s a social thing here, walking your dog. You’ll find all sorts of dog-walkers out there, from early morning to the small hours of the night. Old people getting bored from staying in all day who treat their dogs as if they were their own children, desperate housewives (or their Philippine Help) with the tiniest dogs, married couples with their doggy tied to the baby stroller and – of course – young singles.

It seems like every other single man or woman owns a dog in Tel Aviv. At night, in their best outfits, with make up and perfume on, they all take their dogs out and let them run around freely, while they busy themselves eyeing the current potential hook-up market.

It’s definitely not a bad way to get to know people. Actually, I think it’s very healthy to meet people on the street in the most natural way, and not in a silly and awkward blind-date or – god help us – a shiduch. You see someone you like, you smile, (let him) begin to chat… That’s even romantic.

But. Let’s say I see my future husband – handsome, well-built, with a lot of taste but not too pretentious… He walks by, smiles and enigmatic smile and looks at me with his oh-so-intelligent eyes – and then hurries after his stupid looking dog and picks up its excrement with his hands using a very thin nylon bag. Major, major turn-off. And, no, the fact that this person would bother to pick it up at all doesn’t make it better. And watch out, a lot of them don’t bother.